Central and Eastern Europe Teams 2018 – GC Powerlist
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Central and Eastern Europe Teams 2018

  • Industries

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A-100 Development

| A-100 Development

Industrials and real estate

The legal department at one of the leading developers of real estate in Belarus, A-100, has recently undergone a restructuring process which has resulted in the team overseeing not only...

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A&D Pharma (part of DR Max Group)

| A&D Pharma (part of DR Max Group)

Healthcare

Adina Bogatu, legal manager of litigation, tenders and IP departments with 13 years of service at A&D Pharma, leads a legal team consisting of 12 legal counsels, one paralegal, one...

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Accenture

| Accenture

Commercial and professional services

Accenture is a global professional services company offering consulting, operations and strategy management services in over 40 industries, specialising in digital, technology and operations as well as other professional services....

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Agroecology

| Agroecology

Food, beverages and tobacco

Agroecology is the oldest Ukrainian company with implemented organic technologies in its work, and today the company’s crop sector and livestock sector is modern, developed and well equipped technologically. Agroecology’s...

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Air Serbia

| Air Serbia

Transport and infrastructure

General counsel and company secretary Branko Gabric leads the legal and ethics & compliance departments at Air Serbia, Serbia’s national flag carrier airline. The team works on all legal and...

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Alpha Bank Romania

| Alpha Bank Romania

Financials

Legal manager Eduard Istratescu manages the legal division of 24 lawyers and a supporting division secretary at Alpha Bank Romania, and also acts as deputy chairman of the juridical commission...

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Amgen

| Amgen

Healthcare

Amgen is a leading US-headquartered biotechnology company that operates in a highly innovative industry, where legal issues often arise before adequate and effective regulation is created. Given the multitude of...

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AmRest

| AmRest

Hotels

Wroclaw-based chief legal officer Dawid Książczak, who has been with the company for over a decade, is just one of the outstanding internal lawyers that serve the legal team of...

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Anheuser-Busch InBev

| Anheuser-Busch InBev

Food, beverages and tobacco

With 13 years of experience at Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) Denis Khrenov, acting general director Ukraine, leads the legal and corporate affairs function at the international beer brewing giant’s operations...

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Arctic

| Arctic

Consumer products

The four-person legal team at the largest Romanian household appliances producer, Arctic, does an excellent job in supporting the full-scope of the company’s business considering the sheer amount of work...

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Asseco Data Systems

| Asseco Data Systems

Information technology

Asseco Poland is the largest software producer listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and is also one of the largest producers of software globally, operating in 43 countries. One of...

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Atos

| Atos

Information technology

The team that provides legal support to the business of Atos in the Central and Eastern Europe region is comprised of eight lawyers and one paralegal, located in different countries...

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AXA Česká republika

| AXA Česká republika

Financials

AXA Česká Republika is the Prague based branch of the large multinational AXA insurance firm, a broad ranging provider of pensions, insurance contracts, building savings, insurance software and consulting services....

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Banca Naţională a României

| Banca Naţională a României

Financials

As the central bank of Romania, Banca Naţională a României is one of the most important financial institutions in the country and has a number of important responsibilities that include...

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Banca Transilvania

| Banca Transilvania

Financials

Romania’s second largest bank in terms of assets, Cluj-headquartered Banca Transilvania is a prominent banking and financial services entity that has made a number of impressive impressions in Romania’s financial...

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Bank BGÅ» BNP Paribas

| Bank BGÅ» BNP Paribas

Financials

The legal department at BGÅ» BNP Paribas, the Poland based branch of the international banking group, consists of 60 people (40 lawyers and 20 full-time equivalents) and renders legal support...

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Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego

| Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego

Financials

Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego, the state development bank of Poland, is responsible for implementing various government mandated tasks by Polish government aimed at development of the Polish economy and other social...

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Bank Pocztowy

| Bank Pocztowy

Financials

As Poland’s Bank Pocztowy is a local post bank with a limited legal budget, its in-house legal department utilises external law firms for a narrow scope of cases, with the...

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Bausch Health

| Bausch Health

Healthcare

Bausch Health was previously known as Valeant Pharmaceuticals, and as well as this recent rebranding the company continues to provide services that develop, manufacture and market a broad range of...

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Bayer Hungaria

| Bayer Hungária

Healthcare

Bayer, the global German enterprise specialising in health care, nutrition and high tech materials, has consistently created value through innovation, growth and high earning power in the Hungarian market. With...

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Bayer Polska

| Bayer Polska

Healthcare

Krzysztof Mazurek, head of the legal, patents and compliance function in Central and Eastern Europe for global pharmaceutical giant Bayer. The department is recognised for its market leading skill and...

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BNP Paribas

| BNP Paribas

Financials

The four-person team that provides legal assistance to the business of banking giant BNP Paribas in the Czech Republic has been praised for its strong collaboration with other departments and...

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Bosch Hungary

| Bosch Hungary

Industrials and real estate

Bosch, the world-leading German multinational engineering and electronics company, has deep roots in Hungary having first set up a subsidiary in the country in 1918. Today the company has a...

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Cargill

| Cargill

Industrials and real estate

Cargill produces agricultural services, crop and livestock, food, health and pharmaceutical, industrial and financial risk management and raw materials. The largest privately held corporation in the US in terms of...

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CD Projekt

| CD Projekt

Information technology

CD Projekt is a world-renowned Polish video game development studio, famous for producing the internationally acclaimed Witcher video game series, set in Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy world. The studio’s most recent...

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Česká spořitelna

| Česká spořitelna

Financials

Česká spořitelna is the biggest Czech bank measured by the number of customers, and has its headquarters located in Prague. Made up of 32 lawyers and six support staff members,...

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ÄŒEZ Group

| ÄŒEZ Group

Energy and utilities

Prague-based ÄŒEZ Group is a large multinational that has a number of business interests in the oil and energy sectors across several Central and Eastern European countries. It is one...

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Ciklum Group

| Ciklum Group

Information technology

Ciklum Group is a global Ukrainian software engineering and technology partner that delivers software engineering excellence to Fortune 500 and fast growing organisations around the world. The legal function has...

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Coca-Cola HBC Austria

| Coca-Cola HBC Austria

Food, beverages and tobacco

Coca-Cola has a significant presence in Austria, ranking as the biggest company in the country’s non-alcoholic beverage industry and employing approximately 1,000 people. Besides its headquarters in Vienna, the company...

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Coca-Cola HBC ÄŒesko a Slovensko

| Coca-Cola HBC ÄŒesko a Slovensko

Food, beverages and tobacco

Coca-Cola HBC ÄŒesko a Slovensko is a manufacturer, retailer and distributor of branded soft drinks by The Coca-Cola Company. Offering their products to more than 15 million consumers, Coca-Cola HBC...

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Colgate-Palmolive

| Colgate-Palmolive

Consumer products

With a presence in Poland since 2001, Colgate-Palmolive has positioned itself as a dominant player in the regional household, health care and personal care products market. Colgate-Palmolive’s strong performance in...

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ÄŒSOB

| ÄŒSOB

Financials

ÄŒSOB is one of the top three largest commercial and private banks in the Czech Republic with a long history having been a state-owned entity from 1964 until 1999. Since...

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Diageo

| Diageo

Food, beverages and tobacco

With some of the world’s best known brands in its portfolio including Guinness, Smirnoff and Ciroc, global alcoholic drinks producer Diageo has a worldwide presence including notable operations in Central...

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DTEK

| DTEK

Energy and utilities

DTEK is a Ukranian holding company that operates in the energy sector through a number of subsidiaries that oversee a range of different business practices, including the production of coal...

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Equa Bank

| Equa Bank

Financials

Prague-headquartered Equa Bank – founded in 2011 – is serviced by a highly talented legal and compliance function led by Radka Viková, the head of the department and the Bank’s...

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Erste Bank (Finance legal)

| Erste Bank (Finance legal)

Financials

The finance legal department at one of the largest financial services providers in Central and Eastern Europe, Erste Bank, is responsible for all legal issues related to the financing process....

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Football Club Dinamo Minsk

| Football Club Dinamo Minsk

Sports and media

With over 90 years of history in Belorussian football, Dinamo Minsk ranks as the oldest and one of the most successful football clubs in the country. To ensure the smooth...

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GetBACK Recovery Romania

| Getback Recovery Romania

Financials

Having carved out an enviable niche in the Romanian debt recovery market since its inception in 2014, GetBACK Recovery Romania is still a growing player in the sector. It has...

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Grupa Pracuj

| Grupa Pracuj

Commercial and professional services

The legal department at Grupa Pracuj; a Polish internet firm focusing on the recruitment sector; has undergone significant changes in recent years, not only doubling its personnel, but also undergoing...

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HB Reavis

| HB Reavis

Industrials and real estate

The Slovak real estate development company HB Reavis employs a legal department comprised of over 45 lawyers which supports the activities of the business in its core markets – Slovakia,...

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Henkel Ukraine

| Henkel Ukraine

Consumer products

With a several-decade presence in the Ukrainian market, Henkel’s subsidiary in Ukraine has established itself as a national market leader in the manufacture of soap, detergents, cleaning, polishing products, perfumes...

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Hewlett-Packard Polska

| Hewlett-Packard Polska

Information technology

Based in Wroclaw, Hewlett- Packard Polska (HPP) is the Polish arm of the large technology giant Hewlett-Packard Enterprises, a major name in the technology scene around the world is benefitting...

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Home Credit International

| Home Credit International

Financials

Pavel Rozehnal, group chief legal and compliance officer of Home Credit International, explains that the company is currently undergoing ‘the most substantial corporate restructuring since its origination to increase its...

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Hrvatski Telekom

| Hrvatski Telekom

Telecommunication services

Croatia’s leading supplier of telecommunications services, Hrvatski Telekom’s dominant position in the market is maintained and enhanced by a legal function that proactively and confidently deals with all legal and...

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Idea Getin Leasing

| Idea Getin Leasing

Financials

The journey of Idea Getin Leasing’s legal team started in 2013 when a small legal team was formed at VB Leasing Polska – a medium-sized leasing company belonging to the...

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INA

| INA

Energy and utilities

INA is a mid-sized European oil company, and a major player in the Croatian energy business with a strong presence in the region. The company is involved in oil and...

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ING Bank Romania

| ING Bank Romania

Financials

ING Bank Romania, the Romanian division of the Dutch international multinational financial company, has been operating since 1994 and was the first foreign bank to open a full branch in...

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ING Lease Polska

| ING Lease Polska

Financials

With a presence in the Polish market for over 20 years, ING Lease Polska currently ranks one of the largest leasing institutions in Poland. The legal department at the company...

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Invia

| Invia

Information technology

As the biggest internet travel agency in the Czech Republic, Invia provides vacation packages from over 200 renowned tour operators on the Czech and Slovak markets, as well as flight...

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JAT Tehnika

| JAT Tehnika

Transport and infrastructure

The Serbian aeronautical industry’s biggest name, JAT Tehnika formed in 2006 as a separate company to the in-house maintenance facility of JAT Airlines, the former Yugoslav Airlines. JAT Tehnika is...

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Jerónimo Martins

| Jeronimo Martins

Consumer products

The Portuguese corporate group Jerónimo Martins maintains an immense presence in Poland, with more than 2,800 stores in the country’s food distribution sector. In the specialised retail sector, the company’s...

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Johnson & Johnson

| Johnson & Johnson

Consumer products

Incorporated in 1990 and based in Warsaw, Johnson & Johnson’s Polish subsidiary has developed into one of the leading providers of pharmaceutical products and cosmetics in the country. The company...

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Krka

| Krka

Healthcare

Slovenian international generic pharmaceuticals company Krka was first established in 1954, and has business concerns mainly in both pharmaceutical and chemical activities. Prescription pharmaceuticals remain its main product group, which...

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LG Electronics Poland

| LG Electronics Poland

Consumer products

LG Electronics Poland is a research and production arm of the South Korean electronics company’s European operations, creating some of the most innovative technical products in the market from artificially...

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Lidl

| Lidl

Consumer products

German supermarket group Lidl is set to expand its presence in Central and Eastern Europe, and has recently announced plans to open 20 new stores in Romania before the end...

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LOT Polish Airlines

| LOT Polish Airlines

Transport and infrastructure

Established in 1928, the Polish flag carrier LOT Polish Airlines ranks as one of the world’s airlines still in operation. The airline’s legal department has diligently navigated the company through...

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LUKOIL Romania

| LUKOIL Romania

Energy and utilities

Multinational Russian energy company LUKOIL has had a presence in Romania since 1998, and currently has 310 distribution stations around the country, employing more than 3,000 people across its network...

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Mercator-S

| Mercator-S

Consumer products

Mercator-S is the largest supermarket retail chain in Serbia, with locations in more than 100 cities across the country. It comprises of IDEA stores, Roda megastores, Mercator, Velpro and HoReCa...

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MET Hungary

| MET Hungary

Energy and utilities

MET Hungary, formerly MOL Energiakereskedő Kft, is a major natural gas wholesale and retail trader operating across Europe and began trading in Hungary in 2007. The legal team is led...

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Metinvest

| Metinvest

Materials and mining

Ukraine-based Metinvest is an internationally vertically integrated mining and metallurgical group of companies that manages every stage in the production chain of value creation, from the extraction of iron ore...

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Mirabank Beograd

| Mirabank Beograd

Financials

The Serbian financial institution Mirabank employs a legal team of three members – Nikola Kavedzic, the department’s head who boasts 13 years of experience in the finance sector; Danilo Kustudija,...

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MOL Group

| MOL Group

Energy and utilities

The Hungarian multinational oil and gas company MOL Group ranks as one of the most valuable companies in the Central and Eastern Europe region with a revenue equalling approximately one-fifth...

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Naftogaz of Ukraine

| Naftogaz of Ukraine

Energy and utilities

Founded in 1998, Naftogaz of Ukraine is the national oil and gas company of Ukraine and is involved with the extraction, transportation, and refinement of natural gas and crude oil....

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NIS

| NIS

Energy and utilities

As one of the largest energy companies in the region and one of the largest employees and exporters in the Serbian economy, Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) commands a revenue figure...

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Novartis

| Novartis

Healthcare

The recently appointed Mateeas Anne-Marie, head of legal, runs the legal department at Novartis Romania, the Romanian division of one of the largest global pharmaceutical companies. Novartis’ large range of...

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Novomatic

| Novomatic

Hotels

A study by the Economica Institute for Economic Research found that Novomatic plays a very significant role in the Austrian economy, and it currently employs around 3,500 people and is...

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OLX Group Poland

| OLX Group Poland

Information technology

A part of the global Naspers concern, the Polish branch of OLX Group manages the most popular websites with classified ads, such as OLX, OTOMOTO and OTODOM, and recently also...

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OMV

| OMV

Energy and utilities

Vienna Stock Exchange listed OMV of Austria is an oil and gas entity with concerns in both upstream and downstream businesses, and whose operations have enabled it to post a...

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OTP Bank

| OTP Bank

Financials

Led by head of department Andras Pete, OTP Bank’s expert legal team manages all of the legal and compliance matters for the Hungarian banking giant. OTP Bank is the largest...

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PayU

| PayU

Information technology

As the fintech and e-payments division of global internet and media company Naspers, PayU offers payment methods to over 350 million people worldwide. The in-house legal team led by Bartosz...

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Philip Morris International

| Philip Morris International

Food, beverages and tobacco

Miša Vorotović, senior counsel South East Europe, leads the legal department at Philip Morris International (PMI) in Serbia covering Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo markets. PMI...

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Philip Morris Ukraine

| Philip Morris Ukraine

Food, beverages and tobacco

The Ukrainian legal team of Philip Morris International (PMI) has impressed nominating sources for its performance under the expert direction of Natalya Bondarenko, director of corporate affairs, since 2016. The...

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PKO Bank Polski

| PKO Bank Polski

Financials

One of the largest legal teams in Central and Eastern Europe at 201-strong, PKO Bank Polski’s legal team has been led by general counsel Wojciech Jabłoński, who has led a...

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Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG)

| Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG

Energy and utilities

Headquartered in Warsaw, with branches in Russia, Pakistan, Belarus and Ukraine and equity interests in 30 subsidiaries, the state-controlled Polish Oil and Gas Company (PGNiG) holds a dominant position in...

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Polpharma Group

| Polpharma Group

Healthcare

The legal team at Polpharma Group is led by Agnieszka Deeg-Tyburska, the general counsel, director of legal, organisational, compliance and IP division, and continues to impress after another year of...

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Polski Fundusz Rozwoju (PFR)

| Polski Fundusz Rozwoju (PFR)

Financials

PFR is a state-owned financial group which supports companies, local government and individuals and invests to promote economic growth and sustainable social development. Over the last several years the Bank’s...

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Porr

| Porr

Industrials and real estate

With a workforce of approximately 15,000 staff and a production output exceeding $3.9bn, Porr ranks as one of the leading Austrian and European building contractors. After participating in all important...

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PSE

| PSE

Energy and utilities

PSE is a large state-owned transmission system operator in Poland. The company is tasked with ensuring the necessary development of the domestic transmission grid and its cross-border interconnections, making transmission...

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Raiffeisen Bank International

| Raiffeisen Bank International

Financials

Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) is proud of its 30 year presence in the Central and Eastern European market, considering the region as its home market with subsidiary...

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Red Bull

| Red Bull

Food, beverages and tobacco

Since selling its first energy drink in 1987, Austrian company Red Bull has grown into one of the world’s most recognisable brands, selling their famed products in 171 countries and...

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Richter Gedeon

| Richter Gedeon

Healthcare

Founded in 1901, Richter Gedeon is a Hungarian pharmaceutical institution and a multinational corporation with its headquarters in Budapest, whose products are distributed to over 100 countries. Employing 11,000 people...

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Samsung Electronics Polska

| Samsung Electronics Polska

Information technology

The formidable legal function at Samsung Electronics Polska has streamlined its work through the introduction of new structures and schemes of organisational interactions for the provision of comprehensive legal support....

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Sberbank Hungary

| Sberbank Hungary

Financials

Sberbank Hungary, the Hungarian subsidiary of the major state-owned Russian banking services company Sberbank Group, is a leading financial services group operating across the CEE and Russia. Since 1993, Sberbank...

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Siemens Poland

| Siemens Poland

Industrials and real estate

Led by general counsel Wojciech Kowalewski, the legal department at Siemens Poland is extremely flexible and competent in dealing with issues in relation to regulatory changes, new products and ensuring...

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Skanska TFI

| Skanska TFI

Financials

Skanska TFI is the Polish business of the Swedish multinational construction company. The company employs a highly able legal department in its Warsaw office, whose capabilities were strengthened even further...

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Å koda

| Å koda

Consumer products

Škoda is a major international automotive brand with a long history in the Czech Republic as a state run automotive company during the communist era, and has – since privatisation...

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STB

| STB

Sports and media

Part of the Starlight Media group, STB is a leading national television network in Ukraine. STB employs more than 2,000 people and produces a wide variety of content, including for...

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Swarovski

| Swarovski

Consumer products

The Swarovski in-house legal team is recognised for its outstanding work on matters in the precious gems industry, with Swarovski having been one of the world’s most sought after producers...

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T-Mobile Czech Republic

| T-Mobile Czech Republic

Telecommunication services

T-Mobile’s business in the Czech Republic is supported by a team of 15 lawyers and five support staff headed by senior head of legal services Petr Josefi. The team’s most...

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T-Systems Hungary

| T-Systems Hungary

Telecommunication services

T-Systems Hungary is the largest information communication technology services provider in Hungary, fully owned by Magyar Telekom a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. T-Systems Hungary provides consulting services and a full...

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Tehnomanija

| Tehnomanija

Consumer products

Electrical retailer Tehnomanija was founded in 1999 and is part of the umbrella group, Roaming Group, in which it works closely with 20 other companies. Roaming Electronics is the largest...

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Telenor Serbia

| Telenor Serbia

Telecommunication services

Telenor – the Norwegian telecommunications giant – has highly active and lucrative operations in Serbia, and stands as one of the preeminent mobile network operators in the country, with almost...

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Tesco

| Tesco

Consumer products

As a UK-headquartered business that has expanded into the Central and Eastern European region via Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, legal and compliance support to Tesco in these...

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TVN

| TVN

Sports and media

Poland’s largest television and media group TVN employs what nominators call a ‘fantastic’ team of approximately 40 in-house lawyers, which for many years has successfully been led by general counsel...

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UniCredit Bank Serbia

| UniCredit Bank Serbia

Financials

The legal team of the Serbian branch of global financial services firm UniCredit is led by Gligorije Brajković, who is not only the head of legal department but is also...

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Vodafone Czech Republic

| Vodafone Czech Republic

Telecommunication services

Jan Klouda, general counsel and member of the board of directors, leads a legal team at Vodafone Czech Republic that continues to impress due to its expertise and achievements in...

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Voestalpine

| Voestalpine

Materials and mining

Voestalpine is an international steel-based technology and capital goods group based in Linz, and is active in steel, automotive, railway systems, profilform and tool steel industries. As of 2017, it...

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Volkswagen PoznaŃ

| Volkswagen PoznaŃ

Consumer products

The seven-strong legal department at Volkswagen Poznań is led by head of legal and public policy Tobiasz Adam Kowalczyk, and covers a broad base of legal matters for the Volkswagen...

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Wizz Air

| Wizz Air

Transport and infrastructure

Legally incorporated as Wizz Air Hungary and stylised as W!zz Air, the well known Hungarian airline services many cities across Europe, as well as destinations in North Africa and the...

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wonga Poland

| wonga Poland

Financials

As the leading short-term loans company in Poland, Wonga faces a plethora of different types of legal issues in its day-to-day operations related to banking and finance, competition law, consumer...

Despite differences in language, culture and politics, there are several common threads that tie together the countries and economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Many have emerged from a post-Soviet transition and are undergoing further European Union integration, with various measurements of economic performance indicating growth and progression across the region.

Some CEE countries are growing at comparatively quicker rates than the major economies in Western Europe, and trends include high external investment, low unemployment and improving infrastructure. The region boasts a plethora of businesses across major sectors with financial services, energy, retail and telecommunications representing major market segments. Accompanying this growth however are different risks and challenges, and a notable recent feature of companies in CEE is the rise in prominence of in-house legal teams.

Having to implement changes and devise new strategies, in-house legal teams in CEE have been important business-enablers as well as legal advisors. Many teams in the region are important cogs within their business operations, supplementing a deep knowledge of legal affairs with commercial nous and practical advice.

In the inaugural edition of the GC Powerlist: Central and Eastern Europe Teams we are pleased to highlight some of the country’s leading in-house legal functions. To compile this list, we canvassed opinions from both law firm partners and in-house counsel in the jurisdiction. We identified the most impressive legal departments who have utilised their combined legal knowledge strategically alongside business insight to make a positive impact towards their organisation’s success.

Kochański Zięba & Partners

Kochański Zięba & Partners logo

Once again, we at Kochański Zięba & Partners are very pleased to congratulate the in-house legal teams that have been admitted to The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist: Central and Eastern Europe Teams 2018. In its second year and the second year that we have supported the publication, we are proud that this year the Powerlist celebrates not only general counsel but whole in-house legal teams.

We also wish to congratulate the nominated in-house teams that this year did not make it to the list.

In the past 20 years, there has been a revolution in the legal profession. General counsel and in-house lawyers have risen in quality, responsibility, power and status. Once classed as second-class citizens in corporations, in-house lawyers have become core members of top corporate management with the general counsel equaling in importance the chief financial officer. The modern role of inside counsel is to help attain the corporate mission of high performance, as well as to be guardians of the corporation maintaining a high level of integrity.

In-house counsel are no longer limited to advising their management colleagues on law, nor are they solely responsible for allocating work to outside law firms. Modern in-house legal teams participate in debate and discussion within the corporation, not just about law, but about business; not just about defense, but about offense; not just about risk, but about opportunities.

With a combined population of just under 200 million (roughly the equivalent of the UK, France and Germany combined), Central and Eastern Europe is a major legal market. It is easy to forget that many of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe have only existed as free markets for a period of no more than 30 years. The progress that has been made in this time is nothing short of remarkable.

The in-house legal teams in this year’s list reflect this progress. An increasing number of multinational companies have established a dedicated in-house legal function to the Central and Eastern Europe market.

Moreover, there has been considerable recent growth in companies and funds operating in various industry sectors, emanating from the Central and Eastern European region and now conducting business in the wider global economy. In-house lawyers at Central and Eastern European companies and funds have the same level of performance and responsibility as Western European and US in-house counsel. To a greater extent they find themselves coordinating international legal teams, and are more and more involved in strategic decision making.

The year 2017-18 has been unlike any other previous year. In-house legal teams in Poland, by way of example, have had to come to terms with and manage the introduction of GDPR, changes to anti-bribery and anti-money laundering legislation, far-reaching changes to employment law, and a greater need for embracing cybersecurity.

Our firm is shaped to stand alongside our Polish clients from their inception and to provide comprehensive expert assistance to their feneral counsel and in-house teams in the long term, to assist them in achieving their goals and objectives. It is our conviction that preserving long-standing relationships, allows us to understand their business and industry better, to understand their objectives, and in doing so we are not only able to adapt accordingly, but more importantly, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in a fully trusted relationship at every step of their development both in Poland and on the international market.

An in-depth understanding of the Polish and Central European market means that we are also well-placed to assist in-house counsel of international companies and funds that operate in Poland, including those that have existed on the Polish market for some time, as well as those taking their first steps in what can be a fast moving market. Our aim is to pass on our knowledge, to educate, to foresee problems before they arise and to aid in-house legal teams in their performance by adding value to their functions at every stage.

We look forward to continuing our good working relationships with our in-house colleagues, and embrace the possibility of working with an increasing range of counsel as our relationships and client base expand.

Once again, huge congratulations to everyone that made this year’s GC Powerlist: Central and Eastern Europe Teams 2018.

Maravela Asociatii

Maravela Asociatii logo

GCs and their teams work together like a clockwork system, where each part intertwines with the other to provide both the company and the external legal counsel with the necessary data in order to achieve the best possible results.

Endowed with the ability to speak many business-related languages, GCs speak fluent economics, market specificities and strategy, all beautifully wrapped in solid legal coating. And all that in a variety of sectors.
Throughout our careers we have worked with many lawyers and we acknowledge, appreciate and salute the excellent collaborations we had with highly skilled GCs and their teams, that undoubtfully contributed to our own current success and recognition.

We are thrilled to see that The Legal 500 are dedicating a new edition to the CEE region and we warmly congratulate all nominated and acknowledged teams!

HRK

HRK logo

Jones Day Hong Kong Roundtable 2024

The Legal 500 was thrilled to join a selection of top Jones Day partners and a hand-picked group of 15 the most prominent GCs in Hong Kong for a freewheeling and no-holds-barred discussion on geopolitical risk management at a time of global transition. Steve Brogan, managing partner of Jones Day from 2002-2022 flew over to lend his considerable expertise to the discussion, as did Partner-in-Charge Hong Kong Joelle Lau. Joining them to give expert briefings on the topics of the day were partners Peter Wang, Dr Qiang Xue, James Fidler, Samuel Ngo and Charles Chau. The conversation moved from sanctions and counter sanctions, to the increasing pre-eminence of the Asian economy, to the philosophy of the rule of law in times of crisis.