France
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
SVP General Counsel/ I&C Officer France & Northen Europe | The Adecco Group
Group general counsel, vice president legal, risks and compliance, company secretary | Colas Group
Group general secretary and general counsel | Expleo Group
Executive Vice-President, General Counsel & Compliance Officer | Mérieux NutriSciences
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Forvia
General counsel and corporate secretary, member of the Airbus executive committee, chairman of Airbus UK | Airbus
Executive vice president and group general counsel | Capgemini
General counsel for EMEA, for IP/IT and global vendors | Ipsos
Directrice juridique Eni gas & power France SA | Eni Plenitude France
Group corporate social responsibility director and general counsel | VERALLIA
General Counsel, Senior Vice Predident Legal, Contracts and Compliance | Thales
Senior Legal Manager - Real Estate & Infrastructure, EMEA | EQUINIX
General Counsel / Directeur Juridique Groupe | Tokheim
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Dassault Aviation
Gerenral Secretary and Execurive General Counsel | Pluxee
Executive vice president, legal affairs and internal audit | Bureau Veritas Group
Directeur Exécutif,  Société du Grand Paris | Société des Grands Projets
Associate Group General Counsel - Head of Telecom Media Technology & Southern Europe | Atos
Groupe General Counsel & Secretary of the Board | Tarkett
Group general counsel and general secretary | Valeo
Group General Counsel and Member of the Management Board | Vivendi
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Eramet
Director of legal affairs and privacy data protection officer | Radio France
Group General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Séché Environnement
Secretary General and General Counsel | Safran Electronics and Defense
Directeur des Affaires Juridiques de l'Audit et du Contrôle | Atalian
Vice president, group general counsel and company secretary | Dassault Systèmes
Group General Counsel and member of the Executive Committee | VallourecÂ
Vice-président exécutif pour les affaires juridiques et Directeur juridique | Tetra Pak
Vice President and General Counsel France | Schneider Electric
Group General Counsel and General Director for Continental Europe | Greycoat
Directeur des affaires juridiques holding Total SA | Total Exploration & Production
Executive director legal and compliance, audits and risks, professional interaction excellence | Roche
Secrétaire générale et directrice juridique (secretary general and general counsel) | La Banque Postale
On 1 September, Legal 500 unveiled the third edition of the GC Powerlist: East Africa, in partnership with leading African law firm ENS. Hosted at the Sankara Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, the event brought together many of the region’s most accomplished in-house lawyers to celebrate a distinguished community of legal leaders shaping the future of business across East Africa.
The evening opened with welcoming remarks from Giulio Tomassi Galanti, Business Development Manager at Legal 500, who highlighted the importance of recognising the dynamic growth and increasing sophistication of the East African legal market. He also reflected on the rigorous research and selection process behind the GC Powerlist series, congratulating this year’s honourees for their exceptional contributions to both the legal profession and the organisations they serve.
Following this introduction, Mahesh Acharya, Managing Partner of ENS Kenya, addressed the audience to commend the individuals recognised in the 2026 edition.
The launch of the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2026 proved a fitting celebration of the region’s leading in-house legal talent. The evening showcased the depth of expertise, influence, and innovation within East Africa’s corporate counsel community, while reaffirming Legal 500’s commitment to recognising and championing its achievements. We extend our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to this year’s research process and to ENS for once again partnering with Legal 500 to provide a platform that honours these outstanding legal professionals.
On Thursday, 3 September, Legal 500 will host the second launch event celebrating the GC Powerlist: East Africa 2026 at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. Building on the success of the Nairobi launch, the event will bring together many of region’s most accomplished in-house counsel and senior legal leaders to recognise their achievements and celebrate the continued growth and influence of the region’s corporate legal community.
