Global Food Supply Firm's First General Counsel Talks Growth, Risk
A week into his new job, Michael McGowan discusses the expectations and challenges he faces as the first general counsel and one-man legal department of a company with big plans for expansion. "We're a growing company that's going to need to take on some level of risk," he said.
October 07, 2019 at 02:27 PM
4 minute read
As word spread about former AOL dealmaker Michael McGowan joining Verus International Inc. as general counsel, so too did investor speculation that the food products supplier was preparing for a major mergers and acquisitions deal.
McGowan began his new job at the Gaithersburg, Maryland-based firm Sept. 26. Verus distributes food products, including meat, condiments and vegetables, primarily in the Persian Gulf region. But the company is making moves in the U.S., most recently with its acquisition of Big League Foods Inc., which has a license to sell Major League Baseball-branded ice cream and candy for all 30 baseball teams in the MLB.
Earlier in his career, McGowan spent seven years at AOL as an executive and in-house leader. He was involved in AOL's merger with Time Warner and its acquisition of Netscape and MapQuest for $1.2 billion and $1 billion, respectively.
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