About

Starting out as a private practice lawyer in 1997, Tracy Connelly McGilley accepted a position as securities counsel at Nortel Networks after a brief two year spell at a law firm. She spent a decade at the telecommunications company ultimately in the role of assistant general counsel – corporate until it’s filing for bankruptcy in 2009, after which she was recruited by Vector Aerospace. The new role of general counsel at the global aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company was initially challenging for McGilley. ‘I had to learn to adapt to a new industry, globally’, she explains. In charge of both the legal and compliance function, McGilley’s structural improvements have been second to none. Apart from having standardised procedures and policies and rolled out new compliance programs, McGilley is also involved in all of the company’s material acquisitions and commercial agreements and has contributed to the creation of master agreements and the implementation and application of corporate governance initiatives in the day-to-day business activities. Well integrated into the senior structure of the company, McGilley is part of Vector’s senior management team and is proud of her impact on the strategic direction of the business. In particular she points out her involvement in the sale of Vector to Airbus group in 2011.