Romania 2024
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Legal manager, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia | STRABAG
Legal director, directorate member | RetuRO Sistem Garantie Returnare
Head of legal, regulatory and public affairs | MOL Romania
Head of legal, pole agricole, Romania, Turkey, Croatia and Hungary | IPSO Agricultură
Legal counsel, Romania and Central and Southern Europe | Michelin Romania
Manager legal department, litigation and general corporate affairs | ING Bank Romania
Legal and compliance lead, CEE | Haleon
General counsel, compliance officer and board secretary | Holcim Romania
Assistant general counsel, legal compliance, EMEA | Genpact
Director of legal and public affairs department and member of the executive committee | Up Romania
Head of legal and secretariat general department | Bucharest Stock Exchange
Corporate, external and legal affairs lead, Central Europe | Microsoft
Head of legal and general partner | Roca X Management
Following the tremendous success of last year’s inaugural edition, the Legal 500 is delighted to present the GC Powerlist: Romania 2024. This publication is dedicated to honouring and celebrating the outstanding achievements of the nation’s leading corporate counsel.
The GC Powerlist highlights the pivotal role that in-house legal professionals play in driving business success across Romania. It underscores their expertise, leadership, and unwavering commitment to excellence. This year’s edition places a spotlight on their remarkable accomplishments and innovative strategies as they navigate the country’s dynamic legal landscape. From addressing regional conflicts and embracing technological advancements to fostering diversity and inclusion and strengthening partnerships with business stakeholders, the honorees demonstrate exceptional adaptability and vision.
Inside this edition, readers will discover in-depth profiles and exclusive interviews with some of the most influential and respected general counsel in Romania, spanning diverse industries. These professionals consistently exemplify their ability to craft legal strategies, mitigate risks, and offer strategic guidance that propels their organisations forward. Their success stories are a source of inspiration for the broader legal community, illustrating the transformative impact in-house lawyers can have on business strategy and organisational growth.
Beyond individual achievements, this publication delves into critical themes and challenges shaping the corporate legal sector. It provides valuable insights and thought-provoking discussions, offering a comprehensive overview of Romania’s legal landscape. Through these narratives, readers will gain a deeper understanding of the extraordinary contributions of the in-house legal community.
We extend our sincere congratulations and gratitude to everyone featured in this year’s GC Powerlist: Romania. Their dedication and success exemplify the very best of the country’s legal talent. It is with great pride that we present this distinguished list of the country’s most exceptional and diligent in-house lawyers.
Francisco Faria e Castro  |  Research Editor  |  GC Powerlist Series
We are delighted to present the most influential in-house lawyers and legal teams in Romania!
The second edition of the GC Powerlist Romania highlights some of Romania’s most experienced GCs who excel at what they do, lead groundbreaking legal work and generally make a significant contribution to the success of their companies. They are not only great leaders, strategists and visionaries, but also valuable legal experts. They are mentors who build a positive culture, empower people to grow and develop, and guide their organisations in an ever-changing business environment. Through their dedication and hard work, they transform law and business every day.
We congratulate all the honourees on the GC Powerlist Romania and we are confident that more and more successful General Counsels and Chief Legal Officers will be recognised in future editions to give an even more complete picture of today’s legal talent.
Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații is proud to be the exclusive partner of The Legal 500 for its GC Powerlist Romania 2024!
The recent news that elite US firm Sullivan & Cromwell had apologised to a judge over AI hallucinations in a court filing prompted a collective wince from the legal profession.
But while some lawyers remain wary of AI, others are striking a more open-minded note, and at the LexisNexis AI Forum hosted this Wednesday (20 May) by Legal 500 and Legal Business, panelists argued that the risks are far outweighed by the opportunities.
Barbara Zapisetskaya, principal technology counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, made the case that hallucinations and other potential pitfalls can be overcome with a shift in mindset.
‘What makes a difference,’ she said, ‘is empowering your lawyers to take responsibility for AI output – helping them become active AI operators, not just passive AI users. You have agency to decide whether you agree with the output or not.’
Zapisetskaya was among a line-up of leading in-house figures speaking on two panels, which covered everything from practical steps for AI implementation to the key decisions GCs need to be making in the coming months.
Financial Times general counsel Dan Guilford began by stressing the importance of building the right culture for AI adoption. In addition to proactively upskilling himself, Guilford talked about how he had implemented a voluntary weekly ‘show and tell’ meeting for team members to share successful use cases – or an exercise that became a gratifying measure of progress.
Other panelists discussed how increased in-house productivity is altering the dynamic with their external counsel.
While some see the use of AI by law firms as a precursor for reduced fees, Russell Davies, head of global operations for legal and compliance at Dentsu, said that faster results – however they are delivered – are something to be valued.
GSK assistant general counsel Anthony Kenny agreed, saying that while there was an expectation that external counsel would be utilising AI, the focus should be on the value of the output, rather than an overemphasis on identifying AI use as a justification to reduce fees.
Speaking on the second panel, MUFG EMEA general counsel James Morgan stressed the critical importance of education, noting that educating the C-suite on the advantages and risks of AI is just as important as enabling large in-house teams to use these tools.
Shanthini Satyendra, vice-chair of the AI Committee, Society for Computers & Law, CEO and founder of Manisain, offered a reminder of the importance of making the connection between tasks and the purpose behind them, extolling the virtues of identifying use cases for AI that can solve a meaningful problem.
Zapisetskaya concurred, adding that one of the most important tasks for GCs across the next six to twelve months is to create AI playbooks and templates, noting that ‘it is easy for lawyers to see problems – much harder for lawyers to see opportunities.’
There was also broad agreement among panellists that GCs should focus on upskilling their junior lawyers on AI, rather than – as some may expect – cutting back their workforce. As Satyendra summarised: ‘Some people are replacing human capital with AI without thinking about what’s required to make AI work. Retain your people and train them up.’
The panels were moderated by Emma Millington, head of the UK Lexis+ Finance Group, and LexisNexis director of segment management Stuart Greenhill.
