Amanda Thomas
Image of Amanda Thomas

Amanda Thomas

Chief Knowledge Officer

Amanda is Global Chief Knowledge Officer for the firm, a role which sits at the intersection of legal excellence, technology innovation and business strategy.

She is responsible for ensuring that lawyers across all practices and geographies have seamless access to best-in-class knowledge management systems, curated precedents, market-leading legal training and insights on legal developments. She also plays a key role in relation to our client knowledge strategy covering thought leadership, regulatory engagement, horizon scanning and legal training.

Prior to taking on the Global Chief Knowledge Officer role Amanda was the partner in charge of International DCM, Derivatives & Securitization Know-How & Training and was responsible for the development and management of internal and external knowledge resources and training programmes. In that role she was actively involved in many industry working groups on debt capital markets related issues.

Prior to her knowledge roles Amanda worked as an associate at the firm gaining experience of a wide range of international capital markets transactions, including structured and equity linked issues, covered warrant issues, vanilla debt issues, ECP, Global CP and EMTN Programmes.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • In her role as Global Head of Know-How & Training for Finance/International Capital Markets Amanda was at the forefront of regulatory legislative and market practice developments relevant to mainstream debt capital markets deals for over 20 years.

Published Work

  • Amanda was a member of the Editorial Board of the Oxford University Press Capital Markets Law Journal for a number of years.

Speaking Engagements

  • Amanda chaired the IFLR's annual EU Prospectus and Primary Market Issuance conference for a decade until 2021.
  • She devised, co-hosted and chaired the European Primary Bond Markets Regulation conference with ICMA from 2023 to 2026.

Leadership Positions And Professional Affiliations

  • Amanda was the Principal Law Firm Representative, ICMA Legal & Documentation Committee until May2026
  • Deputy Chair of the FCA's Listing Authority Advisory Panel (LAAP) until March 2026
  • Member of London Stock Exchange's Primary Markets Group until March 2026
  • Member of FCA/Bank of England Sterling Risk Free Rates Working Group Bond Market Sub-Group until its closure in September 2024

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 1994
Admitted as solicitor, Ireland, 2018

Academic

LLB (European) (Hons), German, University of Exeter, 1991

Languages

English
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.