Merlin Entertainment has recruited Matt Jowett as its new legal chief following the departure of Colin Armstrong, who has left the company after almost a decade. Mr Jowett joins Merlin from packaging company DS Smith, where he has served as general counsel for the last four years. After moving in-house from Linklaters in 1996, Mr Jowett headed up the legal departments of RMC Group and VT Group before joining DS Smith. Former National Express Group GC Michael Hampson has been named interim group general counsel and company secretary at DS Smith.

Meanwhile, Barclays head of competition Nicola Northway has moved back to private practice, taking up a spot in Baker & McKenzie's global competition and antitrust practice in London. Ms Northway is the second high-profile Barclays lawyer to be picked up by Baker & McKenzie in the last year, after the bank's managing director of litigation and investigations Jonathan Peddie joined the firm's global investigations practice midway through 2015. Ms Northway has headed Barclay's competition team for almost 11 years, previously holding the general counsel role at Ofcom.

Callcredit Information Group has picked up its new chief risk officer and general counsel Colin Rutter from rival Experian. Mr Rutter is making the switch after 21 years with Experian, where he most recently served as general counsel for Europe, Middle East, Africa, India and the Asia Pacific. The newly created role at Callcredit will see Mr Rutter guide the company's combined legal and risk groups, with the company's current GC Emma Peach and head of risk Tom Sleight both reporting to him.

San Francisco Bitcoin exchange Kraken announced last week that it has hired banker, lawyer and venture capitalist Edward M Stadum as its new general counsel. Most recently, Mr Stadum served as US General Counsel for Fidor Bank, the German online direct bank that facilitates Kraken's euro business. In his new role, Mr Stadum will help oversee Kraken's global expansion by offering guidance on business practices, corporate governance, finance, strategy, and acquisitions.

Finally, the Royal Mail has confirmed that acting general counsel Maaike de Bie will be retaining the position permanently. Ms de Bie was appointed to the role on an interim basis in September 2015 following the exit for former GC Neil Harnby. She has served as the Royal Mail's deputy general counsel since 2014, when she joined the then public sector organisation to help its transition into an FTSE 100 company.