Lara Oyesanya

Swedish bank Klarna's U.K. counsel and legal director is joining alternative banking competitor Contis as its first general counsel.

Lara Oyesanya is taking up the general counsel position after two years at 'shop now pay later' platform Klarna.

In a statement, Oyesanya said: "Contis is doing business the right way, supporting future-leaning clients and addressing the big issues in payments and fintech. I am very excited to join the brilliant team taking Contis to the next level.

"We'll continue delivering great outcomes and driving growth for our clients. It's a privilege to have the opportunity to combine my legal skills with my passion for business – and I can't wait to get stuck in."

Contis is also an alternative banking company, which focuses on end-to-end banking and payments solutions.

Oyesanya has held a number of in-house legal roles according to her LinkedIn profile, including positions as senior legal counsel at Barclays and BAE Systems. She also previously held roles at RAC and British Rail, and was an associate at legacy Hammonds.

The pandemic does not appear to have halted the in-house hiring market.

Last week, GlaxoSmithKline hired former Pearson legal head, Bjarne Philip Tellman, as its new general counsel.

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