Harman Dhillon’s Post

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗖-𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 A strong bond between the General Counsel and CEO is vital for effective leadership and decision-making. In my experience, over 80% of GCs report to the CEO. Most candidates I speak with are unwilling to consider pursuing a general counsel opportunity with a reporting line other than the CEO. Understandably so. Why is a direct GC-CEO reporting line so critical? 1) It shows the company values the GC as a senior executive 2) It ensures ample resources and independence for the legal team 3) It positions the GC as a key player in business strategy and decisions However, about 20% of GCs report to another senior executive, like the CFO (a red flag in my opinion) or COO. In these cases, a new GC must proactively: ✔️ Establish the GC role's authority and stature ✔️ Create a strong voice for the legal function ✔️ Minimize miscommunications caused by an intermediary between the GC and the CEO Regardless of the formal reporting line, the GC must develop a strong relationship with the CEO. In my next few posts, I'll share more thoughts on this relationship. --- 🤝 As a legal executive search consultant, I know the importance of finding the right fit for your GC and in-house legal team. If you need assistance recruiting top-tier legal talent, let's talk about how my team and I can help you find the perfect match. #GeneralCounsel #Leadership #InHouseCounsel #LegalRecruitment #CorporateStrategy

𝗧𝗵𝗲 #𝟭 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝗘𝗢𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹 What's the top soft skill CEOs look for when hiring a general counsel? 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. Strong leadership skills set an in-house counsel apart. They lead to more visibility and promotions. They also increase the chances of great GC opportunities elsewhere. That's where I come in, connecting talent with opportunity. Want to improve your leadership skills as an in-house counsel? Try these tips: ✅ Learn about all aspects of your company's business ✅ Build relationships with influential executives and employees ✅ Maintain high standards and a strong work ethic ✅ Be confident ✅ Set and achieve goals ✅ Inspire your colleagues ✅ Use emotional intelligence ✅ Take on new responsibilities and learn new things ✅ Act with integrity and ethics ✅ Solve problems creatively (and proactively whenever possible) Do you agree? What else would you suggest? —- 👥 As a legal executive recruiter, I know how crucial leadership skills are for a successful general counsel. If your organization is seeking to recruit a top-tier GC or in-house counsel, let's talk. My my team and I can assist in finding the right legal talent for your company. #Leadership #InHouseCounsel #GeneralCounsel #ExecutiveSearch #TalentAcquisition #LegalRecruitment

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗚𝗖: 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 New General Counsel? It's go time. With your 90-day action plan ready (see my last post), let's make your first day and week count. On day one, meet with your Legal team to: ✔️ Show your excitement to join them ✔️ Share positive feedback about Legal from the CEO & execs ✔️ Introduce yourself as a leader, colleague & human (share professional & personal info) ✔️ Discuss key attributes, values & traits for Legal's success ✔️ Explain your leadership style & how to best interact with you ✔️ Share your 90-day focus areas During week one, prioritize: ✔️ Meeting with the CEO ✔️ 1:1s with each Board member ✔️ Private chats with each Legal team member (review their bio first) ✔️ Setting expectations for your GC role These early interactions set the tone for your GC tenure. They help you build strong relationships with key people. 💬 Any tips you’d add from your experience for a new GC's first week? Please share below. 🌟 Integrating a new GC into your organization is a big deal. Looking for top legal talent to lead your team? My team excels at connecting you with exceptional GC and corporate counsel candidates. Let's explore how to optimize your legal department for greater business success. #legalcareers #generalcounsel #inhousecounsel #leadership #executivesearch #legalrecruitment #linkedin

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗖-𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲 As a new general counsel, building a strong relationship with your board is crucial. Whether the board consists of management and their inner circle or has a broader composition, trust and credibility are key. Your role is to be a core counselor, helping the board: ✔️ Set the legal and compliance culture ✔️ Navigate legal requirements and handle risk strategically ✔️ Understand their fiduciary duties ✔️ Stay informed of corporate governance best practices But how can you accomplish this as a new GC? First, develop an independent relationship with the board. This provides checks and balances, offers different perspectives, ensures proper reporting, and protects you if misconduct occurs. Second, communicate proactively and candidly with the board. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to provide updates, gain insights, understand expectations, and identify key influencers. I'll share more on building a healthy GC-board relationship in my next post. In the meantime, I'm curious to hear your experiences. What strategies have worked for you in establishing trust with your board? #generalcounsel #leadership #corporategovernance #boardofdirectors #legalrecruitment

Just watched a video that had me hooked from start to finish! The University of Delaware, in collaboration with the European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), hosted the 2024 annual Corporate Governance Symposium where Roy Shapira presented the paper “Specialist Directors" (PDF link below) followed by a discussion on the intricacies of board matrices in corporate management. This piece brilliantly highlights the importance of diverse skill sets, professional backgrounds, and perspectives on a company's board of directors. It's truly remarkable to see how global trends in corporate governance are evolving to prepare future leaders for these complex challenges. For legal practitioners, this trend means the need for more specialized legal advice and services in niche areas such as ESG regulations, cyber laws, and international corporate governance standards. This shift could also result in increased demand for legal professionals who can provide strategic guidance on integrating these considerations into corporate policies and practices. As predicted by the renowned legal futurist Richard Susskind, among the several emerging legal specialties that will be needed in the near future are legal risk manager, legal project manager, legal process analyst, and legal management consultant, to name a few. Just this week, I conducted a training at APIC - Associação Profissional de Intérpretes de Conferência and AIIC - The International Association of Conference Interpreters on the legal framework surrounding ESG and data privacy issues for a group of conference interpreters who are not only top-notch professionals, but also cherished friends of mine. As I researched content and prepared for the training workshops, it became clear to me just how ubiquitous the law is, and how matters pertaining to corporate governance are an ever-present and expanding concern that impacts all of our lives, requiring a sense of accountability from those wielding authority, be it in the public or private domain. It's moments like these that remind me of the dynamic nature of our field and the joy of sharing knowledge with passionate professionals. Let's continue to embrace these trends and drive meaningful change in the world of law! #GlobalLaw #LegalEducation #BoardMatrix #ESG #DataPrivacy #ContinuousLearning #ConferenceInterpreters #ProfessionalDevelopment Paper file: https://lnkd.in/d9zajp4Y Video: https://lnkd.in/dnYpK_Ds

For anyone sitting in a Managing/Senior Associate or Counsel role, how do you assess if you are actually going to make partner, or whether you are stuck in a holding pattern? When you are being told that you are on partner track, you are not alone. Are the partners being genuine or are they keeping you in line as one of the most effective profit centres at the firm? It's hard to tell, especially when they can't give you a firm timeline for partnership, or give you specific KPIs to get there. We are seeing more people at this level jumping ship having lost faith in the partnership doing the right thing by them. At some point you have to cut your losses and take charge. The starting point is to push for some clear answers from your current firm. This could be from your sponsoring partner(s) who you know is on side, through to team leaders, group and office management. You might get the answers you are looking for, but if a time frame for partnership is still too opaque, or your "gut feel" from what is or is not being said leaves you with too much uncertainty, then it's probably time to explore what the market has to offer. It's uncomfortable to push management on these issues but it's sometimes necessary. If you would like any guidance at this point in your career, contact me: steve.salem@marsdengroup.com, or reach out to one of my colleagues: In Australia: Jonathan Walmsley In London: Alex Russell In the US: David Nicol In the Middle East: Sonia Patel #careerprogression #promotion #careeeradvancement #careersadvice 

❌MISCONCEPTION ALERT❌ Non-executive directors are just ‘advisors’. Here's the reality: Being a non-exec director is a proper job. You have real duties, responsibilities, and liabilities. Just because the role doesn't involve daily operational decisions doesn't diminish the importance of their function in a company. They are there to: - Set strategy - Decide on investments - Play devil’s advocate - Check and balance - Hire and fire executives - Ensure compliance And while they aren't involved in day-to-day operations, they're still held legally accountable for every decision made and are subject to Companies Act duties. In fact, non-execs often bring a unique outside perspective and a wealth of experience to the table. So, if you're considering taking up a non-executive director role, don't underestimate its importance and impact. It's a position of trust and responsibility that requires a lot of hard work and dedication.

How to Secure Board Director Opportunities: The Timing and Approach Guide. Learn the crucial steps to secure board director opportunities. Discover why holding back from approaching executive search firms is important until you've earned your stripes and built a solid board career. Please don't make the mistake of approaching them too soon. Find out the right time to make your move. #BoardDirectorOpportunities #ExecutiveSearchFirms #BoardCareer #TimingIsCrucial #BuildingMomentum #SteppingStoneBoardSeats #TopExecutiveSearchFirms #BoardSearches #ProfileEstablishment #CorrectFirstImpression

Looking to take the next step in your wealth management career? Garry Executive Search is your trusted partner for career growth in this dynamic industry. Whether you're an experienced advisor or a rising leader, we specialize in placing top talent with firms that value integrity, innovation, and client-first thinking. Our relationships with leading firms mean we can connect you to exclusive opportunities that align with your goals. Reach out to discover your next great role! #CareerGrowth #WealthManagementJobs #FinancialAdvisors #ExecutiveSearch #JobOpportunities #GarryExecutiveSearch

In any organisation, hiring the best executives is crucial for success. The decision to bring in top-tier talent at the executive level can meaningfully impact an organisation's trajectory. However, the intricate process of recognising, attracting, and acquiring these individuals is challenging and can pose genuine risks. Mistakes in executive hiring can be costly, leading to missed opportunities, decreased morale, and financial setbacks. Top-level executives are in high demand, and there’s often a shallow pool of qualified candidates available. This means that you’ll likely face steep competition from other organisations vying for the same talent. To mitigate these risks, businesses often turn to executive search firms such as Kaizen Recruitment to navigate the complexities of the process with the precision and expertise required by the senior leadership team (SLT) and the board. We recently had the opportunity to partner with Spaceship, to help appoint their newest Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and shared the intricacies and challenges of this search in the article below. ⬇ https://lnkd.in/gtFKJgiY To read more on this case study and the appointment of Maan Beydoun whose deep #superannuation and technical #riskandcompliance SME combined with his calm and consultative demeanour make him perfectly suited for the newly created CRO executive position at Spaceship. We wish him every success in his new role! #executivesearch #financialservices