GCN organizes the General Counsel Award every other year in order to deliver role models who can assist other General Counsel within our community to further develop themselves This Award also adds public awareness and standing to the profession of General Counsel.
We are proud to announce that the winner of the General Counsel Award 2019-2020 is Yu Lian de Bakker, General Counsel at PVH Europe, one of the largest fashion companies in the world and owner of iconic brands like CALVIN KLEIN and TOMMY HILFIGER.
In her 10 minute pitch during the General Counsel Fall Conference 2019, she inspired us all with her refreshing approach to rekindling the spirit of her legal department and maximizing its potential. Congratulations Yu Lian! We look forward to seeing what’s in store for you and your legal team in the future.
For more information about the General Counsel Award please see below.
The role and responsibilities of the General Counsel within companies or organizations has changed quite a bit the last decade.
The modern General Counsel is an initiative and business oriented legal leader, who operates close to the board and other stakeholders and is responsible for legal, compliance and the company’s secretarial issues.
The broadening of the General Counsel’s tasks and the rapidly changing world around us, ask for a final responsible in-house lawyer who is open for the challenges that lay ahead. In short: a General Counsel that is an excellent law specialist but also willing and able to broaden him/herself with all the relevant (soft- and business) skills that are necessary to succeed.
GCN wants to give more standing, appreciation and publicity to the future-proof General Counsel and wants to give the stage to General Counsel who have proven to be very successful and outstanding in this changing world. The General Counsel Award will deliver role models who can assist other General Counsel to further develop themselves and add awareness to the profession of General Counsel
The General Counsel nominated will have accomplished special achievements. The Jury of the General Counsel Award will select 3 finalists from the nominated General Counsel.
The nominated General Counsel will be selected on the following criteria:
- Innovation
- Leadership – Diversity & Inclusion
- Professional Expertise
- Business Acumen
The finalists of the General Counsel Award 2019-2020 are:
Yu Lian de Bakker, GC of PVH Europe, Margreet Hoekstra, GC of T-Mobile Nederland and Suzanne van Nieuwenhuijzen van Stedin Groep. We congratulate all of you on your contributions to the general counsel community and being role models for others. You all ROCK!
We would like to thanks the independent Jury of the General Counsel Award, Simone Davina, Hans van Oosterhout and Mildred Roethof, for their expertise and feedback towards all the finalists during the General Counsel Fall Conference 2019 on October 10th in Laren.
Mildred Roethof – Chairman of the Jury
Director, documentary/television maker and producer.
Driven by her media and social commitment, Mildred makes documentaries, journalistic television reports and corporate films. Mildred distinguishes herself by her sharp-wittedness, sense of humour and empathy. This results in openness of people from all layers of society that feature in her documentaries. In her documentaries she highlights social issues of man and nature, at home and abroad.
Her films have regularly been subject of a lively debate in the media and in Parliament. Among others, she created a personal series about her (criminal law) lawyer family, called “De Verdedigers”. In many cases emancipation, justice and integration are key, for instance in an episode of the NTR-series “Life in the frontline”, about Urmila Chaudrey, who received recently the Four Freedoms Award. Mildred is always on the lookout for a special angle, with an eye towards specific themes and target groups that will otherwise be underexposed, triggering dialogues and awareness. She also hosted the television program “Regelrecht en Opgelicht” (TROS network) together with Mr. Ivo Opstelten, former Minister of Justice and acts as moderator on a regular basis.
Hans van Oosterhout – Jurylid
Professor Corporate Governance at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and lead instructor at the General Counsel Executive Program
Hans van Oosterhout’s research is on comparative corporate governance, involving both comparisons between different national corporate governance systems (for listed firms), and comparisons between different forms of ownership and enterprise organization. His current research focuses on how active ownership strategies in different types of firms and across different countries drive the strategic choices and performance outcomes of firms.
Simone Davina – Jury member
General Counsel, Board Member, Siemens UK
In her capacity as General Counsel Legal and Compliance, GCN-member Simone Davina is final responsible at Siemens UK and Ireland. She is also member of the Board.
Thijs van der Lugt – General Counsel at Aalberts Industries- won the General Counsel Award 2017-2018.
More information about the other finalists and the jury? Click here
General Counsel Award 2015-2016
Malinda Miener – General Counsel at Enexis – won the General Counsel Award 2015-2016. During the General Counsel Fall Conference on October 8th, 2015. Malinda was chosen by the jury and the audience as the winner of the first time General Counsel Award 2015-2016.
More information about the other finalists and the jury? Click here
