Monica Risam – GC Powerlist
GC Powerlist Logo
United Kingdom 2025

Financials

Monica Risam

Group general counsel | Starling Group

Download

United Kingdom 2025

legal500.com/gc-powerlist/

Recommended Individual

Monica Risam

Group general counsel | Starling Group

Team size: 45

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Working in the financial services sector means that often the only constant is change. As an in-house team, we need to be agile, and pivot as needed to support our internal client’s strategy. While we do have a functional strategy to ensure we remain a high performing team, our raison d’etre is to support the business, so the fundamental foundation of our strategy is to help Starling grow.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Curiosity about and enthusiasm for the business you support. A strategic and commercial mindset. And, last but not least, empathy and kindness.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

I am very passionate about using my legal skills to help others outside of my day job. I am privileged to be on the Board of the Royal British Legion and serve as a non-exec on the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Finance & Investment Committee. Both organisations support causes that are very near and dear to my heart. I also get a lot of joy out of mentoring and coaching and currently mentor a recent graduate starting her training contract and a Counsel at a City law firm. I think I get as much out of it as hopefully my mentees get from me!

Monica Risam - Luxembourg 2025

Group General Counsel & Company Secretary | Lombard International

View Powerlist
Monica Risam - United Kingdom 2023

Group general counsel and company secretary | Lombard International Group

View Powerlist
Monica Risam - United Kingdom 2021

Group general counsel and company secretary | Lombard International

Team size: 50 Major legal advisers: Allen & Overy, Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper & Linklaters What were the main difficulties your company faced during the initial Covid-19 lockdown? The Covid-19...

View Powerlist
Monica Risam - United Kingdom 2019

Fintech, Sponsors and Investors | Lombard International Assurance

Team size: 40 Major law firms used: Allen & Overy, Baker McKenzie, DLA Piper, Linklaters Monica Risam, the highly regarded former Aviva UK Life GC, joined Luxembourg wealth-structuring company Lombard...

View Powerlist

Related Powerlists

Monica Risam

Fintech, Sponsors and Investors

Lombard International Assurance

View Powerlist