France
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
SVP General Counsel/ I&C Officer France & Northen Europe | The Adecco Group
Group general counsel, vice president legal, risks and compliance, company secretary | Colas Group
Group general secretary and general counsel | Expleo Group
Executive Vice-President, General Counsel & Compliance Officer | Mérieux NutriSciences
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Forvia
General counsel and corporate secretary, member of the Airbus executive committee, chairman of Airbus UK | Airbus
Executive vice president and group general counsel | Capgemini
General counsel for EMEA, for IP/IT and global vendors | Ipsos
Directrice juridique Eni gas & power France SA | Eni Plenitude France
Group corporate social responsibility director and general counsel | VERALLIA
General Counsel, Senior Vice Predident Legal, Contracts and Compliance | Thales
Senior Legal Manager - Real Estate & Infrastructure, EMEA | EQUINIX
General Counsel / Directeur Juridique Groupe | Tokheim
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Dassault Aviation
Gerenral Secretary and Execurive General Counsel | Pluxee
Executive vice president, legal affairs and internal audit | Bureau Veritas Group
Directeur Exécutif,  Société du Grand Paris | Société des Grands Projets
Associate Group General Counsel - Head of Telecom Media Technology & Southern Europe | Atos
Groupe General Counsel & Secretary of the Board | Tarkett
Group general counsel and general secretary | Valeo
Group General Counsel and Member of the Management Board | Vivendi
Group General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Directors | Eramet
Director of legal affairs and privacy data protection officer | Radio France
Group General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | Séché Environnement
Secretary General and General Counsel | Safran Electronics and Defense
Directeur des Affaires Juridiques de l'Audit et du Contrôle | Atalian
Vice president, group general counsel and company secretary | Dassault Systèmes
Group General Counsel and member of the Executive Committee | VallourecÂ
Vice-président exécutif pour les affaires juridiques et Directeur juridique | Tetra Pak
Vice President and General Counsel France | Schneider Electric
Group General Counsel and General Director for Continental Europe | Greycoat
Directeur des affaires juridiques holding Total SA | Total Exploration & Production
Executive director legal and compliance, audits and risks, professional interaction excellence | Roche
Secrétaire générale et directrice juridique (secretary general and general counsel) | La Banque Postale
The official launch celebration for The GC Powerlist: Austria 2026 took place on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, at the prestigious BelEtage premises of corporate law firm CERHA HEMPEL, in Vienna. Representing the fifth consecutive year that the firm has supported the event as the exclusive Austrian partner to The Legal 500. The gathering welcomed the elite of the corporate legal sector to celebrate the country’s most influential and innovative in-house legal counsel in an elegant, celebratory atmosphere.
The ceremony commenced with an opening address by Margherita Birri, Research Editor at The Legal 500, followed by a warm welcome from CERHA HEMPEL Managing Partner Clemens Hasenauer. The official keynote address was then delivered by Martina Wachernig, Head of Legal at VERBUND, who focused on the evolving demands placed on modern corporate legal teams and emphasized that today’s general counsel must blend strict risk mitigation with proactive commercial agility.
Throughout the evening, narrative and debate centred on the strategic hurdles facing Austrian businesses, specifically regarding the adoption and ethical implementation of artificial intelligence inside corporate legal workflows. Corporate leaders also addressed the challenges of navigating strict EU competition law, data protection, and modern cybersecurity protocols, whilst simultaneously driving compliance forward within expanding environmental, social, and governance frameworks. Attendees gathered for a lively evening reception featuring drinks and canapés, allowing the newly recognised honourees from the energy, financial services, tech, and manufacturing sectors to connect, benchmark, and celebrate their collective achievements.
Ultimately, the 2026 edition successfully cemented the vital importance of the in-house community to the Austrian economy, proving that after five years of continuous collaboration between The Legal 500 and CERHA HEMPEL, the event remains the premier national benchmark for legal excellence.
