Team size: 35

What are the most significant cases, projects, or transactions that you and your legal team have recently been involved in?

Over the past year, our focus has been on further strengthening Bitpanda’s legal, governance and compliance capabilities alongside the continued maturation of the crypto industry and the implementation of MiCAR across Europe. In parallel, our legal and regulatory teams successfully supported the establishment of our fully operational UAE crypto services setup, including securing the VARA Crypto Broker-Dealer and Custody licences in Dubai. These initiatives have been key milestones in supporting Bitpanda’s international growth strategy and reinforcing our position as one of Europe’s leading regulated digital asset platforms. Our legal and regulatory teams have been heavily involved in operationalising the framework across multiple jurisdictions while continuing to support Bitpanda’s international growth.

Another key focus has been the responsible use of artificial intelligence within the legal function. We have integrated tools such as Harvey and Claude into our daily workflows for contract drafting, regulatory analysis and knowledge management, while simultaneously establishing governance standards and internal policies to ensure responsible deployment.

Alongside these initiatives, the legal team continues to support strategic partnerships, product innovation in the digital assets and Web3 space, as well as more traditional finance products like Real Securities.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crisis to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

The digital assets industry is shaped by constant regulatory developments, geopolitical events and market volatility. In this environment, I believe legal teams must act as strategic business partners rather than purely reactive functions.

At Bitpanda, we focus heavily on close collaboration with executive leadership and cross-functional teams to identify risks early and adapt quickly. During periods of uncertainty, transparency, communication and pragmatic decision-making become especially important.

We have also invested significantly in operational resilience by strengthening governance structures and integrating AI-supported workflows to improve efficiency and scalability. Ultimately, resilience in fast-moving industries comes down to remaining adaptable, solutions-oriented and closely aligned with the business.

What do you think is the greatest innovation you have enacted in the past year?

One of the most impactful innovations over the past year has been the practical integration of generative AI into our legal and governance workflows. While many organisations are still exploring AI, we focused on implementing it responsibly and at scale.

We use AI extensively within the legal function to support drafting, research, regulatory assessments, and knowledge management. This has improved efficiency significantly and allows our teams to focus more on strategic and complex matters.

Importantly, our approach was not only technological but also governance-driven. We established internal guidelines and review processes to ensure AI is used responsibly and in line with regulatory expectations.

For us, this reflects the broader evolution of the modern legal function: combining legal expertise, technology, and business strategy into one integrated capability.

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

Modern in-house counsel must combine legal expertise with business understanding, and a solution mindset, operational thinking and technological adaptability. Technical excellence alone is no longer enough.

One of the most important attributes is the ability to use AI tools effectively and responsibly. Lawyers who can integrate AI into their workflows while understanding its risks and limitations will have a significant advantage.

Equally important is the ability to manage knowledge and resources efficiently — balancing internal expertise, AI capabilities and external law firms to deliver pragmatic, business-oriented advice.

In fast-moving industries such as fintech and digital assets, in-house counsel must also take a practical approach to risk by balancing compliance with innovation and commercial objectives. Finally, maintaining strong and transparent relationships with regulators is increasingly critical for navigating regulatory change successfully.