I believe that staying at Davis Polk for 14 years, becoming a partner and advisor to companies, advising boards of directors, advising strategic plans and how to implement them, helping companies adapt to Sarbanes-Oxley really gave me a very solid foundation. When I started working in-house, that is, at Marsh & McLennan, I was able to occupy a very high position where I had some influence on the organization and I had access to all the high-level things that were happening in the company. I think it brought me to a different place from the beginning. However, if I had left earlier in my career, I would have gone to a legal department further down the chain, maybe put a little more in a drawer. It might have been harder to find my way into this higher role. In his new role, Bhandari oversees AIG`s compliance with the New York Stock Exchange and SEC, capital markets and M&A transactions, cybersecurity and privacy, intellectual property, IT, procurement, real estate legal support and innovation. I think it affects the Advocate General, it is that our jobs have become much bigger. I think we`ve become much more important players for management teams, that is, CEOs, CFOs, boards of directors, people who run important parts of a company. There are many legal issues that affect businesses and industries and influence strategies. I think as a general counsel, you`re not necessarily the person involved, but you need to make sure you have the right expertise in your department to be able to support the business.
Privacy and cybersecurity and data are at the forefront. It is very difficult to find good resources in the areas of law and compliance. There is a war for talent. It`s hard to find people, it`s hard to extract people. It`s hard to keep people because they`re so in demand. And that`s just one example. Fato confirmed to Bloomberg Law in an email that she is now responsible for government relations, public affairs and communications, and that she is also responsible as general counsel in addition to overseeing legal, compliance and regulatory functions. An important lesson for me is that when you enter a leadership role, sometimes you don`t realize how influential you are and that your words are important. There are many things you can do with your voice that can have a very positive impact on a company or department or decision-making process. I don`t think I realized that until I went to Marsh & McLennan and really had a seat at the table, especially in my role as general secretary, where I worked closely with the board on the influence I could have.
I think often I`d do things, say things, or advise, and then I`d think, “Gee, people agreed with what I said because they trust me and I have credibility. Maybe I should have asked for more, or I should have said something on top of what I did. Previously, Ms. Fato was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of S&P Global. Previously, Ms. Fato was Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Marsh & McLennan Companies. Ms. Fato began her legal career at the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell, where she spent fourteen years, including five years as a partner in the Capital Markets Group. Fato said in a statement to his colleagues, “I am thrilled to have someone of Sipi`s caliber in the legal department and look forward to introducing him to our [global legal, compliance and regulatory departments] as well as our marketing and communications colleagues.” In September, Aaron Katzel, AIG`s former head of legal affairs, sued Fato and former general counsel Peter Solmssen for unlawful dismissal. Katzel said he was fired after raising concerns about ethics and compliance about an AIG plan to make its legal operations center an independent company. AIG denied Katzel`s allegations. Dechert and Davis Polk represent the accused.
Fato`s legal career began at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. Prior to joining AIG nearly two years ago, she held general counsel positions at Nardello & Co. and what is now S&P Global Inc. The inclusion of an insurance company in this advertisement does not constitute assurance or warranty that (1) you will receive insurance coverage by that company or (2) that such company is authorized to offer any particular type of insurance product or coverage in any jurisdiction. Registration is provided for informational purposes only, as required by such regulatory authority. * AIG Specialty Insurance Company is a national excess line insurer in Illinois. Tudor Insurance Company and Western World Insurance Company are national excess line insurers in New Hampshire. Blackboard Specialty Insurance Company is a national excess line insurer in Delaware. National excess line insurers insure risks in their country of residence on the basis of excess lines, and the coverage comes from a licensed excess line manufacturer. Certainly in my case, yes, and I would say in general, I think the experience in law firms is excellent. Many lawyers ask me, “How long should I stay? Do I have to leave when I`m younger? Do I have to leave when I`m older? Should I try to become a partner? I always tell young lawyers that I think as long as they can hold on — because it`s difficult — I think they`ll be better off. Policies from 582: U.S.
Toll Free: +1 (888) 565-3769 Insurance company Chubb Ltd., which has been at the forefront of some of these rescue efforts, appointed a new global general counsel in October, three months after hiring John Fielding of Steptoe & Johnson as general counsel for global government and industrial affairs. “As we strengthen AIG`s long-term strategic positioning, it becomes increasingly important that our stakeholders have a clear picture of our business, strategy and value proposition,” Fato said in a statement announcing his promotion. As part of Zaffino`s rise, AIG said it would focus on property and casualty insurance by splitting its life insurance business into a separate company. Zaffino and Duperreault previously worked at Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc., where Fato served as Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary from 2005 to 2014. Every year since 2018, Ms. Fato has been named to NACD Directorship magazine`s list of the 100 most influential people in the board community. In 2015 and 2017, she was recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the “lawyers who matter” for her commitment to promoting business ethics. What I`ve learned is that as a senior executive, you can gather all this information and help people make better decisions, not because they`re not able to make good decisions themselves, but sometimes work in a certain vacuum and just aren`t aware of it. If you take the time to sit down with them and say, “I know you`re working on this transaction or this project. I hear what you are saying, and that is great and I agree with you.
But you have to know that we are also doing this other thing here that could have an impact on it. Prior to joining AIG, Ms. Fato was Managing Director, Head of the Americas and General Counsel of Nardello & Co., a global private investigation firm, where she continues to serve on the Advisory Board. One of the things I firmly believe in, and I`ve always worked with like-minded people, is that relationships are very important. You need to have good relationships with your regulators and you need to work together. When you have so many different regulators, a lot of people touch them and a lot of people meet with them. It is up to us to work together and make sure that we know who is going where, what they are saying, whether we are receptive when they ask us for information, whether we are providing information consistently.