Group general counsel | Barry Callebaut Group
Martin Oesch
Group general counsel | Barry Callebaut Group
What advice would you give to someone who wish to become as successful as yourself in this industry?
Be an authentic, inspiring and inclusive leader, act as a role model, keep a curious and flexible learning mindset and strive for continuous improvements.
Empower, coach and grow your team members to be at their best, ensure everyone can be their true self, allow for failure in order to learn, create physiological safety so that everyone is comfortable to speak up and being heard.
Be open to new challenges and take on stretch assignments: you learn most when you’re outside of your comfort zone.
Focus on increasing your impact and influence at senior management level by leveraging your expertise fully to contribute more broadly, building a strong internal and external network and speaking up also in areas outside your core expertise. This will help you to be seen as a broader ‘wise’ leader and not merely as a good business lawyer.
Martin Oesch is a seasoned general counsel with over 20 years of professional experience in the legal field, currently serving as group general counsel and corporate secretary of Swiss-listed global industry leader Barry Callebaut, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products.
In his current role, Martin is globally responsible for the legal, compliance, and IP functions and for managing a diverse team of 28 professionals across 11 jurisdictions. He also acts as the secretary to the board of directors and is a trusted counsellor to, and sounding board for, the board and executive committee. Martin is recognized as a strong team builder and people leader, with the ability to engage, develop, and empower people. He has high integrity, a learning mindset, and strives for continuous improvement.
Some of Martin’s ain achievements comprise: Being the key driver of the group’s ESG strategy and agenda and member of Barry Callebaut’s ESG Committee; D&I Co-Lead Switzerland, promoting the implementation of the group’s D&I strategy and initiatives; the development of a strategy and a long-term roadmap for Legal, Compliance and IP, positioning the functions more strategically with a focus on high value add; increasing efficiency of the department by streamlining and harmonising legal, compliance and IP processes; strengthened end-to-end contract lifecycle management and automated contract drafting though implementation of legal tech solutions; improved risk reporting (litigation risks, compliance risks); established state-of-the-art compliance management system and helped fostering a strong compliance culture; implemented embedded compliance controls in the areas of fraud prevention, corruption and bribery risks and trade sanctions; being the key contributor to strategic M&A and other expansion projects, including a large number of acquisitions and the divestment of Barry Callebaut’s consumer business.