Vice president, regional general counsel EMEA & APAC | VF Corporation
Vice president, associate general counsel Europe | Philip Morris International
General counsel corporate, M&A and finance, and vice president | gategroup
Executive vice president and global general counsel | Fresenius Medical Care
Vice president, chief counsel intellectual property and EMEA regional general counsel | TE Connectivity
Head legal and compliance asset management | Helvetia Insurance Group
Group general counsel and corporate secretary, member of the group management | Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli
Senior legal director, legal affairs global functions | Japan Tobacco International
Head legal portfolio and pipeline (Europe and Canada) | Takeda
Elisabeth Leimbacher is head counsel portfolio and pipeline at Takeda, a 242-year old leading pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. In her role, Elisabeth leads a team of internal lawyers advising...
General counsel and chief operating officer | HFS Helvetic Financial Services
Deputy chief legal and compliance officer, director of corporate and commercial legal | FIFA
Group general counsel, chief compliance officer, ESG head,board secretary | Recipharm
Vice president and regional general counsel Americas and EMEA | Align Technology
Senior vice president and chief counsel | Mondelēz International
Vice president – associate general counsel EMEA | Baxter International
Senior Vice President, Legal & Regulatory Affairs, and Chief Compliance Officer | Japan Tobacco International
General counsel and member of the executive leadership team | Clariant International
Group general counsel | Zurich Insurance
Katja Roth Pellanda joined Zurich Insurance group as deputy group general counsel in April 2020 and was promoted group general counsel as of October 1, 2020. She is a member...
General counsel, member of the executive management team, head of risk, head of compliance | Calibrium
Born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark, with a master’s degree in law from the University of Copenhagen as well as a both a JD and an LLM in tax from...
Executive vice president and group general counsel | Nestlé
General counsel, chief compliance officer EMEA and APAC | PHC Holdings Corporation
General counsel Switzerland | McDonald's Suisse Restaurants
Secretary general board affairs and chief governance officer, member of the group executive committee | Audemars Piguet
Group chief legal and compliance officer and general counsel | Verisure
Chief corporate affairs officer and general counsel, company secretary | Salt Mobile
General counsel and company secretary | Accelleron Industries
General counsel, chief information officer and chief of cybersecurity | Rising Tide - Novintum Medical Technology
Regional general counsel Europe and head of legal and compliance | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Samim Ahmed Ranju is the regional general counsel, Europe, at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, the Swiss subsidiary, and the European HO of Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, India. As the head of legal,...
Vice president global legal and compliance | La Prairie Group
Together with her team of 12 legal professionals located in Zurich, Shanghai, and New York, Saskia Eschmann is responsible for all legal, intellectual property, and compliance matters of luxury skincare...
Vice president, legal, international (EMEA and APAC) | Restaurant brands international
General counsel | Swiss Post
Thomas Schönholzer is a business-oriented, internationally experienced, hands-on and agile general counsel and secretary to the board, with wide and varied expertise across different TMT, industry and healthcare sectors. He...
Senior vice president and general counsel | Philip Morris International
It brings me great pleasure to present The Legal 500’s highly anticipated GC Powerlist: Switzerland 2024. This publication celebrates the outstanding abilities of the leading general counsel in the confederation. Within its pages, we embark on an enlightening journey, exploring crisis management and resilience-building amidst instability, the adoption of emerging technologies, the integration of diversity and sustainability into the daily tasks of general counsel, and insightful perspectives on M&A transactions from some of our distinguished powerlisters.
The GC Powerlist: Switzerland stands as a highlight in our in-house legal research team’s portfolio each year. This edition is marked by its diverse content, with featured in-house lawyers offering unique perspectives, addressing specific challenges, and sharing personal journeys that serve as a wellspring of inspiration for their peers.
One prominent theme that emerged from our research is the increasingly critical role of in-house legal teams in fostering resilience within their organisations. Recent years have underscored the necessity for legal teams to remain flexible and agile in responding to rapid changes in the legal and regulatory landscape during times of instability and crisis. To effectively navigate such challenges, it is imperative for the legal function to intimately understand the organisation’s business strategy and resilience plans, translating new laws and regulations into actionable guidance for management promptly. Judith Bischof, general counsel at Clariant, emphasises the integration of legal teams into crisis management efforts: ‘the legal team is integrated into crisis management teams to provide timely legal advice and support. The key is to foster collaboration between legal and other departments and to stay proactive in addressing legal challenges during turbulent times.’ Eyal Tavor, general counsel at Deloitte Switzerland, expands on the importance of leadership and providing the necessary tools for legal teams to navigate crises proactively: ‘More than ever, it lies within the responsibility of the person leading the internal legal department to ensure proper development opportunities for their team members in areas beyond legal expertise and skills in order to be in a position to proactively create additional substantial value and navigate appropriately. The necessity to really understand the organisation’s business, the challenges it faces during periods of instability or crisis and the overall strategy it pursues in such times is an absolute must in order to be in a position to align the legal strategy with the broader business strategy and thereby helping the business to grow and succeed even further.’
With a global focus on ESG issues, Swiss-based in-house lawyers are at the forefront of embedding sustainability practices within their departments. Emmanuel Grand, group general counsel at Recipharm, underscores the pivotal role of general counsel in ESG initiatives: ‘The general counsel will continue playing a pivotal role on ESG moving forward, not only in the context of our recently established ESG Committee, with a special emphasis on governance and corporate governance, but also on all our reporting activities, and liaising directly or indirectly with relevant stakeholders’. Diana Imbach Haumueller, head of legal and compliance group asset management at Helvetia Group, highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in promoting motivation within teams: ‘ I am convinced that diversity and inclusion are a key success factor for any team. Therefore, when recruiting I focus also on these aspects. I am lucky enough to work in an environment where I am flexible to accommodate specific needs, for example, for working parents or ambitioned athletes. Together with an open mind, innovative working models such as home and flex office as well as a true spirit to use those models helped me to build a highly competent, diverse, and inclusive team. Especially in challenging times, it is crucial to have a motivated team. This promotes efficiency and resilience, which is a key element for a high-performing legal team. I truly believe that more diverse and inclusive teams are in a better shape to tackle the challenges of today’s work environment’.
On behalf of The Legal 500, I extend sincere gratitude to all who contributed their time and insights to the research process. Congratulations to all featured in the 2024 edition of the GC Powerlist: Switzerland.
Sara Maggi| Deputy Editor GC Powerlist Series
Axiom has been a proud sponsor of the GC Powerlist event for a number of years. Our continued support reflects our commitment to recognising the innovators and trailblazers within in-house counsel across Switzerland. The GC Powerlist is more than just a list—it is a celebration of the visionaries who are shaping the future of legal services.
Over two decades ago, Axiom pioneered the category of Alternative Legal Services Providers (ALSPs) with a simple idea: there had to be a better way to deliver innovative legal services to in-house counsel. Since then, the industry has grown exponentially, evolving into a diverse ecosystem with multiple segments working towards the same goal.
We value this evolution because it aligns with our mission to connect companies, from growing mid-market firms to Fortune 500 enterprises, with the world’s most experienced and specialised legal talent. Axiom’s high standards resonate with our clients and lawyers alike—90% of our clients say our lawyers are as good or better than their law firm lawyers, and our talent has an industry leading nps score of 68!
Innovation and change require dedication, and the GC Powerlist: Switzerland celebrates those who embrace these challenges. We applaud the legal leaders featured in the list, recognising their strength, creativity, and strategic role in driving business success in today’s complex environment. Here is to the continued success of the in-house counsel community in Switzerland and beyond.
Baker McKenzie is one of the largest law firms in Switzerland. Our offices in Geneva and Zurich have been an integral part of the Swiss legal landscape for more than half a century, firmly establishing us as a prominent force for our domestic and foreign clients. Our vast, experienced team of experts, composed of more than 130 lawyers, is providing Swiss and multinational industry players, financial institutions, private equity houses and insurance companies with toptier legal advice. We have a fantastic track record for domestic and cross-border advice in all areas of business law. The dedication to providing clients with practical and innovative solutions, along with the quality of our work, has been consistently recognized with top rankings by Chambers and Partners and Legal 500.
As global citizens, industry savvy, diverse and with a thirst for innovation, our horizon does not end in Switzerland. Our unique global footprint with 74 offices in 45 countries allows us to bring the right talent at the right time to every client issue, regardless of where the client is. And since our clients want lawyers who are prepared to lead, differentiate and adapt in a constantly changing world, we have built on our strengths and abilities to adopt a new type of thinking and use cutting-edge legal technologies to help clients overcome the challenges of competing in today’s new world economic order.
The GC Summit: Saudi Arabia 2025 gathered leading figures from across the Kingdom’s legal and business landscape for a full day of dynamic conversations, thought leadership, and peer learning. Held at the Sheraton Hotel in Riyadh, the conference served as an important forum for general counsel and other senior legal counsel to discuss the evolving challenges and strategic opportunities shaping the corporate legal function today. The day’s agenda was marked by a wide range of topics, including regulatory engagement, competition law, dispute resolution, family business dynamics, legal AI implementation, and market entry across the GCC. Featuring a line-up of influential legal minds, the summit highlighted the increasingly strategic role of general counsel and offered practical takeaways for those navigating complex legal and commercial environments.
The summit opened with a brief welcome address from the Legal 500’s research editor, Francisco Castro, highlighting the importance in gathering the country’s in-house legal community in events like the GC Summit, as a means for sharing best practices and making new and meaningful connections.
The first panel discussion, “Dealing with Regulators: Strategies for Effective Engagement and Advocacy,” examined how in-house legal teams can build strong, constructive relationships with regulatory bodies while safeguarding their organisations’ commercial interests. Moderated by Zamakhchary & Co., the panel brought together legal experts from both the public and private sectors. The discussion emphasised the importance of transparency, strategic communication, and positioning legal departments as trusted intermediaries between business and government.
This was followed by a session on “Shaping Competition Law in the Kingdom,” which explored Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving antitrust landscape. Representatives from Monckton Chambers, Al Akeel & Partners, and the General Authority for Competition discussed recent developments in the law, the culture of compliance, and the practical implications for legal teams operating within and outside the Kingdom. The panel reinforced the notion that effective compliance requires both a technical understanding of the law and a proactive corporate culture.
After a short coffee break, the programme resumed with “Friendly Until It Isn’t: Managing M&A Fallout Before it Starts.” This session focused on the critical importance of arbitration clauses in cross-border M&A agreements. Panellists explored how in-house counsel can reduce dispute risk from the outset by carefully crafting arbitration provisions, considering key elements such as institutional rules, confidentiality terms, and seat selection. Discussions also covered strategies for managing parallel proceedings and post-closing conflicts, offering a robust framework for navigating M&A disputes.
The fourth session of the day addressed a particularly sensitive area for legal professionals in the region: “Shareholder Disputes in Family Businesses and the Evolving Role of In-house Counsel in the Middle East.” The discussion shed light on the distinct pressures facing in-house lawyers in family-run enterprises, particularly as these businesses expand internationally. Speakers explored how to manage conflicts of interest, navigate cross-border legal differences, and mediate complex internal dynamics while upholding legal and ethical standards. The conversation highlighted the nuanced role of the in-house counsel as both legal advisor and trusted business partner in environments shaped by tradition and rapid growth.
Following lunch, attention turned to innovation with “How to Successfully Implement Legal AI: A Step-by-Step Guide.” This practical session was moderated by Francisco Castro from Legal 500, interviewing LEGALFLY’s CEO and co-founder, Ruben Miessen, who demystified the process of adopting AI in legal operations. From choosing the right use case to developing a compelling business case and piloting AI tools, this interactive and engaging presentation focused on actionable steps to unlock the value of AI in legal departments.
The final panel discussion, “Corporate and Commercial Challenges in GCC Market Entry,” addressed the legal and regulatory complexities businesses face when expanding into the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Experts from Meysan and their regional partners discussed key aspects of corporate structuring, foreign investment regulations, and commercial contract practices, offering attendees clear insights into risk mitigation and compliance strategies. The session emphasised the importance of local legal expertise and cross-border coordination for companies aiming to establish or scale operations across GCC jurisdictions.
The day concluded with closing remarks by Arwa M. Al-Shaghrood, General Counsel and Board Secretary at the FII Institute, who reflected on the role of general counsel in regional transformation and the summit’s success in facilitating knowledge exchange. A dedicated networking session followed, providing attendees with the opportunity to build new relationships and continue the day’s conversations in a more informal setting.
In all, the GC Summit: Saudi Arabia 2025 offered legal professionals in the region a timely and practical platform to explore emerging challenges and exchange innovative strategies. From regulatory engagement to legal technology and cross-border expansion, the summit reaffirmed the vital role that in-house legal departments play in shaping resilient, future-ready organisations in an increasingly complex legal environment. Legal 500 looks forward to returning to Riyadh for the release of its inaugural GC Powerlist: Saudi Arabia, highlighting the top corporate counsel in the country.
