Team size: 11

Career Biography

Vassiliki Delistathi is the General Counsel Legal and Corporate Governance Affairs and Head of the Quest Group Legal Services Directorate, as well as the Corporate Secretary to the BoD of the parent company “Quest Holdings”.

She is a graduate of the Law School of Athens Greece, Attorney-at-Law at the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court of Greece and Ph.D. holder in Administrative Law and accredited mediator (Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights) and Mediators’ Trainer (IMC, IMI).

Delistathi is rapporteur at the Athens University of Economics and Business (MBA – Diploma In Negotiations) and she is one of the key Mediators’ trainers at EODID (Athens Mediation & Arbitration Organization).

She is specialised in all types of corporate transactions of listed or non-listed companies including privatisations, incorporation and dissolution of all types of entities, share purchase transactions, asset purchases, restructurings, mergers (domestic and cross border) and acquisitions, spin offs, formation of joint ventures and disposals, cross-border or multi-country transactions. She is also specialised in all aspects of finance transactions including debt restructuring, complicated secured transactions, all kinds of corporate bonds, capital market and corporate governance legislation, public procurement and intellectual property issues, as well as to the sector of green energy and REIC legislation. She has mediated commercial and family disputes, as well as workplace conflicts. She has cooperated with law firms in Greece and abroad, as external associate or partner, and has provided her legal services as Legal Counsel and or Director Legal Affairs & Secretary to the BoD to the Greek groups of “Hellenic Exchanges” (1999-2007), “Hellenic Railways Organization” (2007-2012).

Delistathi is an external expert at ‘Transparency International Greece’, and a member of professional and scientific organisations and associations in Greece and abroad, as well as of social welfare associations. She is an elected member of the Advisory Committee of the Organization for the Promotion of Alternative Disputes Resolution Methods (O.Π.Ε.Μ.Ε.Δ.) and a scientific associate and mediator at the European Organisation of Mediation and Arbitration (E.O.ΔΙ.Δ.).

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

Participation during the negotiation stage and, further, the preparation of the relevant legal documents for the approval process by the competition supervisory authorities, as well as for the acquisition transaction (for a total consideration of approximately €26m) by the parent company of the Quest Group of 70% of a company operating in the home appliances sector and holding a leading position in the distribution of electrical and household appliances, as well as personal care products.

Participation during the negotiation stage, as well as the drafting of legal documents relating to an agreement between the Group’s parent company and one of the largest parcel, logistics and express services companies in Europe, under which 20% of the shares that the company held in its subsidiary were sold and transferred (for a price of €74m), with the right to purchase the remaining 80% of the subsidiary’s shares within two years (for a minimum pre-agreed price). For the completion of the transaction, approvals by the competent authorities might be needed, for which the company and the purchasing company will proceed with the necessary actions.

I was also involved in the incorporation of subsidiaries abroad, the refinancing of companies or the Group, the financing of companies, in which Group companies participate in a minority stake, by issuing bond loans, and mergers of Group companies (in the energy sector).

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

I strongly believe the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel are to promote good and kind cooperation and open communication among team members and in general to the supported company and third-party partners and to inspire colleagues, clients and third-party partners in this direction. These also lead to strengthening the connection between team members, the team with the business, and the business with external partners.

In-house counsel need to know the business inside and out. This way, the in-house counsel is highly respected by their business-side counterparts, because she/he is able to contribute meaningfully and deliver impact to the business.

Being a good listener and observer, as well as an effective and positive communicator, are the most important things to advance their career.

It is also essential to be practical (practical approach). The mindset of a modern in-house counsel should be on how to identify and mitigate risk, and to advise the business side on practical courses of action that take that risk into account. This goes back to the second point above about understanding the company and its business objectives and keeping those as the guide when giving advice.

In-house counsel must be ready to jump in where and when needed and operate well in a fast-paced environment. They must be willing to embrace new challenges and to dive in and figure things out, even if the matter is not in the area of expertise. They must be happy to embolden themsleves and colleagues to make continuing education a priority and to put effort into developing a baseline of knowledge in all the areas relevant to the supported company.

What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?

Personally speaking, the love for law science as well as for supporting clients through it is the best reason to always be ready to respond when called upon to support. I have the feeling that a mission without passion never leads to the desired result.

What strategies do you employ to ensure the successful digital transformation of a legal department while maintaining compliance with your country’s data protection laws?

To successfully digitally transform a legal department while ensuring data protection compliance, a multi-faceted approach is needed. This includes implementing robust data protection policies and procedures, conducting regular training for team members, establishing clear data governance frameworks, and utilizing technology that supports compliance. Regular audits and monitoring are also crucial to identify and address any potential compliance gaps.

Some of the strategies employed to ensure digital transformation while maintaining compliance with data protection laws are the following: the evelopment and implementation of comprehensive data protection policies and procedures (clear and detailed data protection policy, tailor policies to specific legal requirements and regularly update the policies/procedures); conduct thorough employee training and awareness programs; establish strong data governance frameworks; leverage technology to support Compliance (implementation of data loss prevention (DLP) tools, utilise encryption and pseudonymisation, implementation of security measures to protect data); conduct regular audits and monitoring; and cooperate with privacy professionals.

I think, by implementing these strategies, legal departments can successfully navigate digital transformation while maintaining a strong commitment to data protection and compliance.