Heather Mitchell – The Carlyle Group

‘One reason I’m doing this interview is so I can send it to my parents. They’re really important to me. Ah, suddenly, the hard-woman persona crumbles,’ jokes Heather Mitchell, global general counsel (GC) for investments and head of EMEA at The Carlyle Group.

Christine Dekker: McDonald’s

The UK and Ireland GC on ten years at the fast-food giant and how tech is transforming the consumer trade

Sonya Branch: Bank of England

The GC of the UK’s central bank talks Brexit, having a mission and making partner at 31

Anna Cosgrave: Graze

The self-confessed fitness freak and head of legal on the allures of in-house law and healthy snacks

Hugh Pugsley: HSBC

The banking giant’s UK law chief on retaining perspective, understanding your advisers and the value of mentors

Charlotte Heiss: RSA

How kidnap threats and vodka-fuelled due diligence helped shape the insurance giant’s group legal chief

Matt Wilson: Uber

The EMEA legal head of one of the world’s most valuable private companies on sticking along for the ride

Martin Cook: Funding Circle

The London office of peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle is exactly what you would expect from one of the UK’s largest and most high-profile fintech businesses.

Julie Smyth: BAE Systems Air

‘My husband has virtually no understanding of what I do,’ admits BAE Systems Air chief counsel Julie Smyth. ‘He thinks I sit in meetings all day.’

Profile: Richard Price, Anglo American

Shortly before Richard Price went in-house as group general counsel and company secretary at Anglo American, the legal team’s headcount was cut in half. This was not coupled with a reduced workload, however. Expectations remained the same.