Speakers
Paul Prisecaru, managing director, Intuitive Economics
Paul Prisecaru is Managing Director at Intuitive Economics. He has over 20 years’ experience in competition and applied economics. Paul was formerly the Chief Economist of the Romanian Competition Council where he led the application of sophisticated economic analysis in the most important merger and antitrust cases for seven years, previously being a competition investigator for another seven years.
As a consultant, since 2019, he has given expert economic advice to the largest companies in digital markets, energy, retail, financial services, pharmaceuticals, telecom, media, FMCG and automotive. Paul has worked on a wide range of business and competition matters including major mergers, antitrust investigations, expert economic opinions for courts, market strategy and investment, for companies in Romania, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, UK and Republic of Moldova. As a landmark case, Paul coordinated the Intuitive Economics team that assisted Ahold Delhaize in the acquisition of Profi, in the largest and most complex transaction in the retail sector in Romania, with one of the largest numbers of relevant markets involved in a merger case competition assessment in Europe. He was also involved as an expert in various international projects for the World Bank and the European Commission.Paul holds a PhD in competition economics from the Romanian Academy, has published numerous papers on applying advanced economics in legal proceedings and is currently an associate professor of competition law at Bucharest University`s Law Faculty.
Oana Romano, chief economist, Romanian Competition Council
Oana Romano is the Chief Economist of the Romanian Competition Council, coordinating a team of highly specialised economists providing input and guidance on economic and econometric issues in enforcing the competition law.
She graduated from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies – The Faculty of Finance, Insurance, Banking and Stock Exchanges, holds a master’s degree in Corporate Finance and a Ph.D. in Finance. Her research focuses on competition policy evaluation techniques and quantitative merger analysis.
With over 13 years of experience in competition policy enforcement and economic research, she contributed to major antitrust cases involving complex economic issues and quantitative analysis, assessed anticompetitive effects of problematic mergers and undertook specific research activities leading to methodologies, guidelines and other general policy instruments for the Romanian Competition Council.
Alex Șotropa, competition law director, eMAG
Alex Șotropa is a lawyer specialized in competition law. He currently serves as Competition Law Director at eMAG, where he manages antitrust and regulatory matters in Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary. Alex is also in charge of compliance initiatives and implementation of major legal regulations relevant for the digital and the retail sector.
His professional practice is complemented by a strong academic background. Alex holds an LL.M. from Maastricht University and is currently an External PhD Candidate in Competition Law, focusing his research on the evolution of legal enforcement in the digital sector.
His work and research are driven by a deep interest in the interplay between law, market economics, and innovation.
Lavinia Nucu, head of legal Romania, CPI Property Group
With over 20 years of professional experience, including significant expertise in niche transactions involving forestry and agricultural land, as well as related litigation, Lavinia’s professional track record reflects a rare combination of top-tier advisory and in-house leadership.
She began her legal career within the Deloitte-affiliated law practice, followed by five years with the Bucharest office of Clifford Chance, where she gained extensive experience on first-tier, complex international mandates.
She now oversees industry-leading, large-scale transactions and property development matters in her role as Head of Legal at CPI Romania, managing, inter alia, real estate acquisitions and disposals through asset and share deals, business transfers, title insurance, W&I insurance, and real estate-related dispute resolution.
In her current role, Lavinia has further refined her legal skillset from a strong industry and business perspective. Her coordination of in-house and external counsel, effective stakeholder communication, and deep integration of legal insight into CPI’s core business lines enable the company to manage risk efficiently, capitalize on strategic opportunities, and navigate complex legal landscapes with confidence.
Veronica Titel, head of legal department, SWIETELSKY Construct
Veronica Titel is a seasoned lawyer with over 20 years of in-house experience and extensive expertise in the construction industry. She is a qualified member of the Bucharest Bar.
Veronica’s legal career began in 2004 as in-house counsel for Synergy Construct S.R.L. Since then, she has advanced her career as the Head of Legal and Compliance at Porr Construct, EGIS Romania, and currently at Swietelsky Romania.
As the Head of the Legal and Compliance Department at Swietelsky Romania, Veronica plays a crucial role in supporting management and all departments, ensuring that business objectives are met with strong compliance, operational clarity, and pragmatic legal insight.
Recognised for her strong analytical skills and leadership capabilities, Veronica is dedicated to fostering a culture of integrity within organizations. Her collaborative approach ensures that legal and compliance objectives align with and support the overall business strategy.
Her key responsibilities and achievements include leading the legal and compliance functions, overseeing contract negotiations, developing compliance programs, and conducting risk assessments. Veronica possesses deep expertise in commercial and construction law, including the management of construction contracts under FIDIC standards and the applicable regulations set forth in G.D. no. 1/2018.
Saniya Sadykova, group legal director, KMG Rompetrol
Saniya has over 20 years of professional experience in the legal field, with 13 years dedicated to the oil, gas, and energy sectors, both upstream and downstream. She has been directly involved in the legal management and corporate governance of Joint Venture operations. Saniya has held positions such as Head of Legal & Corporate Affairs, Head of Public Affairs, and served as Managing Director at NIS PETROL, a company engaged in oil and gas exploration and fuel distribution. Currently she’s Group Legal Director at KMG Rompetrol.
She holds a degree in International and Civil Law and has completed executive programmes at INSEAD and Saïd Business School, Oxford. She is currently pursuing an MBA in Energy. Saniya is also a member of the Association of International Energy Negotiators and has previously served as a Board member of the professional association for energy companies.
Mihai Mare, managing partner, Mareș & Mareș
Mihai Mareș, managing partner and founder of Mareș & Mareș Law Firm, is highly regarded as one of the brightest white-collar crime attorneys in Romania.
With over two decades of experience in economic criminal cases, he has earned the reputation of a “go-to lawyer” for white-collar crime-related offenses and is recognized as a renowned name in the field of criminal law.
Mihai specializes in criminal defense for senior executives, entrepreneurs, major industrial groups, financial institutions, and large international and domestic companies, with a remarkable track record of handling corruption and economic offenses at both national and cross-border levels, representing clients across various sectors.
Mihai Mareș is a guest professor in the Master’s program in Criminal Law at the Faculty of Law, State University of Moldova (USM), as part of the partnership established with this institution; during the academic year 2022-2023, Mihai Mareș was a lector (associated teacher) at the Law Faculty – University Alexandru Ioan Cuza (Iași) where he taught within the Master Program, the courses of “European Criminal Law” and “Witness and Victim Protection in Crimes”. He is a founding member of ARDPA (Romanian Association of Business Criminal Law).
Florian Nitu, managing partner, Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii
Florian Niţu is the Managing Partner and Head of Corporate M&A, Real Estate, and International Arbitration Practices.
Florian is largely recognized as one of the most experienced transactional lawyers and claim managers in the Romanian legal services market.
He holds a significant expertise in arbitration proceedings before domestic and international courts under the rules of ICC Paris, ICSID, the Court of International Commercial Arbitration pertaining to the Chamber of Commerce of Romania.
For more than a decade he has been constantly ranked as a leading lawyer in Romania in the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate Practices with international legal directories and other professional or industry surveys.
Otilia Vilcu, partner, GNP Guia Naghi & Partners
Otilia Vîlcu is a Partner at GNP Guia Naghi & Partners, having joined the partnership in January 2021. She is a key member of the firm’s competition and regulatory practice, with particular expertise in competition law, state aid and energy.
Otilia has over 14 years’ experience advising clients across a wide range of sectors, including FMCG, energy, telecommunications, insurance, leasing, oil and gas, and other regulated industries. She has led and coordinated prominent state aid procedures in the transportation and infrastructure sectors and has acted as lead counsel in complex individual state aid cases before the European Commission.
Otilia is recognised by the leading legal directories for her expertise and growing influence in the market. She is named as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 in Competition. She also serves as Deputy Chair of the Competition and State Aid Committee at AmCham Romania.
Manuela Guia, managing partner, GNP Guia Naghi & Partners
Manuela Guia is the Managing Partner and co-founder of GNP Guia Naghi & Partners, established in 2019. Prior to founding GNP, she was a Partner at a Big Four firm and a leading Romanian law firm, advising on complex matters across highly regulated sectors.
Manuela is a recognised expert in competition law, with extensive experience advising clients across the pharma, public procurement, and regulated industries. Her work spans strategic competition matters, regulatory investigations and complex advisory mandates, often at the intersection of competition, sector regulation and public policy.
Manuela is widely recognised as a leading competition practitioner in Romania. She has been named among the Top 100 Women in Antitrust Worldwide by Global Competition Review and is consistently ranked by The Legal 500, other publications and legal directories, which highlight her strategic vision, deep sector expertise and strong commercial approach. She is also recognised her as a leading expert in Competition, IT & Communications, and Public Procurement.
Known for her strategic and innovative mindset, Manuela is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complexity and deliver clear, pragmatic solutions to challenging legal issues.
Miruna Suciu, managing partner, Suciu Partners
With over 25 years of experience in the legal business, Miruna Suciu is one of the most respected practitioners in the market in Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy & Natural Resources and related transactional and regulatory matters, as well as in Finance, Capital Markets and Infrastructure projects. She has advised a significant portfolio of top-tier corporate clients, investment funds, private equity and banks in cutting-edge transactions of both domestic and international dimension.
Miruna is ranked as a Leading lawyer for Banking, Debt Capital Markets, Equity Capital Markets, Project Finance, Energy and Infrastructure, Mergers and Acquisitions, Project Development by IFLR 1000. She is also ranked as Leading lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions, Energy & Natural Resources and Capital Markets by Chambers&Partners and by Legal 500 EMEA for Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions and Energy & Natural Resources. Miruna is also Highly Regarded in General Corporate Tax and Tax Controversy by ITR World Tax Leaders. She has won the Client Choice Award for Energy & Natural Resources from the International Law Office twice and was declared a Woman Leader by IFLR 1000.
Larissa Cenan, head of legal, ethics and compliance, Capgemini Romania
Larissa Cenan is Head of Legal, Ethics and Compliance at Capgemini Romania. She advises on complex commercial technology matters, regulatory compliance, and legal issues across IT, digital services, and engineering-led environments.
With over a decade of experience, Larissa works closely with senior business stakeholders to support growth while managing legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations. Her expertise spans technology and commercial law, intellectual property, cybersecurity regulation (including NIS2), and ethics and compliance frameworks such as SAPIN II. She holds an LLM in Artificial Intelligence and has a strong interest in the practical application of technology to legal operations.
Larissa brings a pragmatic, business-focused perspective on how in-house legal teams can enable innovation, adopt technology responsibly, and maintain effective governance in fast-evolving digital and regulatory environments. She is recognised in leading legal rankings, including the Legal 500 GC Powerlist 2024–2025.
Mihai Jiganie-Serban, head of criminal law practice, CMS Romania
Mihai Jiganie-Șerban leads the Criminal Law Department at CMS Romania. With over 20 years of distinguished experience in criminal law, Mihai is recognised for his strategic leadership, deep sector knowledge, and unwavering commitment to achieving results that align with clients’ objectives.
Mihai specialises in criminal law, regulatory matters and compliance, with a particular focus on anti-corruption, economic crime, money laundering, and complex fraud cases, including those arising in the capital markets and pharmaceutical sectors. His expertise extends to advising both national and international corporations on the intricacies of the Romanian legal framework, conducting internal investigations, and providing robust representation before all levels of public authorities, including the police, prosecutors’ office, and courts.
Throughout his career, Mihai has successfully guided clients from a broad spectrum of industries—such as oil and gas, banking and finance, leasing, insurance, energy, construction, media, and advertising—through high-stakes criminal and regulatory matters. His approach is defined by a strategic legal mindset, exceptional coordination skills, and a steadfast focus on delivering practical, client-centred solutions.
Mihai’s leadership ensures that the CMS criminal law team consistently delivers high-quality, results-driven advice, tailored to the unique needs and challenges faced by general legal counsels and their organisations.
Cosmin Vanatoru, general secretary (legal, regulatory, compliance, corporate affairs, sustainability) director CEE and Ukraine, Danone
Cosmin is an accomplished business and people leader with over 20 years of international experience across the Pharmaceutical, FMCG, Telecommunications, Fintech, IT and Real Estate sectors. As General Secretary Director for Central and Eastern Europe and Ukraine at Danone, he leads strategic legal, regulatory, compliance, sustainability and corporate‑affairs functions across six countries, building high‑performing teams and enabling sustainable business growth.
Cosmin’s career spans pivotal leadership roles at Danone, Pfizer and Nobel, where I drove major transformations, managed complex litigation portfolios, oversaw cross‑border corporate structuring and supported large‑scale M&A initiatives.
Recognized for his strategic vision, operational excellence and people‑centric leadership, he blends deep legal expertise with strong business acumen. He is committed to fostering trust, simplifying governance and enabling organizations to accelerate performance in dynamic, highly regulated industries.
Steering Committee
Alice Radu, general legal counsel, Bosch Romania & Bulgaria and managing director for Robert Bosch SRL
Alice Radu is a highly accomplished and results-oriented legal and business executive with a proven track record of leading and transforming organisations. Currently serving in a dual capacity as general legal counsel for Bosch Romania & Bulgaria and managing director for Robert Bosch SRL, Alice brings a unique blend of legal acumen, strategic leadership, and operational expertise.
With almost two decades of experience, Alice has built and led a high-performing legal department, steering complex legal matters from commercial contracts to M&A and litigation across multiple countries. Her strategic leadership extends to deeply understanding Bosch’s operations, culture, and objectives, successfully driving business growth and exceeding performance targets through cross-functional initiatives.
Recognised for her contributions, including a place on The Legal 500 GC Powerlist (2023 & 2024) and Top 100 Young Managers (Business Magazine), Alice excels in government relations, having influenced key legislation and secured substantial funding. She has successfully managed M&A projects, including spin-offs and post-merger integrations, and served as a key spokesperson for Bosch, engaging with national and international media. With a proactive approach to risk mitigation and a strong ethical foundation, Alice is adept at navigating complex challenges and delivering exceptional results in dynamic environments.
Steering Committee
Roxana Bumbac-Buture, general counsel, Nestlé Romania
Roxana Bumbac-Buture is a multidisciplinary trained lawyer with more than 13 years of combined consultancy and in-house experience, bringing together strong expertise in commercial, competition, technology, and data law. She is qualified within the Bucharest Bar and holds an LL.M. in Business Law from the University of Bucharest.
Roxana began her career in leading Bucharest law firms, including D&B David si Baias (the Romanian correspondent law firm of PwC), where she developed solid experience in advisory work and litigation. In 2018, she transitioned to an in-house role at Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, and has since built an outstanding track record advising across diverse business categories and complex regulatory environments.
As the general counsel leading the legal and compliance department for Romania and Moldova, she provides strategic support to all ten business categories present in the region, ensuring business objectives are met with robust compliance, operational clarity, and pragmatic legal insight. Roxana also plays an active role as an advocate within the industry organizations and associations of which the company is a member.
Recently Roxana has embarked on a temporary global mission at Nestlé in Switzerland as global senior legal counsel – technology, data & digital. In this role, she contributes to major global initiatives at the intersection of law, data, AI, and digital transformation, focusing on emerging regulatory frameworks and the legal challenges posed by new technologies.
Recognised for her articulate, solution-oriented approach, Roxana is highly regarded for her ability to manage complex, cross-functional projects and lead interdisciplinary teams in fast-paced, high-stakes environments. She is valued for her balanced judgment, business acumen, and capacity to deliver clear, actionable legal guidance across a broad spectrum of commercial and digital matters.