Kraft Heinz EMEA general counsel Thomas Loest is reviewing the company's relationships with the law firms it uses, as he sets out to put his stamp on the new role.

Loest took up the position earlier this year, and is now considering what he wants out of the company's external counsel.

He hopes firms will eventually move away from the hourly billing model, which he described as "unfair".

"You can receive groundbreaking advice in five minutes that is worth much more than only one hour. We need another, more creative, solution that works for both parties," he continued.

"It has to be the kind of long-term costs that work, when we educate firms on our business needs and they educate us on legal expertise."

While Kraft Heinz does not have an official panel of law firms, either globally or regionally, it has called on several heavyweights in the past. Legacy companies Kraft and Heinz used U.S. heavyweight trio Cravath Swaine & Moore, Kirkland & Ellis and Sullivan & Cromwell for advice on their merger. Both companies had previously used Clifford Chance, while legacy Heinz worked with other Magic Circle firms including Allen & Overy and Slaughter and May.

Loest is not looking to dramatically cut the number of external firms used during the review.

"We have some longstanding relationships, which we still value and want to continue. But on new opportunities, let's review. Everything is on the table," he said.

The brand he works for is most synonymous with ketchup, or the tins of beans that are stacked in the company's London HQ foyer – a far cry from his time in German national service, which Loest credits with providing him with several skills that now serve him well as a lawyer.

He stayed beyond the mandatory period for national service, adding that if he wasn't in law currently, he would likely still be in the army.

"I was a paratrooper and I really loved that. I learned a lot in terms of leadership and discipline that gets you through the day. There's always a solution if you try, and these thoughts were rooted in my first years during my army period," he said.