Keith Knauerhase

Regional General Counsel, Americas, Process Automation @ABB

A skilled attorney with progressive experience as an in-house counsel. Develop cross functional relationships and business strategies while continually managing risks within a global engineering and electrical manufacturing firm. Leading a team of 17 legal professionals for a 1.5+BUSD business Responsible for all aspects of legal operations in North and South America including: • Negotiating multi-year, multi-million dollar product and services contracts for sales and SCM. Including reviewing and explaining associated risks to business leaders. • Managing litigation and disputes (potential risk in the 10s of millions of dollars) • Conduct investigations into major product issues caused by design, endemic warrantee, manufacturing or compliance issues. Includes customer contact and repair/replace negotiations, settlement for damages and discussions with regulators. • Responsible for business integrity investigations, disciplinary action and compliance activities • Responsible for compliance with US government regulations for contracting with the US government (including protection of CUI and other FAR/DFAR clauses from Buy American to 889 Parts A&B. • Responsible for anti-trust, anti-competitive and data privacy issues for business practices for customers and suppliers. Performed through training, audits and contract reviews. • Participate in mergers, acquisitions, and integration of new businesses, also in divestitures of business units, product lines and equipment/product design. • Develop innovative business opportunities with new subsidiaries to enter new market segments and promoting new technologies and develop alternative payment arrangements based on performance such as energy savings, and new digital opportunities. • Responsible for development and mentoring of employees and planning and maintaining annual budget and control spending. • Responsible for all company real estate and environmental legal matters.