Having led the professional networking site through its initial public offering (IPO) in 2011, LinkedIn has announced that general counsel (GC) Erika Rottenberg will leave in August to take some time out after six years in the role, while Stockholm-based Tele2 has just announced its new GC.
Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser
The UK arm of global cider and beer producer Heineken is actively considering going down the one-stop-shop route for the bulk of its legal work, appointing a sole legal adviser in a bid to cut down its external legal spend. Continue reading “Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser”
Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’
After a five month stint at biotechnology company Genus as general counsel (GC), Tom Kilroy has returned to banking software company Misys, this time as chief of staff. Continue reading “Tom Kilroy re-joins Misys in chief of staff role as financial market speculates over ‘eventual flotation’”
Power struggles – the challenges facing counsel in the $5trn oil and gas industry
Legal Business talks to lawyers on the frontline of the controversial and risky oil and gas business to explore the industry trends and challenges in-house legal teams face
2010 was arguably a turning point in the $5trn global energy market. That was the year that Brazilian oil giant Petrobras undertook a record-shattering $70bn equity offering ahead of unveiling a $224bn investment plan, on some measures the largest corporate spending programme the world has ever seen.
Continue reading “Power struggles – the challenges facing counsel in the $5trn oil and gas industry”
Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser
The UK arm of global cider and beer producer Heineken is actively considering going down the one-stop-shop route for the bulk of its legal work, appointing a sole legal adviser in a bid to cut down its external legal spend.
Heineken’s company secretary and UK head of legal Graeme Colquhoun anticipates that one of the firms with which the brewer already has a relationship would be best placed to serve in the role, meaning that firms including Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy, Shepherd and Wedderburn, TLT Solicitors, Morton Fraser, Irwin Mitchell, Osborne Clarke, CMS Cameron McKenna and Pinsent Masons could all be in line for the windfall instruction.
Continue reading “Heineken UK in talks to appoint sole legal adviser”
Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review
Top 30 UK firm Irwin Mitchell last month lost its place on energy giant National Grid’s legal panel to Shakespeares, following a review by UK general counsel (GC) and company secretary Karen Clayton.
The 700-lawyer firm was appointed for debt recovery services on the FTSE 100 energy company’s panel in 2011, at a time when it cut its roster of firms by 25% to 16.
Continue reading “Irwin Mitchell replaced by Shakespeares on National Grid’s UK panel after review”
Virgin Media completes leadership reshuffle with new legal head as Weight Watchers unveils its new GC
Home entertainment company Virgin Media has completed an overhaul of its executive following its £15bn acquisition by Liberty Global in 2013, announcing Mine Hifzi as its general counsel (GC).
Hifzi was previously senior vice president of commercial and legal affairs for Scripps Networks Interactive, where she held a combined business development, commercial strategy and legal role. She also spent 14 years heading up the international legal and government affairs team at Discovery Communication, and prior to that worked in senior positions at Turner Broadcasting System Europe and United International Pictures.
Profile: Andrew Whittaker and Kate Cheetham, Lloyds Banking Group
The bank’s group and deputy GCs discuss the split of Lloyds and TSB, and helping Lloyds’ efforts to rebuild trust after the banking crisis.
When Andrew Whittaker joined Lloyds Banking Group as group general counsel (GC) in May 2013, the message to the market behind his move following a 13-year stint as GC of the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) was not lost.
The trend towards embracing regulatory skills (think now-departed FSA chief executive Hector Sants’ appointment as compliance head at Barclays) came as the major high street bank continued to deal with the fallout of the financial crisis, which for Lloyds meant a multi-billion pound bail-out by the UK government. That is to say nothing of its implication in payment protection insurance mis-selling and ongoing investigations into its involvement in alleged Libor rigging.
Continue reading “Profile: Andrew Whittaker and Kate Cheetham, Lloyds Banking Group”
Barclays to offer 80 work experience places as high street bank mulls apprenticeship scheme
Barclays’ in-house legal team is to offer around 80 work experience placements to students from socio-economic groups under-represented in the legal profession in partnership with its panel law firms this summer. Continue reading “Barclays to offer 80 work experience places as high street bank mulls apprenticeship scheme”
Transatlantic private equity house GI Partners appoints new general counsel
Transatlantic mid-market private equity firm and UK pub owner GI Partners has announced the appointment of new general counsel (GC) and chief compliance officer (COO) David Smolen, who joins from US technology investor Silver Lake, where he was senior counsel and COO. Continue reading “Transatlantic private equity house GI Partners appoints new general counsel”