Kimberly Withrow

EVP, General Counsel, Bibby Financial Services (BFS) North America

Biography:

Kim has 30 years of commercial lending expertise in structuring, documenting and negotiating asset-based lending, factoring and other commercial lending transactions. Kim is also proficient in developing and implementing protocols for managing identified risks, compliance and litigation matters. In her current position as General Counsel for Bibby Financial Services (BFS), Kim oversees the company’s legal activities and corporate matters, serving as an executive level advisor to BFS leadership and staff. In the two years that Kim has been with BFS, she has proactively helped improve its operational procedures and mitigate risk and compliance issues to ensure adherence to the legal strategy.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Kim is an active member of several commercial finance industry associations and bar associations. Kim has an under- graduate degree from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School and a Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry?

My advice to women just starting out in the industry would be to learn as much about the industry as you can as quickly as you can, especially the lender companies that you represent. Understand the financial products both in terms of legal structure and credit/risk structure. Get involved in your industry’s associations and take advantage of professional networking opportunities. By developing your personal brand and working hard to learn the skills of your industry, you will begin to establish yourself as a professional committed to your career. Your reputation and willingness to learn will precede you and help you so much with developing your career.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

I wish I knew earlier that getting experience in other areas of the business not only makes you more well-rounded, it helps you to see and understand how alternatives or solutions as possible to contain that risk. Business leaders want to understand the risks, but also comprehend both the likelihood of the risk materializing and what options they have when/if that happens. Being asked to “predict” or assess these risks by business leaders is hard for a young lawyer. Pay attention when other senior lawyers, but also credit/risk officers discuss issues or clients because their insights can be invaluable.

What kind of role has mentoring and/or sponsorship played in your career?

Mentoring and sponsorship have been an integral part of my career. I was lucky to have several senior business associates and one senior lawyer who educated me on all types of issues, legal and operational. Their knowledge was invaluable for me as a young lawyer in the finance world trying to under- stand the legal issues and the related credit/risk and operational issues. The senior lawyer, in particular, was great at coming up with legal solutions and

What do you think the industry could do to attract and retain the best and the brightest today?

First and foremost, to the executives and senior leaders that are tenured in the industry, be approachable and take time to teach rising talent the skills they need to know. Without coaching and training, young talent finding their way within the industry may not see it as a permanent fit and look to other industries to find mentors and sponsors that will take the time to attract and retain them. There is a lot we can learn from the younger generation as well about using technology, changes in the mindset of their peers who are newer business owners and about the potential risks and threats to our industry.

Regularly invite your best and brightest to have open dialogue and bring in fresh perspectives that might challenge the way your commercial finance business has operated.