About

‘Being an in-house lawyer is one of the most exciting legal careers one can imagine’, according to Yana Valetta. Including promotions, Yana Valetta has held four different legal roles in eight years, demonstrating not only ambition but also adaptability. In her most recent role at Gate Gourmet, she has successfully embedded the lawyers in the region and allocated clear areas of geographic subject matters and responsibilities. She’s directly contributed to the company’s transformation since 2007, namely going from being a privately held company to becoming listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Her talent extends to budgeting efficiency too, having implemented a software to track the legal spend in all countries where they operate. On selecting law firms Yana says, ‘I chose law firms very carefully as I view them as the extension of our legal department. Hence, I specifically chose firms whose lawyers have business acumen, are practical and solution-oriented and whose attitude is consistent with our company’s values’.