Barbara Levi to move from Novartis to be Rio Tinto’s group GC

Rio Tinto has appointed Barbara Levi to succeed Philip Richards as Group executive, Group General Counsel. Levi, who is currently Group Legal Head, M&A and Strategic Transactions for Novartis, will join Rio Tinto nexst January 1. Richards will retire on New Year’s Eve.

Levi, an Italian citizen, has over 20 years’ experience in senior legal roles across Europe and in the US, both in corporate and private practice. She joined Novartis in 2004 and has held various positions including general counsel for Sandoz, from 2016-2019, and was previously global legal head, product strategy and commercialization, pharma. She also has significant experience across ethics, integrity, and governance having been of the company’s anti-bribery tem, and head of compliance for Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Before she went to Novartis, Levi worked for several years as a corporate and transactional attorney with law firms in New York City and Milan. She is admitted to the US Supreme Court, the New York Bar, and the Italian Bar (Milan).

Rio Tinto chief executive J-S Jacques said “Barbara has extensive legal experience across corporate, commercial and compliance matters gained within a complex multinational organisation which makes her an ideal choice to lead Rio Tinto’s legal and compliance team. I am delighted to welcome her to Rio Tinto and look forward to having her join the executive team.”