Established in 2000 as a business unit of telecommunications firm Alcatel, Nexans has grown into the world’s second largest manufacturer of cables, boasting a presence in around 40 countries, and earning nearly €6bn in revenue in 2016. In charge of Nexans’ legal department from the early days of the organisation’s history, Patrick Noonan has an excellent track record, fostering operational integrity throughout the business and developing a sound legal and compliance strategy.

Besides coordinating day-to-day operational legal support for the company’s extensive global activities, Noonan sporadically provides strategic advice across a wide spectrum of business areas, including risk management, insurance, ethics, public affairs and transactional work. Noonan began his professional career in the US at major law firms in Washington D.C. and Palo Alto before joining Texas Instruments in France for a brief three year spell as a European counsel. Between 1988 and 2001 he impressed serving in various positions at Alcatel, becoming general counsel of Nexans in 2001 following its spin-off from the telecommunications giant.