About

Christina Johard joined Swedish financial organisation SEB in 2011, and during her years as a legal counsel at the Bank had the opportunity to consolidate and add to her financial legal expertise which has developed her into one of the most knowledgeable leveraged finance lawyers in Sweden. As a multi-jurisdictional enterprise, she has had the advantage to see the rapid movements in the market from more than one angle. She says that, ‘every new project brings something new into the mix which enables me to access a huge toolbox. This is essential when negotiating as it gives me the possibility to separate between the larger and the smaller and to see the big picture’. Johard has actively, together with other team members, worked to streamline SEB’s internal processes and standard agreements across the business units. These ensure a swifter and more efficient negotiation and execution of leveraged finance transactions as well as lessening the risk for the Bank as the agreements are based on a well-known format. This process has had the effect of saving time and efforts in various projects and negotiations. She has also focus on gender equality at SEB, which she says is something that she ‘frequently talks to our external legal counsels about when working together. It has, of course, also been a highly prioritised area when discussing internally and was one of the topics that was escalated to the management from our team discussions. As this has also been one of the focus areas within SEB it has been rewarding to see some progress, especially with women in leading positions within SEB’. Johard assumed her current position having previously worked as an associate in private practice and other roles, including at Vinge and White & Case’s Stockholm office.