GE appoints legal and compliance leaders for energy spin-off

GE Vernova, GE’s portfolio of energy businesses, has recruited Rachel Gonzalez as general counsel, effective April 1.

Gonzalez most recently was general counsel of Starbucks Coffee Corporation, a role in which she managed legal and regulatory affairs, global security & data privacy and ethics & compliance. Before joining Starbucks in 2018, she led a global team responsible for legal strategy, regulatory affairs, corporate compliance, human resources, corporate communications and government affairs at Sabre Corporation.

She was previously executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary with Dean Foods. Before moving in-house, Gonzalez was a partner with law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius. She sits on the boards of Electronic Arts and Sabre Corporation.

CCO
GE Vernova has also appointed Amber Kagan to be chief compliance officer (CCO) and head of labor and employment following its planned spin-off.

GE in 2021 announced its plan to create three public companies. This involves splitting off GE Healthcare – a transaction that completed in January 2023 – and combining the company’s energy-related units into one business to be spun off in early 2024. Following these transactions, GE will be an aviation-focused company.

Kagan joined GE in 2010 and at present is CCO and global head of labor and employment for the company. In that role, she is responsible for developing and implementing a corporate governance model and directs the company’s labor and employment function. Before joining the company, she spent 21 years with Morgan Lewis & Bockius, where she led the New York labor and employment practice group.