First up, Visa Europe has appointed former Deutsche Bank global strategy head Emma Slatter as its new general counsel. Ms Slatter first joined Deutsche Bank in 1995 and was appointed to the bank’s global strategy head role in January 2016. Previously, she served as the bank’s general counsel for the UK and western Europe between 2010 and 2015. Prior to joining the bank, Ms Slatter had a career in private practice with Slaughter and May. She commenced in her new role at Visa Europe on 20 March, replacing former general counsel Niamh Grogan.

Meanwhile, cosmetics company Avon Products is on the hunt for a new general counsel and chief compliance and ethics officer after announcing the imminent retirement of Jeff Benjamin. Mr Benjamin is wrapping up a more than 40-year career in corporate law, and is departing Avon after almost five years at the helm of the company’s legal, ethics and compliance function. A graduate of Cornell University and New York University, Mr Benjamin enjoyed a 37-year career at Novartis Corporation (previously Ciba Geigy Corporation) before joining Avon.

The White House announced this week its intention to nominate Ryan Dean Newman to serve as general counsel of the US Army. Mr Newman is a former Army captain who was deployed to Iraq in 2003 as part of ‘Operation Iraqi Freedom’. He is currently acting assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy in the Department of Justice. As Army general counsel, Mr Newman would provide legal counsel to the Army secretary, undersecretary, five assistant secretaries and other members of the Army Secretariat. He would also supervise the Office of the Judge Advocate General, the Office of the Command Counsel, Army Materiel Command and the Office of the Chief Counsel, Corps of Engineers. Once his nomination has been confirmed by the White House, Mr Newman will require the approval of the US Senate before ascending to his new role.

Tulsa-based energy group Williams has recruited US Magistrate Judge T. Lane Wilson as the company’s new senior vice president and general counsel. Judge Wilson has served as the US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District ok Oklahoma. Prior to his appointment to the bench, he worked a stint at energy giant Exxon and shareholder and board member of Oklahoma law firm Hall Estill. Williams chief executive officer Alan Armstrong commented: ‘Judge Wilson is an outstanding leader with a brilliant legal mind, and we are excited he will be Williams’ general counsel… His vast legal experience, which includes exceptional legal expertise in oil and gas matters, will serve our company well.’

Gaming company King Digital has lost chief legal officer Rob Miller to SpatialOS developer Improbable, what has hired Mr Miller as its own new chief legal officer. He has served as CLO and corporate secretary at King, the company behind popular mobile game Candy Crush Saga, for the last five years. Mr Miller’s previous in-house appointments include at eBay, Skype, BT and LivingSocial.