About

Dennis Heidschmidt has developed all processes, standards and recruitment in the areas of acquisition and project finance for Dutch ING Bank. Heidschmidt has in particular improved the way how large clients of the bank are being advised, particularly DAX companies, and has made significant changes in the area of trade finance services, regarding guarantees and bonds among others. He has managed to improve efficiency mainly by ‘identifying potential crossovers and improving co-operation of all entities involved in the credit process’. The result has been a measurable increase in customer satisfaction and an increased efficiency of legal services. He is advising on large scale projects that require both the internal management of resources and the integration of his Dutch colleagues. Particular highlights previously have been his major involvement in Commerzbank’s €11bn capital increase in 2011 as well as the bank’s hybrid capital restructuring in 2010 and 2011. A particular challenge for in-house counsel in his view is the ‘ongoing significant change of the market for in-house legal services’. Corporate counsel who want to have influence need to convince their ‘internal clients, right up to the board, of the economic value they add’. Overall, corporate counsel have to be ‘integrated into the business, add value and proactively develop solutions’.