About

Described by one nominator as ‘one of the best figures among the Polish general counsel’, Tobiasz Adam Kowalczyk indeed has an impressive portfolio to support this statement. A results driven legal and public policy professional, with over a decade of commercial leadership, international trade, policy development and change control, Kowalczyk started his career as an EU Commission volunteer and then diplomatic assistant for the Polish Embassy in Central America, a role that made him realise his ability to build partnerships and bring people together across political and cultural divides. Some time later, when Samsung Electronics announced its investment in Poland, Kowalczyk decided to apply for the role of an in-house lawyer. Upon joining, Kowalczyk had to build the legal department from scratch, helping to shape the rules and procedures that allowed the company to operate on the Polish market. He describes the role as a ‘turning point’ in his career primarily due to his involvement in the pivotal transaction that paved the way for conducting new investments in the country and which was the subject matter of a €250m application in EU funding- a dynamic and complex project that required utmost flexibility from him. ‘Working with Samsung ever since its early days in Poland, had a huge impact on my professional career because it gave me the necessary skills to succeed in the business world as well as helped me to learn how to navigate my way through many difficult situations’, explains Kowalczyk. After seven exciting years at Samsung, Kowalczyk decided to embark on a new professional endeavour, looking for international exposure and a chance to work with leaders in the field of legal and compliance. It was this very sentiment that led him to his short spell at Dentons as a counsel and member of the corporate practice, giving him a fresh look at business practices and his approach to problem solving. Equipped with these new skills, Kowalczyk felt fully prepared for his final and current role at Volkswagen as their new head of legal and public policy for Poland. Considered a ‘significant step up’ in his professional life, Kowalczyk, a man with great ambition decided to join the automotive industry to not only manage their legal risk but also to impact the business. In this capacity he is responsible for identifying and managing legal risk and public policy in four Polish factories which employs approximately 10,000 employees.