General Counsel Position – Interim & Permanent
Background
Our client is one of the UK’s most historic steel manufacturing businesses and a critical supplier to the next generation of UK defence programmes. The company was embarking on a substantial £400m capital investment programme over 10 years to modernise its plant and equipment.
We were appointed on an exclusive mandate to handle this general counsel position, after the present incumbent tendered his resignation and immediately recommended our firm to the CEO.
This was another situation where, after 5 successful years at the company the existing GC was permitted to leave the business earlier than having to wait for the full expiry of his notice period. So, we were engaged to help secure both a permanent replacement, but also an interim one given the likelihood that most candidates would have to serve 6 months notice.
The reporting line for the GC role was to the CEO and to the Chair in the capacity of company secretary. In terms of headcount, the appointee would assume responsibility for a small team including a legal counsel, paralegal and export control manager.
Challenge
The primary challenge centred around timing and continuity. Since the departing GC had been released from a full six-month notice period, our immediate attention turned to enabling continuity, via the appointment of a senior interim GC to maintain leadership of the legal and governance function during a critical period of transformation and investment. This carried a mutual understanding that the interim appointment may or may become permanent.
The role demanded a combination of skills that made the search particularly complex:
- Experience managing both legal and company secretarial functions;
- Ability to support major capital projects and infrastructure development;
- Understanding of governance requirements in a government-owned entity; and
- Commercial acumen to support continued growth in civil nuclear and renewable energy sectors.
Adding further complexity, the role required significant on-site presence, with limited work-from-home flexibility due to the nature of the business operations.
Solution
We implemented a dual-pronged approach, simultaneously searching for both interim and permanent candidates. Our strategy focused on engaging with senior lawyers who:
- May possibly be coming to the end of fixed-term contracts
- Had experience in regulated industries or sectors partnering with government; and/or
- Possessed infrastructure and major projects expertise
For the interim position, we identified two strong candidates who could start immediately, allowing the business to maintain continuity while conducting a thorough permanent search.
The permanent search involved a comprehensive two-stage interview process, including site tours to help candidates understand the unique manufacturing environment and to help the company to identify candidates who would thrive in an industrial setting.
Through this process, we successfully placed an interim General Counsel on a fixed term contract of 6 months to provide immediate assistance and later secured a permanent appointment. The successful permanent candidate brought a combination of corporate governance experience and major projects expertise within the metals industry.
