Karen Wilson Thissen
About Karen Wilson Thissen
Karen Wilson Thissen is the General Counsel and Secretary at General Mills, overseeing global legal operations and corporate affairs. She has extensive experience in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management.
Current Role at General Mills
Karen Wilson Thissen serves as the General Counsel and Secretary at General Mills, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. In her role, she oversees global legal operations and corporate affairs for General Mills’ iconic brands. Her responsibilities encompass legal strategy, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance across multiple regions in 100 countries.
Previous Experience at Ameriprise Financial
From 2017 to 2022, Karen Wilson Thissen worked as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Ameriprise Financial, Inc. She was responsible for the company’s legal strategies and regulatory compliance. Prior to that role, she served as the Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel from 2014 to 2016. She also held positions as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel from 2009 to 2014, and Chief Counsel for Litigation and Regulatory from 2005 to 2009.
Director at Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Concurrently with her role at Ameriprise Financial, Karen Wilson Thissen served as a Director at Columbia Threadneedle Investments EMEA APAC from 2017 to 2022. In this capacity, she was involved in the strategic oversight and governance of the company’s operations within the EMEA and APAC regions.
Legal Background and Early Career
Karen Wilson Thissen’s legal career began at Faegre & Benson, where she was a Partner from 1993 to 2004. Subsequently, she joined American Express and served as Senior Litigation Counsel from 2004 to 2005. Throughout her career, she has developed extensive expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, ESG, government affairs, and enterprise risk management.
Educational Background
Karen Wilson Thissen holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School. Additionally, she was a Rotary Fellow in International Law at Universidad de Belgrano. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Georgetown University.