Team size: 21

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

Our team supports Corporate and Investment Banking of the Bank, which provides fully integrated business solutions and customer services to large and complex corporate customers, medium-sized enterprises and shipping companies. So, over the past 12 months, our team has legally supported major transactions, including flagship investments and projects that have significant benefits for the economic growth of Greece and support the sustainability transition of the Greek economy. They also address the complex strategic, financial and banking needs of sophisticated corporate clients and offering dedicated structured financing products and services, in the fields of Large Corporate, Commercial Banking, Project Finance, Commercial Real Estate, Hotels, M&As as well as in the Greek Shipping arena.

Moreover, we legally supported the international expansion initiative of the Bank’s Group with the mandate to explore international credit opportunities and enable the Group to strengthen its international footprint and diversify its income streams, while maintaining a risk balanced approach. Finally, we have legally supported deploying RRF funds in the Greek economy, through strong commitment towards a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially just direction. We have also been involved in the Bank’s business strategy regarding the RRF-related loans, which has been set to effectively achieve the main objectives of the RRF programme, such as including diversified projects from all company sizes, distributed across all eligible pillars, while focusing on meeting certain performance thresholds regarding green transitioning and digital transformation in RRF-financed projects.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

A modern in-house counsel needs to go far beyond traditional legal expertise. While deep legal knowledge and expertise is still critical, today’s business environment demands a broader, more strategic skillset. Here are the most important attributes in my opinion

To begin with, being business oriented and having commercial acumen. Legal advice must align with business goals. In-house counsel must understand the company’s industry, dynamics and risk tolerance.

Legal teams are increasingly seen as partners in shaping company strategy, not just reactive advisors. That’s why they should implement strategic thinking. For example, an in-house counsel anticipating regulatory shifts could impact development or market decisions.

Effective communication is also a key attribute. Explaining complex legal issues in clear, understandable terms is crucial when dealing with non-lawyers. So is risk management agility: in-house counsel must balance risk mitigation with business agility, helping the company make informed, risk-aware decisions.

Furthermore, cross-functional collaboration is fundamental. Legal touches all areas — business, risk, HR, compliance, marketing, operations — so being a trusted, collaborative partner to all involved is essential.

As today technology is becoming central to how legal departments operate, digital up-skilling is needed. Likewise, with laws changing, business priorities shifting, and crises emerging, in-house counsel must react quickly and handle ambiguity well, showcasing adaptability and agility.

Finally, leadership and influence within the company, especially on crisis management, is essential.

And last but not least, ethics. This is actually number one. In-house counsel should serve as a guardian of corporate integrity while often navigating gray areas.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

Yes, based on developments over the past year, there are several key legal and business trends that in-house lawyers in Greece should monitor closely. These trends reflect both global shifts and local dynamics in the Greek regulatory and economic environment

Firsly, ESG compliance and sustainability reporting (CSRD). The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which began phasing in in 2024, significantly expands sustainability disclosure obligations.

Also, data privacy and cybersecurity enforcement GDPR enforcement is intensifying across the EU. There’s also a push toward greater cybersecurity standards under the NIS2 Directive, which affects digital and essential service providers. Greece is also implementing NIS2, affecting sectors like energy, transport, banking, and health.

Regarding AI regulation and emerging technologies, the EU AI Act was finalised in 2024 and will start applying from 2025–2026. Greek Companies using AI, including for HR, finance, marketing, or customer profiling, will face obligations depending on the risk category.

On foreign investment and geopolitical risk, there’s growing scrutiny of non-EU in strategic sectors. Greece has seen increased foreign investment in infrastructure, energy, and tech. Screening mechanisms may tighten further due to EU regulation and geopolitical alignments.

Regarding the legal department’s digitisation, companies are putting pressure to in house legal teams to adopt AI platforms and AI-based contract review and analytics tools to improve efficiency, risk visibility, and deal velocity.

Finally, on the evolving role of the in-house counsel, the latest are expected to be strategic advisors, risk managers and ethical leaders, not just legal gatekeepers. These modern roles prove the rising influence but also the Increased reporting and oversight responsibilities of the in-house counsel, who is in need for upskilling on cybersecurity, AI, and commercial acumen.