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Whether you are managing the immediate crisis, stabilizing operations or looking beyond to what a world after COVID-19 will look like, this series features key practical insights intended to strengthen your organization’s capacity to respond, recover and thrive.

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Episode 1: The Reopening Playbook

As some countries begin to ease restrictions and attempt to resume normalcy, businesses are considering not only how to bring employees safely back to the office but what the future of work will look like. In this episode, we share some lessons from countries who are ahead of the curve on how to make key decisions about reopening and highlight steps for reimagining business operations, in light of the current landscape.

For related insights, visit the Reopening Playbook Hub

Guests: Susan Eandi (Partner, Palo Alto) and Kim Sartin (Partner, London)


Episode 2: Shock Proofing Supply Chains

COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses in how businesses manage their global supply chains. In this episode, our experts discuss lessons learned on mitigating this disruption and tips on how to build a more resilient supply chain in the long term.

Guests: Mattias Hedwall (Partner, Global Chair of the International Commercial & Trade Group) and Christina Conlin (Partner, Chicago and former chief compliance officer for McDonald’s Corporation’s European operations)


Episode 3: Diversity, Inclusion and the Great Pandemic

In this episode, we take a closer look at how COVID-19 has magnified workplace vulnerabilities related to D&I and how companies can strive to do better through business recovery and renewal.

Guests: Anna Brown (Baker McKenzie’s Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion), Sunny Mann (Partner, London and member of the Global Diversity & Inclusion Committee) and Jean Lee (President and CEO of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, a national organization focused on hiring, promoting and retaining women and diverse attorneys and former Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan Chase)


Episode 4: The Role of Government Interventions on Business Survival and Revival

The significant economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic require rapid and efficient responses from governments, but how has the approach varied across the globe? In this episode, we discuss the various measures that governments have taken to support the business community in relation to foreign investment restrictions, debt, equity and taxation and the crucial role that these interventions play in both business survival and revival.

For related insights, view the Government Intervention Schemes Hub

Guests: Koen V. Vanhaerents (Partner, Global Chair of the Capital Markets Group) and James Wilson (Partner, Washington, DC)

Episode 5: Considerations for Corporate Boards During a Pandemic

During a crisis, companies are forced to react swiftly to disruption, but ill-thought decisions meant to mitigate short-term problems can have profoundly negative impacts for companies in the long-term. This episode will discuss what corporate boards should be thinking about now to evolve in this new era accelerated by COVID-19.

For related insights, visit the 2020 Global Restructuring & Insolvency Guide and our Trust Continuum Hub.

Guests: Deb Dandeneau (Partner, Chair of the Global Restructuring and Insolvency Group), Kumar Ponniya (Partner, Singapore), and Bea Araujo (Partner, London)

Additional Author: Jean Lee – President & CEO; MCCA

Author

Susan Eandi is the Chair of Baker McKenzie's North America Employment and Compensation Practice Group, head of the Global Employment and Labor Law Practice for North America, and a member of the North America Regional Management Council. She also serves on the Firm's Antiracism Legal Impact Board. Susan speaks regularly for organizations including ACC, Tech GC, Silicon Valley AGC and World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Susan publishes extensively in various external legal publications in addition to handbooks/magazines published by the Firm. Susan is a recognized leader in employment law by International Employment Lawyer, The Daily Journal, Legal 500 PLC and is a Chambers-ranked attorney.

Author

Kim Sartin is a partner in Baker McKenzie's Employment and Compensation team in London and a Member of the Firm’s Global TMT Group SteerCo. She is ranked as a leading individual in Chambers, as Up and Coming for Industrial Relations and recognised for her experience in the TMT sector (Chambers Global, UK). She is described as “a true global partner” who “stands apart with her business acumen”.

Author

Mattias Hedwall heads Baker Mckenzie's Global International Commercial & Trade Group and supervises the International Commercial & Trade Group in Stockholm. He joined Baker McKenzie in 1996 and has more than two decades of legal experience. Mattias has for many years been on the Stockholm office’s board of directors and is currently the chairman of the board. Mattias has authored a number of articles on Swedish and International Business and Commercial law, and has published a handbook on commercial contracts. He gives presentations and trainings on focus areas where he is experienced. Mattias supervises the Baker McKenzie co-operation with Stockholm School of Economics (Sw. Handelshögskolan).

Author

Christina Conlin is a member of Baker McKenzie's International and Commercial practice in Chicago. Prior to joining the Firm, Christina was chief compliance officer for McDonald's Corporation's European operations, providing strategic leadership and guidance on regulatory compliance and corporate governance for 39 markets across Europe, Central Asia and North Africa. She also previously served as general counsel in McDonald's US central division, where she led a legal team that advised the company and senior leadership on franchising, supply chain, real estate and operational matters. Christina also worked for more than a decade as a trial lawyer in private practice, representing franchisors, distributors, real estate developers, manufacturers and others in court and arbitration. Christina has been named to the 2017 Crain's Chicago Business List of Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago and 2018 Crain’s Chicago Business List of Most Notable Women Lawyers in Chicago.

Author

Anna Brown is a Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer in Baker McKenzie, New York office.

Author

Sunny Mann is a Partner in Baker McKenzie's London office and co-leads the UK Compliance and Investigations Practice, as well as the UK International Commercial and Trade Practice. Both these practices are ranked Tier 1 by Legal 500 UK. He has also worked in our Firm's Washington DC, New York and Sydney offices. Sunny also advises many clients on risk matters in India. He advises clients (including numerous FTSE 100 and Fortune 100 businesses) on compliance and investigations with respect to export controls, trade sanctions and anti-bribery rules. The Legal 500 ranked Sunny as a “Leading Practitioner", and as "excellent", with a ‘calm’ and "very practical" approach. The India Business Law Journal also noted that Sunny is "excellent and has deep experience in India". He is a Visiting Professor at the College of Europe, the leading institute for post-graduate European studies, where he teaches a course on Corporate Compliance.

Author

Koen Vanhaerents is a partner in corporate finance in the Brussels office. Koen joined Baker McKenzie in 1987. He advises Belgian and foreign clients on a wide range of corporate finance operations (both public and private) and complex corporate law issues. He is closely involved in numerous operations and take-overs on the Belgian capital markets, private equity transactions and mergers and acquisitions. From October 2009 to October 2014, Koen was a member of the Executive Committee of Baker McKenzie and Chairman of the EMEA Region of the Firm. From October 2014 to July 2020, he was Head of Global Capital Markets. “Koen Vanhaerents is regarded by commentators as “one of the leading M&A lawyers in Belgium” (Chambers), “In negotiations, he is excellent when assessing complex situations and helping to set the strategy”, “Looking for high-level, sensitive board-level advice, Koen is on my shortlist.”

Author

James Wilson leads Baker McKenzie's global Tax Planning, Transactions and Tax Policy group. He has 18 years of experience in advising the world's largest multinational corporations on cross-border tax matters. James is a recommended lawyer for International Tax in Legal 500 USA, in particular for his expertise in advising clients in the consumer goods and retail sector. James is a member of the Firm's Consumer Goods and Retail Industry Group steering committee.