Kimberly Chainey, Panasonic Avionics Corp'.s new general counsel. Courtesy photo

After experiencing turbulence last year over a federal corruption investigation, in-flight entertainment and communication systems company Panasonic Avionics Corp. has hired Kimberly Chainey as its general counsel.

The company announced Chainey's appointment Tuesday and noted she'll be responsible for “promoting a disciplined compliance culture” at Panasonic Avionics, which is headquartered in Lake Forest, California, about an hour south of Los Angeles. The company works with more than 300 airline customers, according to its website.  

Last April, Panasonic Avionics agreed to pay a $137 million criminal penalty to resolve allegations that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by hiring consultants in China and elsewhere in Asia to work out dubious deals. In one instance, the company allegedly made more than $92 million in profits from contracts with a state-owned airline, after hiring a consultant who worked for that same airline.

In a related proceeding, Panasonic Corp., the Japanese parent company of Panasonic Avionics and Panasonic Corp. of North America, agreed to pay a $143 million penalty as part of a deferred prosecution agreement.

The settlement also required Panasonic Avionics to employ an independent corporate compliance monitor for at least two years.  

In addition to promoting compliance at the company, Chainey will be expected to analyze legislation, manage commercial contracts, lead complex projects and transactions and advise Panasonic Avionics' leadership on its strategic direction.

Chainey previously served as associate general counsel for global mergers and acquisitions and innovation for the New Jersey-based car rental company Avis Budget Group, where she'd worked since 2014, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Before joining Avis, Chainey worked in-house at The Hershey Co. in Pennsylvania, where she started as counsel for the chocolate maker in 2007 and finished as associate general counsel, international. The immediate past GC of Panasonic Corp. of North America, Damien Atkins, left the company last year to serve as chief lawyer, senior vice president and secretary for The Hershey Co.

Before going in-house, Chainey was an associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, which later became the now-defunct Wolf Block. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where she attained master's in business administration. She has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University.

Chainey said in a statement that she was “excited to be joining such a dynamic, industry-leading company, and I look forward to playing a key role in supporting Panasonic Avionics' global organization.”

Read more:

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Rebuilding After FCPA Purge, Panasonic Avionics Hires New Compliance Chief

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