Goldman Sachs’ newly appointed chief legal officer and general counsel has her work cut out for her, with high stakes and complex challenges ahead as she assumes a pivotal leadership role at the investment banking firm. Smart strategy, purpose-driven leadership and effective communication with internal and external stakeholders will be key for the newly appointed Kathryn Ruemmler.

First, it’s important to note that if anybody is well-positioned for this role, it’s probably Ruemmler. Beyond her pedigree and tenure as a former Latham & Watkins partner and White House counsel to former President Barack Obama, Ruemmler was previously head of regulatory affairs at Goldman Sachs. And news reports indicate the current CEO, David Solomon, had favored Ruemmler for the GC role years ago when her predecessor, Karen Seymour, was hired by former CEO Lloyd Blankfein.