Japan 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Executive officer, head of general affairs and legal | Sumitomo Corporation
Director, member of the board, executive officer, group general counsel | Panasonic Holdings Corporation
Head of Japan/JPBU ethics and compliance, global ethics and compliance | Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Chief legal and risk officer, executive general manager of compliance and information security division | Benesse Holdings
Legal director (Johnson & Johnson MedTech Japan & South East Asia) | Johnson & Johnson
Chief legal officer, executive officer | The Gibraltar Life Insurance Company
Executive officer, general counsel, managing director | Citigroup Global Markets Japan
Director of the corporate planning and legal department | Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Corporation
Group legal and compliance director | LVMH Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton Japan
Senior executive officer and general manager of legal division | Nitori Holdings
Director, legal and compliance | Nippon Otis Elevator Company
Corporate executive officer, EVP and general counsel | Fujitsu
General manager, group governance, legal and compliance unit | Tokyo Electron
General manager, legal and intellectual property | Bandai Namco Entertainment
Compliance manager and legal manager in charge of consumer health | Bayer
Rising Star
Managing director of legal and intellectual property division | SEGA Sammy Holdings
Managing director and market unit contracting lead, legal | Accenture
Rising Star
Representative executive officer and general counsel | Unilever Japan Holdings
Chief legal and compliance officer and executive vice president | LIXIL
Corporate officer, group chief legal officer and group compliance officer | SoftBank Group
General manager, legal department, administration headquarters | Konoike Construction
Director, member of the board and chief legal officer | Funds, Inc.
Rising Star
Executive officer in charge of legal, intellectual property and government relations | SECOM
Executive managing officer, general counsel and executive committee member | Mitsui & Co.
Director, executive officer and head of legal Japan | Societe Generale Securities Japan
Chief risk management officer, general manager of legal and risk management department | freee
Member of the Board of Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., General Counsel and VP Legal, Ethics & Compliance | Novo Nordisk
Corporate vice president and general manager of legal division | FUJIFILM Holdings
Chief legal officer, SaaS business and head of risk management | Uzabase
Rising Star
Managing executive officer, corporate communications division | ITOCHU
Corporate officer, general manager of intellectual property, legal and compliance | Gunze
Executive vice president, legal and intellectual property | Chugai Pharmaceutical
Senior vice president, legal, compliance and privacy | Sony Group Corporation
Executive officer, general manager, legal division | ITOCHU Corporation
Vice president, deputy head of global legal | Fujitsu
Rising Star
Vice president, general counsel, chief compliance officer, intellectual property, internal control | Eisai
General manager, legal department, legal and corporate affairs division | Chiyoda Corporation
Department manager, legal department, legal and intellectual property division | Nikon
On July 1st, Legal 500 unveiled the fourth edition of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026, in partnership with PLMJ. Hosted once again on the rooftop terrace of the firm’s Lisbon office under a blazing summer sun, the event brought together many of Portugal’s most accomplished in-house lawyers to celebrate this distinguished community of legal leaders.
Returning to its individual-focused format, this year’s edition marked the reintroduction of the Rising Stars category, recognising some of the country’s most promising emerging in-house counsel. It also saw the world debut of the Transnational Leaders category, highlighting general counsel whose leadership and influence extend beyond national borders and whose responsibilities span multiple jurisdictions.
The evening commenced with a welcome address from Legal 500’s editorial lead Francisco Castro, who emphasised the importance of continuously evolving the publication to reflect the realities of Portugal’s in-house legal market. He highlighted the rigorous research and selection process behind the GC Powerlist series and congratulated the honourees for their outstanding contributions to the profession and the organisations they serve.
Following this introduction, Bruno Ferreira, Managing Partner of PLMJ, took to the stage to congratulate those recognised in this year’s edition. In his remarks, he underscored the increasingly strategic role of in-house counsel in supporting business growth, navigating complexity, and driving legal excellence. He also reflected on the transformative impact that AI is having on the legal function and the opportunities it presents for corporate legal teams.
Concluding the formal proceedings, Alexandra Reis, Senior Counsel at Tabaqueira and a recipient in the inaugural Transnational Leaders category, shared a few reflections on the significance of recognising in-house lawyers and the value of fostering a strong, connected legal community. Drawing on her own experiences, she spoke about the importance of networking, knowledge-sharing and celebrating a profession whose contributions often take place behind the scenes.
The launch of the GC Powerlist: Portugal 2026 proved to be a fitting celebration of the country’s leading in-house legal talent. The evening showcased the depth, expertise, and influence of Portugal’s corporate counsel community while reaffirming Legal 500’s commitment to recognising and championing its achievements. We extend our sincere thanks to all those who participated in this year’s research process, and to PLMJ for once again partnering with Legal 500 to provide a platform that honours these exceptional legal professionals.
