ANZ has appointed a new group general counsel to oversee the bank’s global legal function. Ken Adams is to move into the role, and will take over the position from Bob Santamaria, who will be retiring on 30 September this year. ANZ’s chief executive officer Shayne Elliott said, “Ken succeeds Bob Santamaria who is retiring after a very successful legal career, including more than a decade as ANZ’s group general counsel.” Mr Adams has been a long-term adviser to the bank in his role as senior partner at Herbert Smith Freehills and was a member of the firm’s global governance council. In his new role, Mr Adams will report to Mr Elliott and as well as hold responsibility for the bank’s global legal function and provide senior legal counsel to the board and executive committee.

PwC has appointed a new head of global legal services. Sydney-based Tony O'Malley will now oversee about 3,700 legal professionals in the firm's global legal network across 98 countries. He also serves as legal services leader for PwC's legal practice in Australia and Asia Pacific, where he has played a key role in designing and implementing the growth strategy for these territories. PwC says he brings considerable experience from senior leadership roles in the legal sector and is widely recognised for his strategic thinking and ability to position law firms for new market challenges.

Edinburgh-based global energy technology company Faraday Grid has appointed Nathan Fagre as general counsel. Mr Fagre joins the company following the launch of Faraday Grid’s Innovation Centre in Washington D.C. in March 2019. He has over 25 years’ experience as a general counsel in a range of industries including energy, global manufacturing, and retail/e-commerce. Before joining Faraday Grid, Mr Fagre served as general counsel of Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc, a global consumer products company with manufacturing and commercial operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Prior to this, he was general counsel of the international oil and gas operations of Occidental Petroleum Corporation and had served as general counsel of ValueVision Media.

Automotive technology company Faurecia has appointed Nolwenn Delaunay as executive vice-president, general counsel in charge of the legal department, the compliance and risk department and the secretariat of the board of directors, effective from July 1, 2019. She will also join the group’s executive committee. Ms Delaunay began her career in 2002 at Simmons & Simmons as a lawyer at the Paris Bar and moved on to the Airbus Group in 2007 before joining Faurecia in 2015 as group general counsel.

Niko Jakobsson, the current development director, has been appointed by Borenius as new general counsel. This is the first time a Finnish law firm has appointed a designated general counsel.“The legal industry is facing increasing compliance requirements and rapid changes in the technology used in our field. Niko has extensive knowledge of technology and great attorney skills. As such, he is the natural choice to lead Borenius’ compliance and business risk procedures as well as technology and business development,” said managing partner Casper Herler. Mr Jakobsson has worked on various development projects and in different roles in the legal sector over a decade, having joined Borenius in 2012.

BioTime Inc, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing cellular therapies for unmet medical needs, has announced the appointment of Chase C Leavitt as general counsel and corporate secretary. Mr. Leavitt served as vice president of legal affairs of Tang Capital Management LLC, a life sciences-focused investment company, and its affiliate Odonate Therapeutics Inc, a publicly traded pharmaceutical company, from June 2018 to May 2019. He previously served as the deputy general counsel of technology company Switch Inc, and was a corporate attorney at Latham & Watkins LLP.

Stephanie Tillman is to become chief legal counsel for Georgia-based Flowers Foods in January 1, 2020, as Company veteran Stephen Avera is scheduled to retire at the end of the year following 33 years with the bakery company. Ms Tillman is at present vice president, chief compliance officer and deputy general counsel for NYSE-listed Flowers Foods. She joined the company as a corporate attorney in 1995 and was later promoted to vice president and associate general counsel then vice president of compliance and assistant general counsel before taking up her current position.