‘An enthusiastic leader with excellent creative, strategic thinking’, the ‘charismatic’ Michael Spivey is commended by sources for his handling of the integration process, following the Massmart/Walmart merger, two years ago. Heading a 15-strong team, Spivey has taken extensive steps to formalise Massmart’s South African group legal structure. ‘Attracting talent’, he says is a particular challenge in the South African in-house market, and especially when it comes to multinationals.

With in-house experience spanning Eastern Europe and America, Spivey’s previous roles include Export-Import Bank of the United States’ assistant general counsel and director of business development. When it comes to outside counsel, he feels some could do more to ‘understand the bigger picture’ the client is operating in.