Germany
I am currently the VP, International Legal for Akamai Technologies GmbH in Munich, Germany. I have 26+ years of experience as in-house / general counsel in the commercial / corporate law field, with a specialism in the telecommunications and IT sectors. My expertise includes 17 years of legal advisory and strategic management support to Akamai, a global leader in the provision of CDN services, with offices and clients in the Americas, EMEA, Asia and Australia. Prior to that, I spent 9 years as in-house counsel to two major German media companies, providing legal and business affairs support and guidance. I completed the Assessor Exam in 1992 and was called to the Bars of Stuttgart (1994) and Munich (2006). My practice areas are diverse, including commercial, corporate governance, contract and regulatory work. A key part of my current role is to negotiate and close high-value, complex deals, with major blue-chip internationals, which I have done constantly, including the development of ongoing highly profitable partnerships with a major telecoms industry names in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. Since I joined Akamai I have closed 1000+ deals of this kind, leading the projects end-to-end, often in close collaboration with Sales and other internal departments, always driving Akamai revenue and success. During my time with Akamai, I have contributed to the opening of 60+ global markets. I have also contributed to Akamai’s growth in development of a suitable legal team to support expansion, having increased the team from one to six, to ensure that all business legal needs are swiftly and accurately addressed. In conjunction with this, I provide strategic guidance to management on all aspects of the business, further driving productivity. I would be delighted to connect with anyone who shares an interest in my practice areas, in particular in the telecommunications, IT, internet and media sectors.
Head of Akamai's International Legal team handling a variety of legal related matters, including corporate and regulatory matters, global risk management and global expansion, and business partnering with management teams in EMEA and Asia/Australia.
Prior to April 2016, I was Akamai’s Senior Director and Lead Counsel for Global Carrier Strategy from April 2014. This role was a challenging and specifically designed role: to support a brand new business unit and product which was a key strategic area. In particular, I supported the sales team to build profitability and generate substantial revenue for global sales of a new product. I reversed previous contentious carrier relationships, taking time to understand counterparty commercial needs in order to deliver solutions accordingly. As a result, the sales teams regularly exceeded targets, leading to a host of complex, high-value multi-party transactional suites which I negotiated and drafted. Standout successes were (i) my on-boarding of a major new client, a global French-based telecoms provider, a relationship which remains ongoing; and (ii) securing a crucial new relationship with a major Mexican telco company to open the LatAm market, for which I drafted entire license agreement. Prior to this, I was promoted through several roles with Akamai: As Director, Legal EMEA (2011 – 2014), I headed the regional legal team servicing pan-EMEA legal, corporate and regulatory needs, providing advice on all legal issues during a period of rapid expansion and specialisation. In collaboration with sales, we opened 20+ new markets in EMEA and Asia, growing the client base and enhancing turnover. This period included a deal with a Saudi Arabian telecoms provider, a crucial springboard for Gulf expansion.
Akamai is a global leader in provision of CDN services with offices in 29 countries in the Americas, EMEA, Asia and Australia. In April 2016 I was promoted to Senior Director & Chief Counsel to provide commercial / legal advice and support to three key areas of the business: Global Carrier Strategy (sales and business relationships with telecoms companies) Channels (sales business through partners) Networks (a procurement-side role, which deals with data centre services, location and bandwidth from ISPs and regulatory advice regarding network expansion. I comprehensively support global business divisions as necessary with any and all legal issues, as first point of contact. In particular I advise on all legal, regulatory, compliance and corporate challenges. A major part of my role is to drive and close high-value deals with blue-chip counterparties, negotiating to secure profitability and drafting resultant agreements with channel partners, which includes a diversity of complex, niche, master service, licence, network operator and procurement agreements, service contracts and leases. I have concurrently grown a high-performing legal team to match the business expansion, from one individual to six. I am passionate about strategic development and frequently provide legal guidance to management and executive teams on global policy. I have both contentious and non-contentious aspects within my role, and collaborate with foreign counsel in a host of legal practice areas, including contract, competition, IP, tech and employment, and under foreign laws, including UK, German, French, Singaporean and Japanese.
Kirch was a leading German private media company. For the subsidiary that created and operated an internet entertainment portal. I undertook a commercial legal role and was responsible for content acquisition and contract and licence negotiation for the planned internet entertainment portal, reporting to the Speaker of the Board of Directors.
Intercord was, at the time, the largest German independent record company, and was acquired by EMI in 1999. During this period I managed the Legal and Business Affairs Department with three direct reports. I was responsible for all legal affairs, including negotiation of licence and recording agreements with national and international artists, producers and record companies.