François Marchal Director, Legal Business Advisory — EMEA

François Marchal is Director of Legal Business Advisory for Epiq in the EMEA region. With more than 12 years of experience at the crossroads of legal, compliance and IT, he helps legal departments enhance their operational performance, governance, and strategic alignment. Drawing on a dual background in law and digital business, François advises legal leaders on legal transformation and legal operations automation. He is particularly focused on helping legal teams evolve through digitalization, operating model redesign, and data-driven decision-making.

Previous Professional Experience

Prior to Epiq, François spent six years as an in-house legal manager at major French companies such as Leroy Merlin and Saint-Gobain, before transitioning into consultancy to work as a program director and trusted advisor in privacy, cybersecurity, and IT governance. He has notably led strategic transformation programs sponsored by General Counsels, CISOs, and CIOs in international organizations, including Société Générale and Kering.

Education and Speaking Expertise

François holds an MSc in eBusiness (valedictorian) from HEC Montréal, and a Master’s in Business Law and eBusiness from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and ESCP Europe (valedictorian). He is a certified EBIOS Risk Manager, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, ISO 27005 Lead Risk Manager, SAFe 5 Agilist, and Professional Scrum Master.

François regularly speaks at industry forums on topics such as legal operations, privacy compliance, legal technology, and the impact of AI on legal services. François is fluent in French and English and speaks professional German.