France 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Group General Counsel, Vice President Legal, Risks and Compliance, Company Secretary | Colas Group
Group General Counsel, Vice President Legal, Risks and Compliance, Company Secretary | Colas Group
Group General Secretary and General Counsel | Expleo Group
Group General Secretary and General Counsel | Expleo Group
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Member of the Executive Committee, Chairman of Airbus UK | Airbus
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Member of the Executive Committee, Chairman of Airbus UK | Airbus
Head of Legal, Compliance & Public Affairs | Samsung Electronics
Head of Legal, Compliance & Public Affairs | Samsung Electronics
Vice President and General Counsel France | Schneider Electric
Vice President and General Counsel France | Schneider Electric
Group General Counsel and Member of the Management Board | Greycoat
Group General Counsel and Member of the Management Board | Greycoat
Group General Counsel, Senior Vice President Legal, Contracts and Compliance | Thales
Group General Counsel, Senior Vice President Legal, Contracts and Compliance | Thales
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Dassault Aviation
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Dassault Aviation
SVP General Counsel and Compliance | The Adecco Group
SVP General Counsel and Compliance | The Adecco Group
Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs and Internal Audit | Bureau Veritas Group
Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs and Internal Audit | Bureau Veritas Group
General Counsel and Company Secretary and Executive Committee Member | Imerys
General Counsel and Company Secretary and Executive Committee Member | Imerys
Group Director Of Legal Affairs, and President of AFJE | Lactalis
Vice President Legal Affairs, General Counsel Europe | CEVA Logistics
Vice President Legal Affairs, General Counsel Europe | CEVA Logistics
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Forvia
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Forvia
Group General Counsel and Board Secretary | Latécoère
Group General Counsel and Board Secretary | Latécoère
Secretary General and General Counsel | Safran Electronics and Defense
Secretary General and General Counsel | Safran Electronics and Defense
Vice President, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary | Dassault Systèmes
Vice President, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary | Dassault Systèmes
General Counsel & Company Secretary | CANAL+ Group
General Counsel & Company Secretary | CANAL+ Group
The Legal 500 is pleased to introduce the GC Powerlist: France 2026, recognising leading in-house legal professionals across the country. This year’s research highlights how in-house legal teams are helping businesses navigate uncertainty, manage risk and make sound commercial decisions.
A theme came up repeatedly in the research was the importance of understanding the business and being involved in decisions from the outset. As John Harrison, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Airbus, puts it, ‘So we embed our legal counsels where key decisions happen – within the business divisions, and alongside our engineers as they innovate.’
The research also reflects how the role of the general counsel continues to evolve. As Emmanuel Rollin, Group General Counsel at Colas Group, observes, ‘These developments are transforming the General Counsel from a legal adviser into a broader business leader responsible for legal expertise, legal operations, compliance, and enterprise-wide risk management.’
For Barbara Naouri, Legal Director Western Europe and Maghreb at Colgate-Palmolive, the key to success is anticipating business needs: ‘High-performing in-house counsel do not just wait for questions; they anticipate where the business is going and align with key decision-makers early on.’
Technology, including artificial intelligence, is also changing how legal teams work. While new tools can improve efficiency, they do not replace the need for human judgement, sector knowledge and the ability to assess the wider implications of a decision. The challenge is to make effective use of these tools while maintaining the quality and independence of legal advice.
Across France, our research shows how in-house legal teams are contributing well beyond their traditional remit, working closely with their businesses on strategic decisions as well as day-to-day challenges.
The GC Powerlist: France 2026 celebrates the individuals making that contribution. We would like to thank everyone who took part in this year’s research and congratulate all those recognised in the Powerlist.
Last week, Legal 500 had the absolute pleasure of celebrating the launch of the GC Powerlist Canada 2026. With the skylines of Toronto and Vancouver as our incredible backdrop, we gathered at DLA Piper’s offices in both cities with some of the most prestigious names in the country’s in-house legal community.
Behind those names, titles and recognitions are exceptional professionals who, over the past year, have demonstrated remarkable resilience, a commitment to innovation, and an impeccable understanding of what it means to be a good leader in a profession that is under constant pressure and change.
During the evening, Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this year’s GC Powerlist Canada, welcomed attendees and shared the findings of this year’s research. Throughout the past year, key themes emerged, including resilience in the face of uncertainty, the responsible integration of AI into the legal function, and the growing strategic role of the general counsel within the business.
What stood out most during the research was how the legal leaders recognised in this year’s Powerlist understand that the lasting impact of their achievements must be grounded in a leadership style that always puts people first.
During our events, Russel Drew, Partner and CEO at DLA Piper Canada in Toronto, and Brian Hiebert, Partner at DLA Piper Canada in Vancouver, also shared words of encouragement and gratitude, recognising the important and valuable contributions that our powerlisters make to their organisations and to the broader legal profession.
We would like to thank DLA Piper for its support in fostering these opportunities to bring together the in-house legal community around the world.
And to our powerlisters, congratulations on a truly well-deserved recognition. It was a great pleasure to host you and learn more about your experiences and achievements. Thank you for being part of our GC community, and we hope to see you again soon.
Carmen Godoy Martin – Lead editor GC Powerlist Canada 2026.
