Thomas Cook has announced that company secretary and UK and Ireland head of legal Alice Marsden has been promoted to the role of group general counsel. She will replace outgoing GC Craig Stoehr, who has departed the role after three years in order to 'pursue other oportunities.' Ms Marsden will take on Mr Stoehr's responsibilities in addition to her present role, while the outgoing GC's M&A remit will be passed up to group CFO Michael Healy.

A structural readjustment at telecoms provider Colt Group has seen the departure of longstanding group general counsel Robin Saphra. Mr Saphra has more than 20 years' experience in-house and built Colt's international legal, commercial and regulatory team from the ground up after joining the company in 2005. He is also credited with strengthening Colt's relationship with preferred legal adviser Baker & Mackenzie. Mr Saphra will be succeeded by Caroline Griffin Pain, who will assume the role of company secretary and legal counsel.

Meanwhile, Stephenson Harwood corporate partner Geoff Gouriet is moving in-house to take up the role of general counsel for insurance company Towergate. He will replace outgoing GC and company secretary Jennifer Owens, who has held the post since November 2013. Mr Gouriet had been with Stephenson Harwood for just over a year, having previously served as head of corporate at legacy firm Lawrence Graham and then Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co from 2012.

Slaughter and May Hong Kong partner Laurence Rudge has also shifted in-house, coming on as deputy general counsel for Chinese supply chain specialist Li & Fung. Mr Rudge relocated from the magic circle firm's London office to Hong Kong in 2002 and was made partner in 2008. With turnover of $8.6bn in the first half of 2015, Li & Fung is one of the world's largest supply chain companies.

Finally, Justin Chen has been appointed as president and general counsel of Chinese mobile software firm NQ Mobile, effective 2 February. Formerly an independent director, Mr Chen will retain his position on the NQ Mobile Board but will step down from his membership of the Board's audit, compensation, corporate governance and nominating committees. Ethan Hu will replace Mr Chen as an independent director and member of each committee.