Pulse The Rise of General Counsel as Reputational Leaders RICHARD TORRENZANO THE TORRENZANO GROUP cal advertising, which may well turn out to be a smart
Richard Torrenzano speaks on the evolution of the role of general counsel, especially as it pertains to the upkeep and oversight of a company’s reputation navigating a modern day environment.
H
as any company in living memory faced as many high-profile controversies and setbacks as Facebook? The company confronted hot-button issues – from the Cambridge
Analytica scandal, to data breaches, to antitrust actions – with a tone deafness unique among major corporations.
And yet, there are signs that Facebook is beginning
to get smart.
Rather than remain in the crossfire of a deeply po-
larized country, CEO Mark Zuckerberg is positioning Facebook to serve as the neutral curator of the national dialogue. He is leading an intense, internal discussion
strategy of enduring short-term heat for long-term insulation.
The company is also beginning to learn to set the
agenda. When Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, recently appeared on the CBS Morning News, they talked casually with anchor Gayle King across a kitchen counter, presenting an appealing, sympathetic image.
No doubt, smart image consultants are behind this
turnaround. But I would not be surprised if part of Facebook’s new approach in style and substance is the handiwork of someone who came on board in April – general counsel Jennifer Newstead.
If so, this would be in keeping with a growing trend
in corporate America – the rise of the general counsel in reputational leadership. A general counsel is arguably the best positioned member of the C-Suite to coordinate actions across disciplines for crisis response.
While not every company can call on the former
and debate among company leaders to seek a safe path
top counsel at the State Department, companies are
between competing demands of two parties on politi-
turning to general counsel to help manage complex CORPORATE COUNSEL BUSINESS JOURNAL
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