Ernest Patrikis is senior vice president and general counsel at the insurance giant AIG. Based in New York he presides over a global legal function of about 375 lawyers. Although not the corporate secretary or a full member of the main board, he attends all board meetings and the meetings of the audit, finance and nomination and governance committees.

AIG is made up of four main divisions: life insurance; non-life insurance; investment/financial services; and retirement/asset management.