Brian Ellis is an independent Strategic Advisor & Executive Coach working with BarkerGilmore. He is an accomplished public company director, former Fortune 500 General Counsel, and senior legal and compliance executive with extensive experience advising global organizations on corporate governance, enterprise risk management, regulatory strategy, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness.

Drawing on more than two decades of executive leadership experience across healthcare, medical technology, and diversified industrial businesses, Brian helps legal and compliance leaders strengthen executive presence, navigate complex business environments, build effective leadership teams, and expand their strategic influence. His experience leading functions beyond legal, including compliance, government affairs, environmental health and safety, and quality and regulatory affairs, provides a valuable perspective on aligning legal leadership with enterprise priorities.

Brian currently serves on the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 integrated energy company, where he has been a director since 2020. He serves on the Governance Committee and chairs the Talent & Compensation Committee, contributing to board oversight of corporate governance, executive compensation, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness.

His extensive experience advising boards and executive leadership teams on governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk, and significant corporate transactions informs his approach to executive coaching and leadership advisory services.

Brian earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Leadership Development, Law Department Consulting

Brian most recently served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Danaher Corporation, a global science and technology innovator serving the life sciences, diagnostics, and environmental and applied solutions markets. As a member of the company’s senior leadership team, he advised executives and the Board of Directors on corporate governance, global compliance, regulatory strategy, enterprise risk management, and significant corporate transactions.

Prior to Danaher, Brian served as General Counsel of Medtronic’s Restorative Therapies Group, one of the company’s largest global business units. In this role, he led legal and compliance strategy supporting innovation, global commercialization, and regulatory engagement across highly regulated medical technology markets.

Earlier in his career, Brian held several senior leadership positions at GE Healthcare, including Global Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel for Monitoring and Services. He directed global compliance initiatives, regulatory strategy, and enforcement matters while partnering with business leadership to manage risk and support organizational objectives.

Brian also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois and as a litigation partner at national law firms, handling complex commercial litigation, regulatory matters, and internal investigations.

Today, Brian draws on this combination of legal, compliance, operational, and board leadership experience to coach executives, advise organizations on succession and talent strategy, and help legal departments strengthen their effectiveness and alignment with business objectives.

Healthcare & Life Sciences, Medical Technology, Industrial & Manufacturing, Technology, Energy