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Plus, Veon, Entergy and Fidelity Bank bolster their GRC teams Veralto, a provider of water and product quality solutions, has namedKimberly Chaineyas SVP and chief legal officer, effective December 1, 2025. Chainey joins Veralto from Aptar Group, where she oversaw global legal affairs as EVP, chief legal officer and corporate secretary. Before joining Aptar, Chainey held legal leadership roles at Panasonic Aviation Corporation, Avis Budget Group, the Hershey Company andMorgan Lewis. ‘It’s exciting to be joining such an impressive leadership team, a legal organization that is filled with top-flight talent and an enterprise that is making important contributions to our…

North America’s leading governance professionals were toasted at an awards gala in New York this week Sallie Mae and VEON were the big winners at this year’s Corporate Governance Awards, with both companies scooping two trophies at a gala event in New York City. Student loans provider Sallie Mae scooped the trophy for the best director training and education program while its senior corporate paralegal, Megan Smagala, walked home with the rising star award after narrowly missing out on it last year. Meanwhile, telecoms company VEON won the title of best governance around a corporate transaction and recognition for the…

Plus new general counsel and chief compliance officer at Cellebrite Electricity utility Ameren Corporation has announced the appointment of David Feinberg as its new executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. He comes the NYSE-listed company from American Electric Power Company, where he has served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary since joining the company in 2011. Before that, Feinberg served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Allegheny Energy, where he also held roles as senior litigation counsel and deputy general counsel. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at the law…

Plus new governance professionals in place at Fannie Mae and Helen of Troy When we talk about diversity in business, it’s usually in moral or social terms – fairness, inclusion and representation. But our new research suggests diversity also pays off in a very practical way: helping companies make better financial and investment decisions. Company boards often get the attention in discussions about corporate leadership. Yet much of the real decision-making happens within smaller, specialised board committees – groups of directors responsible for areas such as audit, risk, remuneration and sustainability. These committees are where many of the big investment…

Plus, Starbucks, AXA and Stanley Black & Decker make new additions to their legal teams NYSE-listed Planet Fitness has appointed Sarah Powell as general counsel, effective November 17. A 25-year legal veteran, she served as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at GoTo Foods (formerly Focus Brands). Prior to GoTo Foods, Powell served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Advance Auto Parts. Earlier in her career, she served on the legal team at Delhaize America. ‘I am excited to welcome Sarah and her deep franchising experience to Planet Fitness, where she will play a critical…

Plus, Northwest Bank, Silver Elephant and Plato Income Maximiser bolster their legal teams As investor expectations continue to evolve, the proxy statement has become more than a regulatory requirement: it’s now a strategic tool for corporate storytelling and stakeholder engagement. The newly released playbook, titled ‘From compliance to confidence: Proxies that win trust and votes’ and written in partnership with DFIN, offers a timely and comprehensive guide for companies looking to strengthen their proxy disclosures ahead of the upcoming season. Click hereto download the report >> The playbook features insights from leading governance professionals and proxy advisors, highlighting best practices…

Governance Intelligence is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 18th annual Corporate Governance Awards. Taking place in New York City on November 6, the gala ceremony will be held at Cipriani 25 Broadway and is expected to be attended by 400 industry professionals from the world of governance, risk and compliance. The ceremony will follow the Corporate Governance Forum, also on November 6, which will bring together experts to share their insights on the implications of recent market and regulatory changes on the role of governance professionals and provide a platform to share best practices before the end of…

Plus, changing the guard at Constellation Brands, Greif and Appian NYSE-listed financial services company Equitable Holdings has promoted Kurt Meyers to the position of chief legal officer and corporate secretary. In addition to his new role, Meyers will also join Equitable’s management committee and report directly to president and CEO, Mark Peason. Before his promotion, Meyers served as Equitable’s head of life Insurance and before that as the company’s deputy general counsel. Prior to joining Equitable, Meyers was a partner at the law firm McGuireWoods and worked for theUSDepartment of Justice in the Western District ofNorth Carolina. Meyers succeeds José…

Chief legal and corporate affairs officer at Ally Financial awarded the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her contributions to the industry Hope Mehlman, chief legal and corporate affairs officer at Ally Financial, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award – a recognition that honors her enduring commitment to the practice and principles of corporate governance. The award reflects not only her personal accomplishments but also the collaborative nature of her journey. ‘It is deeply meaningful to me,’ says Mehlman. ‘I feel really honored and humbled to be recognized. This really is a crown jewel…

Plus, Trane Technologies and Everest Group appoint new general counsel NYSE-listed aviation firm StandardAero has confirmed that Michael Kaplan will rejoin the company as chief legal officer, effective as of October 6. Kaplan formerly served as SVP, general counsel, chief security officer and secretary at the company and is returning to succeed Steve Sinquefield, who is retiring after holding the position for more than ten years. Before rejoining StandardAero, Kaplan served as senior counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright. He also spent more than ten years as chief legal officer at MDC Holdings and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. ‘We are delighted…