France 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Executive Vice-President for Legal, and General Counsel | MicroportÂ
Legal Director and Compliance Officer for Western Europe  | Colgate-Palmolive
Directeur Juridique, Conformité et Risques – Secrétaire du Conseil d’Administration / Group General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer – Company Secretary | Colas
General Counsel and Member of the Executive Board in charge of legal, compliance, information security and regulatory affairs | Natixis
General Counsel and Head of Public Affairs, Corporate Secretary and UK Chairman; Member of the Airbus Executive Committee | Airbus SE
Global Head of Competition Law & General Counsel France | ArcelorMittal 
General counsel, EMEA, lead attorney for IP/IT contracts and global vendors | IPSOS
Group general counsel and secretary of the board of directors – member of the executive committee | Vallourec
Senior Director for Legal Affairs, Europe | Ivanhoe Cambridge
GC/Executive Director Legal, Compliance, Audit Risks, Professional Interaction excellence | Roche
Chief legal officer of renewables global business unit of ENGIE VP Excom member of global energy management and supply (in charge of legal, ethics and compliance) | ENGIE
Senior Legal Manager - Real Estate & Infrastructure, EMEA | EQUINIX
General Counsel / Directeur Juridique Groupe | TSG Solutions
SVP General Counsel/ I&C Officer France & Northen Europe | The Adecco Group
Executive vice president, legal affairs and internal audit | Bureau Veritas Group
Directeur général juridique, conformité | Nestlé France
Group general counsel | LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
SVP Corporate Legal Affairs | Airbus
Edouard Eltvedt, SVP Corporate Legal Affairs at Airbus, has over 20 years of experience in international business law, both in law firms and in house. He spent ten years working...
Group VP Legal - Litigation& Disputes Resolution | Thales
Group Director Of Legal Affairs, and President of AFJE | LACTALIS
General counsel - risk, compliance and operations | Schindler
Group General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Séché Environnement
Vice president, group general counsel and company secretary | Dassault Systemes
Vice-président exécutif pour les affaires juridiques et Directeur juridique | Tetra Pak
Vice President and General Counsel France | Schneider Electric
Directeur des affaires juridiques holding Total SA | Total Exploration & Production
Deputy General Counsel in charge of compliance and organisation | SNCF Réseau
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am delighted and honoured to present the GC Powerlist: France 2024.
This edition celebrates the exceptional general counsel and in–house lawyers who continue to make significant contributions in one of the region’s most complex and influential legal markets. Our research has given us the privilege of engaging with some of France’s finest legal professionals, uncovering their innovative strategies, strong leadership, and commitment to excellence.
In a rapidly changing market with complex regulations, France’s general counsel are redefining their roles. They are no longer confined to traditional legal tasks but play a vital part in shaping their companies’ strategies, building resilience, and managing challenges such as economic uncertainty, technological advances, and evolving regulations. The professionals featured in this year’s Powerlist are distinguished not just by their legal expertise but by their ability to guide their organisations through an era of significant change.
The GC Powerlist: France 2024 is dedicated to those driving business success, embracing innovation, and upholding the highest standards of integrity. From leading digital transformation and strengthening governance to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, these general counsel are setting new benchmarks for legal leadership. Alice Flacco, Executive vice-president legal, and general xounsel at Microport puts it: ‘Operating amid instability is not always easy, but these are moments in which opportunities emerge. Seeing our collective efforts pay off reinforces my belief that adaptability and open communication turn crises into pathways for progress. My approach focuses on building supportive relationships across the organisation. By fostering a culture of accessibility and trust, we encourage the legal team to be involved from the outset of any initiative. This early engagement helps us to be present, ask thoughtful questions, anticipate potential risks, and collaboratively develop solutions that make business smoother and safer.’
The GC Powerlist: France 2024 celebrates the remarkable achievements of these legal trailblazers. We are proud to share their stories and insights, showcasing their role in shaping the future of legal practice in France.
Allan Cohen – Senior Research Editor
On Tuesday, Legal 500 had the pleasure of welcoming this year’s cohort to the GC Powerlist Spain 2026 launch event in Madrid: an evening celebrating the country’s in-house excellence shaping the legal landscape of today and tomorrow.
The evening, hosted in partnership with DLA Piper, brought together at Club Matador some of the most renowned names in the Spanish in-house legal market. This year’s reception welcomed senior in-house professionals from across industries, representing some of the most prominent companies in the country.
Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this edition of the GC Powerlist: Spain at The Legal 500, opened the evening by addressing more than 100 corporate legal professionals in attendance. In her remarks, Godoy highlighted how the research revealed Spain’s in-house legal community to be increasingly strategic and forward-looking. General counsel are evolving into key business partners, embracing innovation with pragmatism while providing resilience and stability in uncertain environments. With a strong focus on governance, compliance, sustainability, and leadership, these findings reflect a community that is strategic, innovative, and deeply human.
Following Godoy, Francisco Cerezo and César Herrero, managing partners of DLA Piper and hosts of the evening, addressed the audience, highlighting the importance of promoting spaces for exchange and recognition within the in-house legal community shaping modern business.
After their remarks, Carmen Godoy and David Freeman, on behalf of The Legal 500, proceeded with the certificate ceremony, during which each Powerlister was invited to the stage to collect their certificate.
This year’s GC Powerlist event in Madrid served as an excellent opportunity for awardees to connect and exchange reflections with their professional peers and the Legal 500 team.
On behalf of the entire team at The Legal 500, we extend our warmest congratulations to all those included in this edition of the GC Powerlist: Spain. You stand as an example of the talent, leadership, and vision driving the evolution of the general counsel role in the country.
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to DLA Piper, our sponsor, for joining us in recognising the exceptional talent driving progress across Spain’s legal profession. And, of course, to each of the honourees who shared their time and insights with us. It has been a privilege to share your stories and celebrate the enduring impact you make every day.
