Page 23 - Powerlist 2019 - Digital Edition

5 The Top 10

Dr Sandie
Okoro

Senior Vice President
and Group General
Counsel, World Bank

n primary school, Sandie Okoro told her teacher Management since 2014, and before that, she was Global
that she wanted to be a judge. The then nine-year-old was General Counsel at Barings.
Itold: “Sandie, little black girls from Balham don’t Sandie qualified first as a barrister and then re-qualified
become judges.” and trained as a solicitor. In July 2014, she was awarded
Luckily for the world of law, Sandie ignored those dubious an Honorary Doctorate in Law by City University London
words to become one of the world’s leading lawyers. in recognition of her career in business and law, and her
She was appointed Senior Vice-President and General voluntary work. On July 18, 2017, Sandie was made an
Counsel for the World Bank Group in February 2017. In Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple in the United Kingdom.
this role the former barrister-turned-solicitor is the Sandie is also a Governor of the Royal Shakespeare
principal adviser and spokesperson on all legal matters at Company, and has received accolades in the UK and Europe
the World Bank. for her volunteer efforts and contribution to the legal
She also serves as the legal adviser to the board, profession as a diversity champion. In 2016, she was named
management, the Inspection Panel, and the CEO of by City AM as one of the Power 100 Women, and hailed as one
the Global Environmental Facility Program. The legal of the 100 Women to Watch by the Female FTSE Board.
powerhouse leads the World Bank’s Legal Vice Presidency, Outside of work she is a council member of the Human
which is responsible for all legal services provided to internal Rights organisation JUSTICE, an ambassador for the Law
and external clients. World Bank Group president Jim Yong Society’s Diversity Access Scheme and sits on the Equality
Kim has described Sandie as a “highly regarded thought Standards Panel of the Premier League.
leader with a strong track record of developing new legal From January to June 2014, Sandie was President of
approaches in the field of international finance”. International Lawyers of Africa (ILFA), having previously
Prior to joining the World Bank Group, she had been a been an ILFA director for many years.
General Counsel of HSBC Global Asset Management and
Deputy General Counsel of HSBC Retail Banking and Wealth Sandie Okoro interview, pg 40

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