General Counsel
(On Sabbatical)
England
I’m a senior strategic in-house lawyer with a track record of solving problems, building teams, and helping businesses grow in a sustainable way.
At heart, I’m a problem-solver. I like designing and fixing things. Across every role I’ve taken, there’s been an issue, a need, or an opportunity that I’ve worked to deliver a solution for. I enjoy the intellectual challenge of regulation and complexity. I’ve operated in large organisations and start-ups, run a legal team of 100, and been a sole General Counsel.
Currently, I’m on sabbatical after 30 years working non-stop as a solicitor. Previously I was Group General Counsel and Head of Risk at OpenPayd, sitting on the Executive Committee and advising the Board on legal, risk and regulatory strategy. I built a legal function aligned to business goals, overhauled risk management using a three-lines-of-defence approach and acted as spokesperson on matters like APP fraud and digital assets. I also led engagement with regulators and the Bank of England.
Before that, I was General Counsel at 10x Banking, joining at inception. I supported funding rounds including Series A, B and C (worth over £200m) and led commercial and regulatory work with international banks and global technology providers.
Earlier in my career, I held senior legal leadership roles at HSBC, Cisco, Aegis Group and Freshfields. I’ve managed legal teams across global markets and led responses to political, regulatory and reputational challenges. I also co-authored the GC letter to the SRA in 2022 which helped prompt updated guidance for in-house solicitors.
I believe in servant leadership: creating an environment where people can excel and letting them do just that.
Trustee, Ivy Education Trust (Devon)
Open to conversations around in-house legal leadership, regulation, fintech, or change