GC Influencers
Most Influential GCs - Global-wide
Paul Lister of Associated British Foods plc
Paul Lister serves as company secretary and director of legal services at Associated British Foods, where he takes charge of legal issues arising from the conglomerates broad array of food processing and retail operations, which include leading brands in areas spanning food production, biotechnology, agriculture and fashion. His remit also includes taking charge of the company’s corporate social responsibility policies and heading the ethical trade and environmental sustainability team at ABF subsidiary Primark, with Lister attracting considerable praise for his role leading the response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. Primark has to date contributed over USD14 million in aid and compensation to families of the deceased, while also embarking on a longer-term initiative to improve safety and working conditions in the nation. Commentators also offer praise for his pragmatism, noting: “He’s got a very clear intellectual focus and a brain that cuts to the quick very quickly. He’s also just a very nice guy.”