Legal Business Blogs

In-house: ISDA general counsel Geen to step down after almost a decade

After almost a decade, the general counsel (GC) for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) David Geen has stood down from his position.

Geen took on the role as ISDA’s European GC in 2006 before taking the broader GC role in 2008, replacing Kimberly Summe.

He will formally leave the association on March 31, but has been on leave since the end of January.

ISDA GC for the Americas Katherine Tew Darras is replacing Geen in the interim until a successor is appointed.

At the time of Geen’s appointment as GC then ISDA chief executive Robert Pickel praised Geen’s ‘wealth of experience’ and ‘sound judgement’ that he would bring to the role. He had played a key part in developing, among other things, the Association’s European Loan CDS documentation.

Before his role with ISDA, Geen acted as executive director and senior counsel at Goldman Sachs. Prior to that he was a partner at Baker & McKenzie.

Late last year ISDA were accused alongside a dozen major banks and data provider Markit by investors of rigging the credit derivatives market in a case which resulted in a $1.87bn settlement.

In other recent general counsel news Hitachi Rail Europe last month confirmed the hire of WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff’s director of legal Jane Mee as the transport firm develops its legal team. Mee will become a member of the company’s executive team, and will oversee matters in Hitachi Rail’s legal team. Meanwhile News UK recruited high-profile Kingsley Napley partner Angus McBride as its GC just months after its decision to re-hire former Sun editor Rebekah Brooks as chief executive.

madeleine.farman@legalease.co.uk