Christmas is Annabel Tagoe-Bannerman’s busiest time, being group general counsel of M&S food supplier Bakkavor. She kicked off last year on a good note, being appointed non-executive director of Edinburgh Investment Trust in February. Being in the NED space alongside her day job, where she also sits on the board as company secretary, means that both organisations benefit from Tagoe-Bannerman’s experience as she balances both roles.
As a senior leader for Bakkavor, she has had the opportunity to guide the business and be by the side of other executives on the board through cost and labour inflation and supply chain disruption caused by the Ukraine-Russia war. Tagoe-Bannerman has also managed some interesting corporate transaction and she chairs Bakkavor’s diversity and inclusion committee, working particularly to empower mid- to senior-level women in a male dominated sector.
Her main aim for this coming year is to continue balancing the non-executive role and her executive responsibilities successfully. In February, Tagoe-Bannerman hopes to reflect on the year and consolidate her performance to move it up a notch. The GC also hopes to develop her networks outside of the law and governance space and to do more transactions as a commercial corporate lawyer. Her ambition is to make sure she is lifting others as she climbs and show others what is in their reach.