In this episode of The Crafty Show, Renée Graham, Crafty Counsel’s Head of Content, sits down with Alex O’Connell – Head of Legal and Company Secretary at FeverTree.
Alex O’Connell’s legal career is anything but ordinary. He first moved into the drinks industry while on secondment from Freshfields to AB InBev. That short-term move turned into a permanent post, and sparked a passion for building legal teams within globally recognised brands.
Before becoming a lawyer, Alex had an entirely different career. He was a professional athlete and represented Great Britain in fencing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
In the interview, Alex shares how his background in elite sport shaped the kind of lawyer, and leader, he is today. He reflects on performance under pressure, the mindset of continuous improvement, and how those lessons translated to corporate life. That includes navigating the legal complexities of AB InBev’s landmark acquisition of SABMiller.
Now at FeverTree, Alex continues to apply the discipline and strategy that defined his early career. He leads the legal function at one of the UK’s most recognisable drinks companies – and brings a distinctive approach shaped by both law and sport.
Alex is also an active member of Lean Legal, a Crafty Counsel Community group designed for sole counsel and lawyers in smaller teams to connect, share, and support one another.
Learn more about the Crafty Counsel Community – the home of in-house legal professionals.