Career Biography

I currently serve as general counsel and branch manager of Nordea Poland, an organisation operating in four Polish cities and employing around 5,700 people. Over time, my role has evolved from a purely legal one to a much broader management role, with oversight of governance, administration, and the activities of a large entity. This shift reflects how I understand the role of a general counsel today: not only as a guardian of legal compliance, but also as a partner to the business and a contributor to strategic decision-making.

Throughout my career – from private practice, through regional in-house roles in technology, construction, and finance, to my current position – I have been particularly interested in building legal functions that are close to the business and effective. Creating service models that simplify complexity, introducing self-service tools, and using legal design to make internal rules understandable have been among the most rewarding aspects of my work. I have found that when legal frameworks are clear and user-friendly, they genuinely support better decision-making and reduce risk in a sustainable way.

A particularly formative experience has been combining the role of general counsel with full responsibility for the functioning of the Nordea branch in Poland. I now fully understand the importance of a holistic view of governance, risk, and culture, and that close cooperation with colleagues from many disciplines is key to success. This experience has strengthened my conviction that legal leadership is ultimately about people – supporting internal clients, developing teams, and creating an environment in which individuals can grow and contribute.

I am deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and see them as core elements of effective risk management and good governance. Diverse teams challenge assumptions, identify risks earlier, and bring broader perspectives to decision-making. Within the legal function, this means not only ensuring equal opportunities in recruitment and promotion, but also creating inclusive ways of working: transparent allocation of work, mentoring and sponsorship programmes, flexible working arrangements, and open dialogue about career development. I have been involved in mentoring young lawyers through several programmes (e.g. Nordic Mentoring and the Women in Law Foundation), as I strongly believe that we can actively shape the future of the legal profession and use our experience to support the next generation of lawyers.

Looking towards 2026, I believe general counsel should focus on several interconnected trends. The responsible use of artificial intelligence will require new governance models, clear accountability, and close cooperation between legal, compliance, technology, and business teams. Geopolitical tensions and regulatory fragmentation will continue to affect operational resilience and cross-border delivery models. At the same time, expectations regarding corporate ethics, sustainability, and culture are increasing. In this environment, the legal function must help organisations navigate uncertainty while maintaining trust – both internally and externally.

I also see an important role for in-house lawyers in fostering professional communities and sharing practical knowledge. My involvement in the Polish Corporate Counsels Association (Polskie Stowarzyszenie Prawników Przedsiębiorstw) is driven by the belief that we learn most effectively from one another’s experience and that strong professional networks contribute to higher standards across the market.

For me, the role of a general counsel is to help the organisation move forward safely and responsibly, to support people in their daily work, and to build frameworks that will remain effective in times of change.