Netherlands 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Executive Director Legal & Compliance | General Counsel | Rituals Cosmetics Enterprise B.V.
General Counsel Corporate Affairs | Darling Ingredients International
General Counsel | Amvest Investment Management B.V.
General Counsel, Mauer Consultancy | Mauer Management Consultancy B.V.
General Counsel, Group Manager Risk & Compliance | Fourthline
General Counsel Unilever Foods Europe & Head Legal the Netherlands | Unilever
Vice president, general counsel, ethics and compliance officer | Capgemini
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | Port of Rotterdam
Legal, Compliance and Governance Assistant | Booking.com BV
General Counsel, Senior Director | JTC Group
General Counsel EBSC and SSA | COFCO International Netherlands B.V.
Senior Director - Global Antitrust, AI & EU Affairs | Uber
Head of contract management and legal | VolkerWessels Bouw & Vastgoedontwikkeling
Head of Legal, Europe and Global Privacy Counsel | Tata Consultancy Services
General Counsel, Procurement Operations Sustainability | Danone
Ocom BV Global Group General Counsel | LeaseWeb Global B.V.
Head of legal business, head of corporate and financial law | Philips
General Counsel EMEA & LatAm | Spencer Stuart
Head of Legal Netherlands, Google Netherlands B.V. | Google Netherlands B.V.
I am delighted to introduce the inaugural edition of Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Netherlands 2025, and extend my congratulations to all those featured in this year’s list.
I would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the research process and took the time to speak with us. Our GC Powerlist initiative aims to provide a platform for general counsel to exchange knowledge, insights and expertise, fostering an environment in which individuals can learn from each other and share their experience.
Amid rapid geopolitical shifts and technological change, these shared experiences are becoming increasingly valuable. As Ernst van de Weert, general counsel at Heineken N.V., points out: ‘one significant trend is the increasing importance of digital transformation and the integration of technology in legal processes.’ His peers, across all sectors, are quick to agree. Eva de Vries, Meta’s associate general counsel, warns that ‘there will be more overlapping regulation and a bigger focus on tech and AI’, something that will have a particular impact on legal counsel.
Discussions around digitalisation and the use of AI are therefore essential – and taking place in almost every in-house team on a global scale. Harnessing AI is key, Vanessa Vilar, general counsel at Unilever Ice Cream, reminds us. If general counsels’ decision-making process ‘can be powered by technology and AI, the in-house counsel becomes even more efficient and impactful, allowing more time dedicated to high value activities’, she says.
It is these high value activities where general counsel shine. What distinguishes in-house legal professionals, as many of our interviewees agree, is their ability to embed themselves within the organisation, offering guidance not just as legal advisors, but as trusted business partners: general counsel ‘are also strategic partners who contribute to the overall success of the organisation,’ points out Kyong Soon Rijnders, general counsel and ethics and compliance officer at Capgemini Netherlands.
This level of involvement means that general counsel have to adapt, taking on roles well beyond their formal job descriptions. The list of the most important attributes for a general counsel is a long one: as Jantine Bos, legal director at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, candidly puts it, ‘what qualifies a modern in-house counsel… is a lot’. While legal expertise is a given, today’s general counsel must also possess a deep understanding of the business, a proactive approach to risk, the ability to translate complex issues into clear advice, and the agility to adapt and communicate with clarity.
The GC Powerlist: Netherlands 2025 is a testament to the vital role in-house counsel play in every organisation. As Bos succinctly reflects, ‘the work of a lawyer always lingers’.
It has been a pleasure for Legal 500 to present the 2026 edition of the GC Powerlist: Germany in Frankfurt, celebrating the outstanding in-house professionals shaping this jurisdiction’s corporate legal landscape. The evening reception took place in the Restaurant Opéra, a beautiful location at the heart of country’s legal and financial hub.
This year’s reception welcomed the stemmed senior in-house counsel community in Germany, celebrating the blend of strategic authority, operational precision, technological adoption, and principled leadership that defines Germany’s in-house legal community today.
Carmen Godoy, lead editor of this third edition of the GC Powerlist: Germany 2026, welcomed everyone in the room. It was wonderful to see some familiar faces from previous editions and a pleasure to welcome those featuring in the GC Powerlist for the first time.
Following Godoy’s introduction, Mr Florian Weisner, managing partner at FPS Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft, our hosts of the evening, addressed the audience with valuable remarks highlighting the value of the professional and personal exchange in the legal sector in Germany. He was followed on the stage by Dr Dierk Schindler, vice president of legal innovation and head of legal services global purchasing and logistics at Robert Bosch. Our keynote speaker of the evening focused on highlighting one of the hot topics of the in-house legal sphere worldwide: legal developments surrounding AI.
In her remarks, Godoy unveiled the findings of this year’s research into Germany’s in-house legal market. From ensuring legal is decisively embedded in strategy, to integrating AI in the legal teams’ daily practice and operating under geopolitical and regulatory pressure. Germany’s general counsel are leading with transparency, accountability, and a clear sense of responsibility.
The GCs, CLOs, heads of legal and other senior in-house counsel in the room had many achievements to celebrate.
On behalf of the entire Legal 500 team, we extend our warmest congratulations to everyone included in this 2026 edition of the GC Powerlist: Germany.
We would also like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude FPS Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft for joining us in recognising the exceptional talent driving progress across Germany’s in-house legal profession.
