Team size: 10 people

Benim Saric is Head of Legal & Regulatory Compliance and Data Protection Officer at bank99 AG, where he leads the legal department, encompassing legal advisory, regulatory compliance and data protection. His department also includes a dedicated complaints management function that ensures customer complaints are handled in full compliance with applicable legal requirements. In addition to his role at bank99 AG, he teaches civil, corporate and data protection law at the Technical University of Vienna.

Benim is a certified Data Protection and Compliance Officer with over 13 years of experience in banking, corporate and capital markets law at national and international level. He is recognized as one of the most influential and innovative general counsel in Austria and is listed in the Legal 500’s GC Powerlist.

His particular expertise lies in accompanying companies through their founding phase — setting up organisational structures, document management, and all internal processes and procedures in full alignment with applicable legal requirements. Having held a wide range of leadership positions, he is able to view organizations from multiple perspectives and provide well-rounded, strategically sound legal guidance. He has also built compliance functions from the ground up, including under the Austrian Securities Supervision Act 2018 (WAG 2018).

Benim holds a Mag.iur. and LL.M. from the University of Vienna, and an MBL from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. He is a speaker at banking law conferences and publishes in leading academic journals, including BankArchiv and immolex.

Prior to bank99 AG, Benim led the Group Banking Supervision Law & Capital Markets Law department at a major Austrian bank and consulted for a leading international firm, advising credit institutions, investment firms and asset management companies. He also served in a senior AML, Compliance & Legal role at a globally operating investment firm, where he was instrumental in obtaining its WAG 2018 securities licence and implementing all related organisational requirements. He began his career at a renowned Austrian law firm and completed his court practice at various Austrian courts, including the Austrian Regional Court for Civil Matters.