Team size: 7

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

The Legal Department at DenizBank supports all aspects of the bank’s financial services activities, as well as the regulatory matters affecting its operations. A key area of focus is providing legal support for the bank’s corporate lending business, particularly syndicated lending transactions and facilities backed by export credit agencies, including OeKB (Austria), Euler Hermes (Germany), SERV (Switzerland), SACE (Italy) and Credendo (Belgium). In recent years, we have also supported a growing number of commodity trade finance transactions. Notable mandates include the up to EUR 164.25 million Hermes-covered facility agreement for Cenergo LLC in connection with the development of a power plant in Uzbekistan, and the EUR 96 million OeKB-covered facility agreement for Rönesans Infra A.Ş. Through these transactions, the legal team has played a central role in structuring, negotiating and executing complex cross-border financing arrangements across a range of sectors and jurisdictions.

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

For me, one of the most important things to remember is that we are all human. Instability and crisis impact an organisation, but they also impact us as individuals. By considering, rather than ignoring, the personal aspect, I can help my team and my clients continue to achieve their objectives even when things around us are uncertain.

Have you had any experiences during your career as a lawyer that stand out as particularly unique or interesting?

I had the opportunity to engage with regulators across Europe, Africa, Russia, and Central Asia. Some meetings were constructive and collaborative, while others were more challenging and, at times, openly hostile. The exposure to such a wide range of cultures, perspectives, and regulatory environments has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.

I particularly value the opportunity not only to learn from others, but also to share my own expertise when appropriate. Even the more difficult encounters brought valuable lessons, teaching me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of developing thick skin when necessary.

Although I have spent most of my life in Europe, being American inevitably comes with certain cultural perceptions and assumptions that must be recognised and navigated carefully in different jurisdictions. Learning how to manage those dynamics has been an important part of my professional growth.

These experiences have given me a truly international outlook, and I remain deeply grateful for the opportunities they provided.

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

An in-house counsel must operate beyond the traditional boundaries of legal advice, serving as a trusted advisor and problem-solver across the business. While this broader role should naturally be guided by the limits of one’s experience and expertise, it requires developing a strong understanding of far more than just legal issues.

Effective in-house lawyers should strive to understand the company’s products and services, the financial drivers behind them, and the challenges and capabilities of both commercial and operational teams. The goal is not to become an expert in every function, but to develop sufficient business acumen to provide holistic advice, anticipate risks and opportunities, and build deeper, more strategic partnerships with internal stakeholders.