United Kingdom 2025 – GC Powerlist
GC Powerlist Logo

United Kingdom 2025

Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel

ACC Alliance Logo
  • Industries

  • Powerlist

Alex Lindsay

General counsel - EMEA | Hunter Douglas

Consumer products

View profile
Alex O’Connell

General counsel and Company secretary | FeverTree Drinks plc

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Alex Peeke

Head of legal | Land Securities Group PLC

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Alexander Simpson

Group general counsel and Company secretary | B&M European Value Retail S.A.

Consumer products

View profile
Alexandra Smith

Chief legal officer/General counsel and Company secretary | QBE Insurance Group, International Division

Insurance

View profile
Alfred Farha

General counsel, Europe | UST

Information technology

View profile
Alison Yapp

Group general counsel and Company secretary | Compass Group PLC

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Amanda Gerrity

General counsel | Octopus Energy Group Limited

Energy and utilities

View profile
Andrea Harris

Group chief counsel | WPP plc

Sports and media

View profile
Andrew Hunter

Chief legal officer | Brown & Brown Europe

Insurance

View profile
Andrew Yorston

General counsel | VodafoneThree

Telecommunication services

View profile
Barney Paton

Legal director | Omaze UK

Charity

View profile
Boudien Moerman

Chief legal officer and Company secretary | Klarna Group PLC

Financials

View profile
Brenda (Tebogo) Albert

Legal Director Great Britain, Ireland and Netherlands | KONE plc

Industrial and real estate

View profile
Camilla Harries

General counsel | CNA Hardy

Insurance

View profile
Catherine Johnson

Group general counsel | London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)

Financials

View profile
Christian Fahey

Deputy general counsel (EMEA & APAC) | Ankura Consulting Group

Commercial and professional services

View profile
Christopher Leonard

Associate general counsel, Head of European legal and compliance | Elliott

Commercial and professional services

View profile
Christopher Twemlow

General counsel and Company secretary | Allianz UK

Insurance

View profile
Claire Singleton

General counsel and Head of strategic partnerships | Resolution Life Group

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Clare Wardle

General counsel and Company secretary | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners plc

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
David Travis

General counsel and Group secretary | Skipton Group

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Ed Bridge

UK & Ireland General counsel | Zurich Insurance

Insurance

View profile
Ed Gelsthorpe

Group general counsel | BAE Systems plc

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Ed Rash

General counsel | Burberry Group Plc

Consumer products

View profile
Emily Martin

General counsel | Azumi Limited

Hotels

View profile
Geraint Thomas

Executive director, Legal counsel | JLL

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Heather Mitchell

Head of EMEA and Global chief risk officer | Carlyle

Financials

View profile
Helen Barraclough

Group general counsel, Company secretary and Chief risk officer | Smith & Nephew plc

Healthcare

View profile
James Darbyshire

Chief counsel | Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

Financials

View profile
James Ford

SVP and Group general counsel, legal & compliance | GSK plc

Healthcare

View profile
James Hanratty

General counsel | Trainline

Information technology

View profile
James Kerton

EVP, General counsel and Company secretary | Convatec Group Plc

Healthcare

View profile
Jamie Henderson

General counse | University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Healthcare

View profile
Jennifer Beaumont

Director and Company secretary | Donald Insall Associates

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Jo Saunders

Legal director, Europe | Tropicana Brands Group

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Joanna Nayler

General counsel and Compliance director | Ki

Insurance

View profile
Kate Cheetham

Chief legal officer and Company secretary | Lloyds Banking Group plc (LBG)

Financials

View profile
Kate Southwell

SVP, General counsel | Anglo American

Materials and mining

View profile
Kendall Langford

General counsel and Senior partner | Patron Capital

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Kirin Kalsi

General counsel, Compliance officer and Data protection officer | E.ON UK

Energy and utilities

View profile
Kulpash Patel

Legal director, UK and RoI | Philip Morris International

Consumer products

View profile
Lee Gage

Group general counsel and Company secretary | Practice Plus Group

Healthcare

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Louise Ruppel

General counsel | Barratt Developments plc

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Maaike de Bie

Group general counsel and Company secretary | Vodafone Plc

Telecommunication services

View profile
Mark Bennett

Director of legal affairs | Autotrader

Information technology

View profile
Mark Gregory

General counsel | Rolls-Royce

Consumer products

View profile
Mark Maurice-Jones

General counsel and Compliance officer | Nestlé

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Martine Nathan

General counsel | Super Group (SGHC) Limited

Sports and media

View profile
Michael Sosso

EVP and Group general counsel | bp plc

Energy and utilities

View profile
Monica Risam

Group general counsel | Starling Group

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Neil Harrison

Group general counsel | Aviva

Insurance

View profile
Nicki Schroeder

Group general counsel | Reach PLC

Sports and media

View profile
Nicola Burns

Assistant chief counsel | The Walt Disney Company

Sports and media

View profile
Nigel Davenport

General counsel | Liberty International Insurance

Insurance

View profile
Nigel Paterson

General counsel and Company secretary | Currys plc

Consumer products

View profile
Noor Al Naeme

General counsel | Not On The High Street

Consumer products

View profile
Paul Lister

Director of legal services and Company secretary | Associated British Foods plc

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Paul Stebbings

VP, General counsel – Europe | Tate & Lyle Sugars

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Phebe Hemmings

Group head of legal and compliance | Barratt Redrow PLC

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Rani Wynn

General counsel | LiveScore Group

Hotels

View profile
Rebecca Danby

Assistant general counsel, sustainability & ESG | Haleon PLC

Healthcare

View profile
Rob Browning

Head of legal | Gardiner & Theobald

Commercial and professional services

View profile
Rushad Abadan

Group general counsel | Aberdeen Group plc

Financials

View profile
Sabine Chalmers

Group general counsel, Director of regulatory affairs and Company secretary | BT Group

Telecommunication services

View profile
Sarah Clements

General counsel | International Consolidated Airlines Group

Transport and infrastructure

View profile
Sarah Rosser

General counsel solution & services group, global contracting team and legal operations | Lenovo

Information technology

View profile
Sharmila Sylvester

General counsel | Sizewell C (SZC)

Energy and utilities

View profile
Simon Croxford

General counsel, investment bank, non-core & legacy and EMEA Region | UBS

Financials

View profile
Simone Newton

Head of legal, compliance and Company secretary | Allied World Managing Agency Limited

Insurance

View profile
Sonya Branch

General counsel and Executive director | Bank of England

Financials

View profile
Spencer Collins

EVP, Chief legal officer and Head of corporate development | Arm

Information technology

View profile
Stephanie Lopes

Chief legal officer | Volt

Financials

View profile
Stephanie Pagni

Group chief legal and administrative officer | Monzo

Financials

View profile
Stephen Godsell

General counsel and Company secretary | Guardian Media Group plc

Sports and media

View profile
Stephen Shapiro

Group general counsel | Barclays PLC

Financials

View profile
Sunita Kaushal

Group general counsel and Company secretary | Samworth Brothers Limited

Food, beverages and tobacco

View profile
Terra Potter

General counsel | Dalberg

Commercial and professional services

View profile
Tom McSorley

General counsel | NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (NATO DIANA)

Industrials and real estate

View profile
Vicki Bradin

General counsel and Company secretary | The Sage Group plc

Information technology

View profile
Walter Thomas

General counsel | Storm Technologies

Information technology

View profile
Yara Owayyed

General counsel | YouLend

Financials

View profile
GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Adrian Morris

Group general counsel | Haleon PLC

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Adrian Ross

General counsel | J C Bamford Excavators Ltd (JCB)

Materials and mining

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Andrew Fleming

General counsel and Company secretary | British Airways

Transport and infrastructure

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Anthony Pickard-Rose

Group general counsel | Imperial Brands PLC

Food, beverages and tobacco

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bob Hoyt

Chief legal officer | HSBC Holdings PLC

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Catheryn O’Rourke

General counsel and Company secretary | Reckitt

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Claire Canning

Group general counsel | Sky

Telecommunication services

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Claire Denton

Chief general counsel and Company secretary | Capita

Industrials and real estate

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
David Cox

General counsel | Rightmove

Information technology

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Denis Whelan

General counsel, Europe and Eurasia & Africa | Chubb

Insurance

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Edward Hughes

Senior UK counsel | Estee Lauder Group of Companies

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Emma Slatter

Chief officer, legal, regulatory and compliance | Visa

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Emma Whyte

General counsel and Company secretary | ASOS

Information technology

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hugo Martin

Director of legal and public affairs and Company secretary             | Evri

Transport and infrastructure

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Isabelle Deschamps

Chief legal, governance and corporate affairs officer | Rio Tinto

Materials and mining

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
James Peirson

Group general counsel | Nationwide Building Society

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Jessica Winter

General counsel | Wise

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Joanne Averiss

SVP, General counsel, Europe and Sub Sahara Africa | PepsiCo

Food, beverages and tobacco

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Joe Souto

General counsel - corporate and customers | EDF Energy

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
John Devine

General counsel | Newcastle United Football Club

Sports and media

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Jonathan Calow

Group legal director | Care UK

Healthcare

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Justine Campbell

Chief legal officer | National Grid

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kyla Mullins

General counsel and Company secretary | ITV

Sports and media

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Liz Tanner

Group general counsel and Company secretary | SSE

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Maria Versellona

Chief legal officer and Company secretary | Unilever

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Michael Smith

General counsel UK&I and EMEA | Experian

Information technology

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Neil Tomlinson

Group general counsel | Schroders

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nick Folland

General counsel and Company secretary | Marks and Spencer

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nick Grant

General counsel and Company secretary | Sainsbury's

Consumer products

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nicolette Henfrey

EVP, General counsel and Company secretary | IHG Hotels & Resorts

Hotels

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Patricia Corbet

General counsel | BMI Group

Materials and mining

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Penny Dudley

Chief legal officer | Bupa

Healthcare

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Philipa Bounds

Chief legal officer | Shell

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Raj Roy

General counsel - UK & Ireland | Centrica

Energy and utilities

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Randall Ingber

General counsel and Company secretary | Diageo

Food, beverages and tobacco

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Rebecca Mills

Group general counsel and Company secretary | easyJet

Transport and infrastructure

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Richard Peachey

VP, General counsel | Ball Corporation

Materials and mining

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Sarah Jones

General counsel | BBC

Sports and media

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Sharon Blackman

Managing director, Global head of services legal | Citi

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Simon Cliff

General counsel | City Football Group

Sports and media

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Stephanie Wallace

General counsel | Metro Bank (UK)

Financials

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
William Luker

Chief legal officer and General counsel | NatWest Group

Financials

I am delighted to announce the launch of Legal 500’s GC Powerlist UK: 2025. This year’s edition celebrates the continued commitment, dedication and achievements of a stellar cohort of in-house counsel. It is an honour to recognise the vital contribution of in-house teams to today’s complex legal and business environment.

And the market in which today’s in-house counsel operate is constantly evolving. ‘A big trend over recent years has been the very high level (and faster pace) of uncertainty and disruption’, observes Rushad Abadan, Group General Counsel at Aberdeen Group plc. ‘Scenario planning is important, but the world is getting harder to predict… What was the best strategy yesterday, may not be the right strategy tomorrow’, cautions Michael Sosso, EVP and Group General Counsel at bp plc.

Such a dynamic environment requires in-house counsel to continuously adapt. ‘Strong resilience and flexibility are key skills to a sustainable career in a fast-paced in-house counsel environment,’ emphasises Simone Girson Newton, Head of Legal, Compliance & Company Secretary at Allied World Managing Agency Limited.

The role of general counsel itself, therefore, continues to develop. In-house lawyers ‘are not merely providing advice; you are acting as a Counsel to all peers, a guide who is tasked with providing comprehensive advice in areas far beyond the legal framework alone’, notes Sonya Branch, General Counsel at the Bank of England.

More and more, in-house counsel are required to act as more than simply legal advisors. ‘Modern in-house counsel must be true business partners’, says Nicki Schroeder, Group General Counsel at Reach PLC. Claire Singleton, General Counsel and Head of Strategic Partnerships at Resolution Life Group agrees: ‘Modern in-house counsel need to have the appetite to really understand the business. It is not possible to be a successful in-house lawyer without being able to tailor advice to the specific strategy and goals of the company’.

Singleton goes on to point out the need for agility in such a rapidly changing landscape: ‘modern in-house counsel also need to be open to and have the skills to embrace technology and changing practices’. And the rise of new technology continues to be a trend on which in-house counsel must keep a careful eye. ‘Generative AI is one of the most transformative forces we’re seeing’, notes Vicki Bradin, General Counsel and Company Secretary at The Sage Group plc.

Noor Al Naeme, General Counsel at Not On The High Street, warns that ‘in-house lawyers should be mindful not just of the legal risks with AI, but also of the risks of not using AI’.  James Ford, SVP and Group General Counsel at GSK plc, echoes this idea: ‘It is well understood that AI will not replace lawyers per se but may replace those lawyers that don’t use AI where it could make us more efficient.’

Striking the right balance is essential. In-house teams are called upon to use AI to streamline AI, while keeping in mind risks such as overreliance, ethical use and data concerns. ‘It’s not the technology itself that defines the outcome – it’s how we use it’, reminds Boudien Moerman, Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary at Klarna. She adds: ‘AI requires human oversight, scrutiny, and, above all, judgment’.

Geraint Thomas, Executive Director and Legal Counsel at JLL, agrees: ‘our one advantage in this challenge is the human factor’. He goes on to remind us that ‘we must remember to relate and interact with our colleagues and clients as humans with empathy’.

It is perhaps reassuring to see that empathy remains at the forefront of the in-house counsel’s mind, even in the face of fast-changing and often unpredictable legal, business and political landscapes. ‘Demonstrating empathy fosters trust and strengthens relationships across the organisation,’ points out Camilla Harries, General Counsel at CNA Hardy.

Amanda Gerrity, General Counsel at Octopus Energy Group Limited, agrees. While ‘in-house lawyers today must be embedded business partners’, she notes, ‘empathy and leadership are equally important’. Indeed, these attributes contribute to the effectiveness of in-house counsel as business partners, enhancing ‘the ability to tailor advice to the needs and pressures of different stakeholders, from frontline teams to the boardroom’, Harries concludes.

As this year’s GC Powerlist: UK clearly shows, the modern in-house counsel is far more than a legal advisor: they are strategic partners, tech savvy and, perhaps most importantly, empathetic leaders at the core of their organisations.

 

Isabel Caine

GC Summit: Taiwan 2025

Legal 500’s 2025 edition of the GC Summit Taiwan 2025 at the Mandarin Oriental Taipei raised the bar for GC-focused, content led events for corporate counsel in Taiwan. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for the in-house legal community in this dynamic and globally respected market to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping their profession in an increasingly complex global landscape.

Opening remarks were delivered by Joe Boswell, Global Editor of The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist series, who welcomed attendees and highlighted the Summit’s central theme of in-house lawyers leading with agility and foresight in a rapidly changing world. Boswell emphasised the strength and dynamism of Taiwan’s legal community, setting the tone for an afternoon of thoughtful and practical dialogue. He then introduced Lois Lin, Chief Legal Officer of Wiwynn Corporation, who officially opened the day’s proceedings with remarks on innovation, collaboration, and leadership within Taiwan’s corporate legal sector, particularly in regards to utilising AI and legal tech tools within a modern legal department.

The first panel Powering Digital Growth: Challenges and Opportunities in Taiwan’s Data Center Landscape, examined the infrastructure driving Taiwan’s digital expansion. Ken-Ying Tseng, Lily Kuo, and Chi Lee of Lee and Li discussed how legal teams can balance rapid technological growth with compliance, sustainability, and innovation, offering practical insights into the evolving regulatory environment surrounding data centres.

The second session, U.S. Tariffs, Export Controls, and Sanctions Under the New Administration: Implications for Taiwan’s Exporters, featured Winston Y. Chan and Matthew S. Axelrod, Partners at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Drawing on their experience as former U.S. government enforcement officials, they provided a compelling analysis of shifting U.S. trade policies under the new administration and their implications for Taiwan’s exporters.

Following this, Winning in the Federal Circuit: Recent Case Studies brought James Lin and Matthew Wawrzyn, Partners at FisherBroyles, to the stage for a fascinating discussion on Federal Circuit litigation strategy. Sharing lessons from cases they personally argued and won, the panellists provided attendees with practical takeaways on managing cross-border IP disputes.

The final session, AI for In-House Legal Teams: Evolution or Revolution?, explored the realities of AI adoption within corporate legal departments. Jolie Shu Chun Liao, Hsiao Wei (William) Tsai, Christine Yang, and Sabrina Chang shared insights into how technology is reshaping workflows, decision-making, and the role of legal teams across industries.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Joe Boswell, followed by drinks and canapés, where attendees continued the discussion in a relaxed setting. The GC Summit Taiwan 2025 reaffirmed The Legal 500’s commitment to providing a platform for Taiwan’s in-house counsel to share experiences, gain insights, and shape the future of the legal profession.