Dessi Silassie
IHS Markit
Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer and Global Head of Legal for IP, Financial Services & Asia Pacific
Dessi’s Corridor
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Eritrea – England – Lesotho- England – Singapore
About
Dessi is Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer (CDEIO) and Global Head of Legal for IP, Financial Services & Asia Pacific at IHS Markit, a world leader in critical information, data analytics, and solutions for major industries and markets worldwide.
As CDEIO, Dessi’s executive role is focused on driving an inclusive culture that celebrates authenticity and the unique perspectives that employees bring to the organization. In her legal capacity, Dessi advises on high-value technology and IP licensing transactions, RegTech and FinTech transactions, and tech acquisitions across the Asia Pacific region and globally.
Prior to joining IHS Markit in 2010, Dessi worked with international law firm BLP in London, where she advised Global Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies on M&A (mergers and acquisitions) and ECM (equity capital markets) transactions.
Born in Eritrea, raised and educated in London, Dessi currently resides in Singapore leading a global team across numerous locations.
Education
Dessi earned both a B.A. in Law and a Distinction in the Post Graduate Legal Practice diploma from the University of Sheffield (England). She also holds a Masters’s in Legal Technology from IE University (Spain).
Highlights
Dessi currently serves as President of the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association which serves to represent the in-house legal community in Singapore and is the first African to hold the position.
Fun Fact
Dessi is a keen scuba diver and loves to explore coral and shipwrecks around the world, from Barbados to Australia. Her next dive trip is set for the Dahlak Island of Eritrea!
“It is important to be prepared for opportunity. But it is just as important to create opportunity. My career tenure in Singapore came about because I sought and created an opportunity within my company that I knew I could bring value to. Having dreamed of working overseas for years, I seized the opportunity to plan, prepare and secure a move which would propel my career to new heights.”
Dessi on Opportunity
In the News
Straits Times
Eritrea born lawyer is the new head of the Corporate Counsel Association.