The General Counsel as CEO: Providing Legal Services in a Time of Digital Transformation – Session 1

A discussion with Bjarne P. Tellmann, former FTSE 100 General Counsel (Pearson, GSK Consumer Healthcare, and Haleon), about the changing role of the general counsel (GC) in a world and legal industry that is undergoing rapid innovation and disruption.

The challenge: In an era of exponential change, the role of the GC has become one of the most complex, intense and challenging in the corporate world. GCs, must lead, unify and inspire diverse groups of people across the globe with subtlety and diplomacy. The stakes have never been higher and the consequences of getting it wrong can be existential. GCs must react with ever-fewer resources and at a time when the legal profession itself is undergoing disruption.

The response: To succeed in this “new normal”, GCs must become their own mini-chief executives. They must lead, formulate and execute strategies, ensure efficacy, anticipate and manage risk and manage quality control – all in addition to being top-notch lawyers.

Bjarne will share his views of the realities of the 21st century legal organization and what digital transformation means for the profession. He will also explore the world of the General Counsel, including day-to-day challenges and interactions with a wide range of stakeholders.

Bjarne P. Tellmann

Bjarne Tellmann is a seasoned public company General Counsel with 30 years of global corporate legal experience. The author of “Building an Outstanding Legal Team”, Bjarne was Founding General Counsel and Member of the Executive at Haleon, a FTSE 20 and the world’s largest consumer healthcare business. He co-led Haleon’s historic de-merger from GSK, the largest spin-off and listing in modern UK history, and he spearheaded the transformation of its +200 person legal, compliance, and security organizations. As CLO and GC at Pearson, a FTSE 100, Bjarne transformed a +200 person legal team and drove a widely acclaimed digital transformation of its legal services model. His career also includes various board roles at public and private companies, and legal roles globally at Coca-Cola, Aramco, Kimberly-Clark, Sullivan & Cromwell, and White & Case. Bjarne has received numerous professional awards, including “General Counsel of the Year” at The British Legal Awards and the Burton Awards “Legends in the Law”. He has served as Academic Visitor in Law at The University of Oxford, and is an alumnus of various institutions, including Harvard Business School, The University of Chicago, and the London School of Economics. He is currently CEO of FjordStream Advisors, a boutique consultancy specializing in the legal industry.

Chair: Prof. David Kershaw

Session 2
20 February 2025: The General Counsel as CEO: Providing Legal Services in a Time of Digital Transformation

This event operates on a first come first serve basis, so please arrive early to secure your space.