S&P Global Appoints Thomas Kim as Chief Legal Officer

S&P Global appointed Thomas Kim as its new Chief Legal Officer, effective October 19, 2026, succeeding Steve Kemps who is retiring from the firm at the end of the year. Kim will report directly to President and CEO Martina Cheung, taking charge of the company’s legal, government affairs, risk, and compliance functions.

Three Decades of Public Company Legal Experience

Kim brings over thirty years of experience across private practice and public company legal departments to S&P Global. Most recently, Kim served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Gartner starting in 2023, where he led internal audit, risk management, business continuity, board governance, safety, and security operations. During his tenure at Gartner, he also acted as interim leader of Gartner Digital Markets, a division generating over $200 million in annual revenue that assists small and medium-sized enterprises in discovering software solutions.

Prior to his role at Gartner, Kim worked as Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary for Thomson Reuters from August 2019 to April 2023. His background at Thomson Reuters included multiple positions of increasing responsibility across legal, compliance, go-to-market, and operations. He led the separation of the six billion dollar financial and risk data division, which subsequently became part of the London Stock Exchange, and oversaw the company's business operations in China. Earlier in his career, Kim practiced law in San Francisco with Baker & McKenzie and Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft, which is now Duane Morris. He holds undergraduate and law degrees from Stanford University.

Thomas Becomes Legal Chief in October 2026

The incoming legal chief steps into his new role on October 19, 2026, while outgoing Chief Legal Officer Steve Kemps remains on board through December 31, 2026. Kemps will act as a Special Advisor to Martina Cheung to facilitate a smooth handover across legal, governance, compliance, government affairs, and risk operations. Commenting on the executive transition, Martina Cheung stated, Thomas brings an exceptional track record and deep expertise across complex matters that shape the markets we operate in today and the adjacencies we continue to expand into. I look forward to welcoming his well-informed counsel and strategic perspective to our leadership team.

Regarding the departing executive, Cheung added, Steve’s insight, sound judgement and exceptional leadership have been instrumental in shaping S&P Global’s legal, governance and compliance framework, leaving a lasting legacy that positions the company for continued success. S&P Global operates under the ticker NYSE: SPGI, providing benchmark data, analytics, and market intelligence.