Salesforce announced on Monday that Sabastian Niles will join the software company as president and chief legal officer. He will oversee its global legal and government affairs organizations.
Niles joins Salesforce from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where he has been a partner working with U.S. and overseas companies. His work has focused on shareholder and stakeholder engagement, corporate governance, M&A, enterprise risk oversight and technology trends, among other topics.
“He’s a phenomenal executive and individual, and brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership and expertise to our company,” said Marc Benioff, Salesforce’s chair and CEO, pictured below next to Niles.
I’m excited to welcome Sabastian Niles to Salesforce as our new President and Chief Legal Officer! pic.twitter.com/CwcHROpQHi
— Marc Benioff (@Benioff) July 17, 2023
Northrop Grumman
The aerospace and defense technology company announced its board of directors has elected Kathryn Simpson corporate vice president and general counsel, effective Oct. 30.
Simpson is currently vice president and associate general counsel in the company’s Mission Systems sector.
Previously, she served as the company’s vice president and deputy general counsel. Simpson joined Northrop Grumman in 2012 from Raytheon, where she worked for 17 years in various positions.
“Kathy is a seasoned and respected general counsel and leader, and I’m excited to have her join our senior management team,” said Kathy Warden, Northrop Grumman’s chair, CEO and president.
Binance
The cryptocurrency exchange announced that it has promoted Eleanor Hughes to general counsel.
Hughes joined Binance’s legal department in late 2021 and was subsequently promoted to head of legal for APAC and MENA. She oversaw matters in the two regions and managed a team of lawyers specializing in regulatory affairs, M&A, commercial law and litigation.
Prior to joining Binance, Hughes spent more than 10 years at U.S. law firms including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom.
“With Eleanor at the helm, I am confident that our industry-leading legal team will continue to flourish in its mission to always protect users and manage risks on our platform,” said Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s founder and CEO.
Caterpillar
The global manufacturer announced Derek Owens was elevated to SVP and general counsel on July 1 and will become chief legal officer and GC on Jan. 1, 2024.
Owens, who most recently served as VP and deputy general counsel, joined Caterpillar in 2019 as associate general counsel, litigation and investigations.
He previously spent 15 years at the U.S. Department of Justice. Owens is succeeding retiring Chief Legal Officer and GC Suzette Long.
"We are fortunate to have a deep bench of talent at Caterpillar," said Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby. "Derek brings a unique set of skills that will benefit our Law, Security and Public Policy team and the entire enterprise.”
VantageScore
The joint venture business of the three nationwide credit reporting companies announced Kimberly Schmid has joined as executive vice president and general counsel.
Schmid previously served as a senior member of the legal team at Visa and held the position of VP, regulatory counsel for Netspend.
She began her legal career at King & Spalding as an associate in financial restructuring and later worked as an attorney in the National Security Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.
"Kimberly brings to the role a deep understanding of the financial services, fin-tech and regulatory landscapes,” said Silvio Tavares, VantageScore’s president and CEO. “Her deep experience and legal insights will enable VantageScore to continue to lead in the credit scoring industry."
