GC Influencers
Most Influential GCs - USA
Jeffrey Kaplan of Lyondell Chemical Company
Jeffrey Kaplan acts as chief legal officer at LyondellBasell Industries, a position he assumed in 2015 after first arriving at the company in 2009 from Chevron Phillips Chemical. His tenure in charge of the legal department has come at a time of significant expansion at the chemicals giant, with Kaplan and the legal department’s transactional nous coming to the fore in the acquisition of A. Schulman and its proposed acquisition of Brazilian petrochemicals company Braskem, alongside work advising on the company on its multibillion-dollar plan to upgrade existing plants and develop of new facilities.
Commentators laud Kaplan as one of the finest in-house lawyers in the US legal market, describing him as “a ferociously smart and collaborative leader who’s value and contributions as a top executive surpass the classic chief legal officer role.” Commentators also describe him as “dynamic and energizing,” skills he puts to good use in his additional roles heading the company’s government relations, real estate and corporate communications efforts.
Kaplan also dedicates significant time and effort into employing his legal skills to the benefit of the wider community. LyondellBasell has an active pro bono program where lawyers contribute their expertise on issues such as family law, estate planning and wider access to justice issues.