Ian FitzSimons has been the general counsel of Pernod Ricard for 16 years and is responsible for creating the legal department of the group as it stands today. In this time, the group has grown to now possess 150 FTE’s around the world in the department, including over 100 lawyers located in all regions of operations. When FitzSimons joined, Pernod Ricard was a French company about to embark on a strategy of acquisitions that led to the group becoming one of the two leading companies in the wines and spirits sector.

In eight years he was involved in the three strategic acquisitions which helped build the group: the acquisition of Seagram in 2001 worth US$3.1bn, the acquisition of Allied Domecq in 2005 worth €10.7bn which enabled them to reinforce their presence in local markets with high potential and to continue strengthening the company’s portfolio and Vin & Sprit in 2008 (€5.6bn) the state-held owner of Absolut Vodka. ‘When I joined the Pernod Ricard Group in 2002, the legal department consisted of few people located in different markets around the world where there was a perceived local need. We built a legal community throughout the world with various areas of expertise and who acts as a support for all departments but also as a community of leaders in matters such as M&A and compliance’ says FitzSimons.

Today the legal function is integrated in the affiliates’ management, with FitzSimons and other local GC’s being members of the local management committees. Prior to joining Pernod Ricard in 2002, he worked for Seagram and prior to that for Reckitt & Coleman, now Reckitt Benckiser. FitzSimons is a qualified solicitor in England and Wales and prior to moving to the industry, spent four years in the London office of Baker McKenzie where he practised as a European competition lawyer.