Former Ladbrokes group general counsel Annabel Tagoe-Bannerman has joined drinks company Britvic as senior legal consultant.

She departs after standing in as interim GC for Ladbrokes for about a year after it merged with rival UK betting shop Gala Coral in November 2016, becoming Ladbrokes Coral. SuperGroup's former legal chief Lindsay Beardsell was appointed at the beginning of 2017 as GC of the newly combined company.

Previously, Tagoe-Bannerman was appointed GC in 2014 when her predecessor Jonathan Adelman stepped down, having previously served as deputy general counsel. Tagoe-Bannerman first joined the company in 2010 from legacy SJ Berwin.

She has now been reunited with Adelman, who joined Britvic in 2015 as interim GC before becoming a strategic projects director for the drinks company. He is currently acting GC again, as current postholder Clare Thomas is on maternity leave. Thomas was previously an M&A partner at Addleshaw Goddard.

In December 2017, Ladbrokes Coral put its first post-merger panel review on hold, after GVC Holdings bid for the company and agreed to acquire the business for up to £4bn. The final price is expected to be decided later this month.

Slaughter and May, legacy SJ Berwin, Clyde & Co, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Reed Smith and Gateley were among those appointed to legacy Ladbrokes' panel in 2013.

The adviser review, which was in its preliminary stages, would have been the first since Ladbrokes and Gala Coral merged.

Addleshaw Goddard is advising longstanding client GVC on the deal, while Ashurst is acting for London-based Ladbrokes Coral.