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Changing places: Barclays names new UK/EME general counsel

In another round of musical chairs at Barclays, the banking giant has appointed Victoria Hardy as general counsel (GC) for the UK, Europe and Middle East region with immediate effect.

Hardy has been internally promoted to replace Simon Croxford’s previous role. Less than six months after returning to Barclays’ HQ in Canary Wharf, Croxford was selected in August 2015 to replace Barclays’ outgoing deputy GC Michael Shaw.

In the same month Barclays M&A chief Khasruz Zaman, exited the bank after a decade to join City firm Simmons & Simmons, while EMEA GC for Barclays’ investment banking arm Erica Handling switched to funds manager BlackRock early last year.

Hardy will be on the investment bank’s Global Legal Management Forum and will continue to be based in London, reporting to global GC and GC for America Mark Shelton.

Having joined Barclays in 2005 from Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance, Hardy served as an associate gaining broad capital markets experience both in London and New York. At Barclays, she has headed the group GC’s office and headed group M&A legal for seven years. Most recently, she was head of banking legal in Europe and Middle East and global coordinator for banking legal.

Hardy’s successor as head of banking legal will be appointed in due course.

jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk