As Brackett Denniston stands down after 12 years as general counsel (GC) for US conglomerate GE, the GC of GE Capital Alex Dimitrief has been promoted to the top position.
Denniston announced he would step down as GE’s top lawyer after 19 years at the US infrastructure and financial services conglomerate.
Dimitrief, who has spent the last three years as general counsel of GE Capital overseeing a vast sell-down of assets focuses on its industrial business, will take up the general counsel role on 1 November.
Denniston’s last big job will be the completion of GE’s $17bn acquisition of Alstom’s energy business. European Union antitrust regulators approved the takeover of the French industrial’s assets in September but only on the condition that some parts of the businesses be sold.
‘Brackett has helped the company through a volatile era, including 9/11, the financial crisis, the Alstom transaction, the [GE] Capital divestitures and many others. He is a strong partner, advisor and counsellor to me, and a leader who does not shy away from the toughest of issues,’ said GE chairman and chief executive Jeffrey Immelt.
Dimitrief joined GE Capital in 2007 from Chicago law firm Kirkland & Ellis, where he had been a litigation partner, and has held a string of senior legal positions since then.
After joining as vice president for litigation, he has acted as general counsel for the conglomerates two main businesses, GE Energy and GE Capital. Undergoing a vast restructuring during his time as GE Capital’s GC, Dimitrief has overseen the sale of over $120bn in assets since April 2015.
As GE’s GC, Dimitrief will now lead a 5,000 strong team of employees across legal, ethics, technology and compliance. He will also become senior vice president at the company.
tom.moore@legalease.co.uk
