Ericsson Selects a New Legal Chief

Scott Dresser has officially taken over as Ericsson’s new SVP, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Group Function Legal Affairs and Compliance.

Dresser replaces Xavier Dedullen, who had held the role since 2018, and will be based out of the Swedish networking and telecom equipment giant’s US office.

Dresser joins with over 30 years of legal knowledge and experience. Most recently, he spent eight years as the General Counsel at Dutch connectivity and digital services provider Veon. Dresser also has held senior leadership positions at Virgin Media, White Mountains Capital and Conservation International. He began his career in private practice and specialized in corporate law, governance and mergers and acquisitions.

In a press release, Ericsson President and CEO Börje Ekholm welcomed Dresser and said that he joins the company “at a critical time.”

Ericsson’s new legal chief takes over just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice told the telecom giant it had failed to sufficiently disclose misconduct in Iraq before it signed a 2019 deffered prosecution agreement. Last month, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists shed light on tens of millions of dollars in suspicious payments that Ericsson reportedly made in the middle eastern country, including possible indirect dealings with the terrorist group known as ISIS.

Ericsson has since announced that its is in "communication with U.S. investigators and is committed to co-operating with the DOJ to resolve the matter." It has also launched a comprehensive review, led by Dresser, to examine the company's conduct in Iraq, review the way in which it was handled and address its shortcomings.

“We demand that our business be conducted responsibly and with integrity across its value chain,” Ekholm stated last week in Dresser’s hiring announcment. “Scott’s experience driving positive change will be invaluable as Ericsson expands its business and continues its cultural transformation, enhancing its governance, compliance, and controls.”

Dresser added, “I am excited to be joining and look forward to working with Börje and the entire organization to execute the strategy while focusing on operating with the highest standards of corporate governance and compliance.”