Senior legal manager, real estate and infrastructure, EMEA | EQUINIX
General counsel, reservoir performance division | Schlumberger
General counsel and senior vice president, corporate M&A | TotalEnergies
Executive vice president, legal affairs and internal audit | Bureau Veritas Group
Group general counsel | LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton
Group general counsel and secretary of the advisory board | Groupe BPCE
Group general counsel, vice president legal, risks and compliance, company secretary | Colas Group
Group general secretary and general counsel | Expleo Group
Vice president legal - general counsel region Northern Europe | Saint-Gobain
Executive vice president and general counsel | Veolia Environnement
General counsel, Europe and global head of legal watch, regulatory and ESG | Crédit Agricole CIB
General corporate secretary and secretary of the board | Rexel
President of the AFJE (Association rançaise des Juristes d'Entreprises) | Association rançaise des Juristes d'Entreprises
General counsel and member of the management board in charge of legal, compliance, sustainability, and regulatory affairs | Natixis
General counsel and corporate secretary, member of the Airbus executive committee, chairman of Airbus UK | Airbus
Global head of competition law and general counsel, France | ArcelorMittal
Executive vice president legal, secretary of the board | Groupe SEB
Chief legal officer, secretary to the board of directors, member of the Renault Group’s leadership team | Renault Group
General counsel for EMEA, for IP/IT and global vendors | Ipsos
Vice president, group general counsel and company secretary | Dassault Systemes
Executive director legal and compliance, audits and risks, professional interaction excellence | Roche
Group corporate social responsibility director and general counsel | Verallia
On behalf of The Legal 500, I am truly delighted to introduce the GC Powerlist: France 2023. This edition celebrates the remarkable talents and achievements of France’s leading in-house counsel, and gives insight on the roles they play in contributing to the growth and development of the companies and industries in which they operate, while navigating unprecedented changes in the legal environment.
The second edition since the Covid-19 pandemic, this compilation explores how in-house legal professionals continue to adapt to and manage crises, especially in the face of other major events that have had global unprecedented impacts on regulatory environments, industries, and the very role of the legal function.
It also showcases the impressive cases and transactions spearheaded by these individuals, alongside their views on various phenomena impacting the legal sector, such as the evolving role of the general counsel, and the emergence of novel technologies that have transformed the work they do.
On this, Jean-Michel Orion, Radio France states, “[i]n the face of digital transformation, legal directors will have to continue to adapt to the rapid evolution of technology. This means managing the legal challenges associated with data protection, cybersecurity and the use of artificial intelligence in the legal field.”
According to, Maï Novello, group deputy chief legal and compliance officer at SCOR, they will need “[a]gility and versatility, as well as an appetite to push the boundaries of their traditional way of working in a fast-changing environment.”
As general counsel take on this challenge, they will be aided by the imminent acknowledgement and implementation of legal privilege, a welcome development that will no doubt, support advice issued by general counsel, and allow them to better secure the interests of their company.
In line with the seemingly endless crises the world has been experiencing, this edition contains various strategies these esteemed counsel employ to mitigate risks and protect their companies. While it is an unspoken rule to pre-empt and manage potential challenges, it is also equally (if not more) important to have a crisis management plan in place – especially one that all team members can follow cohesively.
Manuel Mesquita, head of legal corporate at Auchan Retail International says it best: “The worst thing that can happen in a time of crisis is when each member of the team takes isolated initiatives because actions may conflict and lead to an increase in workload.” Sharif Abousaada, group general counsel at Maurel & Prom adds, “I truly believe that we are stronger together and that it is important to leverage the experience and creativity of all members of the team in a crisis situation.”
Echoing the widely accepted view that the legal function should double as business partners, the approaches also include extensive engagements with stakeholders and business leaders, such as the CEO.
The interviews in this edition of The GC Powerlist: France 2023 also provide extensive views on widely popular trends that the legal industry is currently experiencing – contract automation, increased focus on ESG strategies – and how these highly skilled professionals are leveraging their roles in driving these developments and making positive contributions, while remaining conscious of operating within ethical, compliance and regulatory parameters.
We would like to congratulate and express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who featured in this edition, and graciously contributed their time and insights to make this year’s rundown on France’s elite in-house counsel a success.
Funke Olufon| Research Analyst The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Series
The Legal 500’s 2024 GC Powerlist: Thailand, the much-anticipated second edition, built on our wildly successful 2023 event to create an even more exclusive celebration of the top in-house legal counsel in the country. At a time when the Thai economy continues to grow, attracting new legal talent while established names add to their significant experience, we were delighted to welcome a star-studded list of guests to the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok’s spacious Camellia Ballroom.
Over 150 attendees were present, including general counsel from the country’s top companies and senior and managing partners from our four law firm sponsors: Chandler MHM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Kudun & Partners, and Tilleke & Gibbins. Also in attendance were a selection of our 2024 Rising Star In-house Counsel, chosen for their achievements at a relatively early stage in their careers, representatives from our event sponsor Robert Walters, and our guests of honor, including government officials.
After a welcome video from senior partners at Chandler MHM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Kudun & Partners, and Tilleke & Gibbins, we moved on to our keynote speeches. Wallaya Kaewrungruang, chief legal and compliance officer of SCBX, spoke about recent changes to the general counsel role in Thailand and touched on international considerations for the Thai business sector. Visitsak Arunsuratpakdee of True Corporation then took the stage to discuss the work that the Thai Corporate Counsel Association has done since its inception last year to bring the legal community together.
The award ceremony followed, with those fortunate enough to be included in the 2024 edition welcomed to the stage to receive their accolades. Inviting them were Dean Pareena Srivanit of the Faculty of Law at Chulalongkorn University and Dean Pokpong Srisanit of Thammasat University, who have known many of the awardees since the start of their careers.
The celebrations carried on long into the night, with new connections made and old friends reunited.
Thank you to Chandler MHM, Herbert Smith Freehills, Kudun & Partners, Tilleke & Gibbins, and Robert Walters for partnering with us on this project, and to the Thai CCA for their invaluable support. Most importantly, congratulations to everyone featured in the 2024 edition; your inclusion is entirely due to your hard work throughout your careers. We look forward to 2025, when we will strive to create an even more expansive representation of the top in-house lawyers in Thailand.
