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Event information

Date: Tue 15 Apr 2025 Time: 1.00pm-7.30pm Venue: InterContinental Athénée Palace, Bucharest, an IHG Hotel, Strada Episcopiei, Bucharest, Romania

Join top legal professionals and leading in-house counsel for a day of insightful discussions and valuable networking opportunities. The Legal 500’s GC Summit Romania will explore the evolving role of in-house legal teams, offering expert guidance on the most pressing challenges they will face in 2025 and beyond.

In collaboration with our event partners, the summit will feature a dynamic lineup of sessions covering timely and critical topics, including:

  • The Intersection of White-Collar Crime and Anti-Corruption Laws in Romania
  • Handling Claims
  • Managing Regulatory Risks in an Evolving Legal Landscape
  • ESG Compliance and Reporting
  • The Role of Technology in Enhancing Legal Operations
  • Cross-Border Legal Challenges and International Cooperation
  • Navigating Employment Law Reforms and Workplace Compliance
  • Corporate Governance Best Practices
  • The Impact of AI and Digitisation on the Legal Sector

Through engaging discussions led by an exceptional panel of speakers, attendees will gain practical strategies to navigate legal complexities, strengthen compliance, and drive business success.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain valuable insights, and prepare for the future of legal practice. This is the must-attend event for in-house lawyers in Romania.

Agenda

1.00pm – 1.30pm Registration

1.30pm – 1.40pm Opening remarks

  • Daria Niculcea, executive director, JURIDICE.ro

1.40pm -2.00pm The Intersection of White-Collar Crime and Anti-Corruption Laws in Romania

This panel session will explore the evolving relationship between corporate fraud and Romania’s anti-corruption regulations.

    • We will examine how existing measures are designed to combat white-collar crime and assess the effectiveness of Romania’s regulatory framework in addressing corporate fraud.
    • The discussion will also cover recent legislative reforms and their impact on corporate governance, focusing on compliance and risk management for organisations.

Our expert speakers will provide valuable insights for General Counsels, equipping them with practical strategies to navigate the evolving legal landscape.

    • Mihai Mares, founder and managing partner, Mares & Mares
    • Traian Badescu, managing associate, Mares & Mares
    • Liana Iacob, managing associate, Mares & Mares
    • Mihai Rotaru, director of the legal division, Banca Transilvania
    • Sabin Taclit, head of legal, Orange
    • Marinela Besleaga, head of legal and administration, Tekzen

2.00pm – 2.50pm Working with Outside Counsel – Pain Points and Bridging the Gap (A GC’s Perspective)

The general counsel–external counsel counsel relationship is vital but can bechallenging. This discussion explores how law firms can better align with in-house teams to provide strategic, practical, and commercially aware advice.

The main discussion points will be:

    • Common pain points with outside counsel (e.g., cost unpredictability, lack of business context, responsiveness).
    • Importance of understanding the business context and industry-specific nuances.
    • Why generic legal advice is not enough – practical, tailored, and actionable guidance is what GCs need.
    • The importance of proactive engagement – outside counsel as a business partner rather than just a risk mitigator.
    • Strategies for improving collaboration – what works and what doesn’t from a GC’s perspective
    • Best practices for building a strong GC-law firm relationship.
    • Laura Estrade, co-founder and partner, actlegal
    • Mihai Popa, corporate legal director, E.ON Romania
    • Andrei Hancu, chief legal officer, SeedBlink

2.50pm – 3.40pm Handling Romanian Claims – Particularities of a (G)localised Approach

Managing Romanian claims, particularly in the context of large commercial or regulatory disputes, remains a challenging endeavour for in-house lawyers and external counsel alike. Local legal traditions, the large-scale hybridisation of the Romanian regulatory framework, inconsistencies in the development of the judicial system across the country, and the widespread importation of foreign law-based instruments and procedures via multinational corporations combine to create a complex and unique legal landscape, fertile ground for legal conflicts.

This discussion will not address the management of small claims, such as those with an insurance focus (e.g., consumer, product, healthcare, motor services, or similar matters), but will instead concentrate on large-scale commercial or regulatory disputes.

For commercial disputes, the session will share local experiences developed over the past three decades, during which Romanian legal processes have evolved through the adoption and adaptation of practices from around the world. It will follow a critical path of claim process management, starting with tools for mitigating dispute risks at the business origination stage, partner selection, and contract negotiation, and ending with advanced-stage litigation settlements.

In the realm of regulatory disputes, we will explore how interactions with regulators – whether acting as norm issuers, permit and licence granters, investigators, or enforcers – can be effectively judicialised. The discussion will provide insights into how such processes can be best managed by legal counsel to achieve favourable outcomes.

    • Florian Nitu, managing partner, Popovici Niţu Stoica & Asociaţii
    • Alina Dumitrascu, general counsel Romania, PPC Group
    • Cristina Vilcu, executive legal director, BRD
    • Claudiu Tampau, legal manager, Strabag

3.40pm – 4.00pm Fireside Chat

4.00pm – 4.15pm Coffee Break

4.15pm – 4.45pm Managing multidisciplinarity and associated risks in a fast changing legal environment (What do clients want from their law firm?)

Join industry leaders as they explore the challenges and opportunities of managing multidisciplinarity in today’s rapidly evolving legal landscape. This session will focus on how law firms can effectively address the diverse needs of clients while navigating associated risks in an increasingly complex environment.

    • Lucian Bondoc, managing partner, Bondoc și Asociații
    • Denisa Gogoriță, legal director, RetuRo
    • Cristian Buzan, executive vice president and director general adjunct, Engie

4.50pm – 5.15pm Stories in the life of a General Counsel – crises situations, examples out of the box

Our distinguished panelists will share first-hand experiences from their dynamic careers. From navigating complex legal challenges to balancing business strategy and risk management, this panel will provide candid insights into the evolving role of an in-house counsel. Expect thought-provoking discussions, real-life case studies (from navigating high-stakes litigation and regulatory hurdles to managing crises, driving corporate governance, and influencing business strategy at the executive level), and valuable lessons that highlight the unique pressures and triumphs of being a GC in today’s corporate landscape. This session will provide open, sincere and engaging insights, practical lessons, and inspiration to those at the forefront of the industry.

    • Ileana Glodeanu, partner, Wolf Theiss
    • Horia Gusta, director legal department, Muntenia Invest
    • Bogdan Plesuvescu, deputy general director, Banca Transilvania

5.15pm – 5.50pm Antitrust and FDI Stories

In this compelling fireside chat with Mr. Bogdan Chiritoiu, the distinguished President of the Romanian Competition Council, and a leading competition lawyer will unveil the stories behind Romania’s most recent FDI and antitrust cases.

What really happens behind the scenes of major competition investigations? How does the regulator tackle market distortions and enforce fair play in high-stakes industries? And what are the untold challenges of overseeing foreign investments in a rapidly evolving economy? With firsthand insights, real-life case studies, and a glimpse into key decisions that shaped Romania’s competitive landscape, this discussion promises to go beyond the headlines.

    • Anca Jurcovan, partner, Wolf Theiss
    • Bogdan Chiritoiu, president, Romanian Competition Council

6.20pm – 6.30pm Closing Remarks

6.30pm – 7.30pm Drinks

Speakers

Florian Nitu, managing partner, Popovici Niţu Stoica & Asociaţii

Florian Niţu is the Managing Partner and Head of Corporate M&A, Real Estate, and International Arbitration Practices.

Florian is largely recognized as one of the most experienced transactional lawyers and claim managers in the Romanian legal services market.

He holds a significant expertise in arbitration proceedings before domestic and international courts under the rules of ICC Paris, ICSID, the Court of International Commercial Arbitration pertaining to the Chamber of Commerce of Romania.

For more than a decade he has been constantly ranked as a leading lawyer in Romania in the areas of Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate Practices with international legal directories and other professional or industry surveys.

Alina Dumitrascu, general counsel Romania, PPC Group

Alina Dumitrascu is an Energy Lawyer, holding the position of Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs in PPC Group Romania – a Greek leading electric utility, with activities in electricity generation, distribution, supply and sale of advance energy products and services.

Her leadership journey covers senior roles in public, private and civic sectors, coupled with a global experience.

She is a lawyer with more than 25 years in the Energy Field being Harvard Law School Alumna and included in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist.

Not least, aside from being an energy lawyer, legal innovation and tech is one of her favorite topics and she embrace alternative models and technologies, reflecting on the future of the law and legal profession.

She is the author of the first book for children that explains playfully the Romanian Constitution through images and games – “What is the Constitution? Play and find out!”, being deeply passionate about helping children understand their rights, making sure they will live in a ‘good society’. She is also the founder of Smartastic Lab initiative – a NGO supporting education towards rule of law, human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of children in Romania that launched a Constitutional literacy project named “Start with the Right” implemented in the primary schools in Bucharest.

Cristina Vilcu, executive legal director, BRD 

Cristina Vilcu is the Executive Legal Director for BRD Groupe Société Generale and in this capacity she oversees the legal and regulatory affairs as well as the legal risk management. With over two decades of dedicated service, Cristina has progressively advanced through various roles withing bank’s legal department, demonstrating leadership and legal expertise. Throughout the years, Cristina has contributes to strategic projects in BRD, being involved in innovative and challenging endeavors.

Beyond her role at BRD, Cristina is a key member of the Board of Legal Advisors Association of Banking and Financial Institutions. Her active involvement has been instrumental in building and strengthening the community of banking legal advisors, fostering professional development, knowledge sharing and collaborative approaches to legal challenges in the financial sector.

Claudiu Tampau, legal manager, Strabag

After completing his studies, Claudiu Tampau joined Platis & Bazilescu, the law firm associated with Ernst & Young, where he worked until 2010. During that time, he gained valuable experience in corporate, real estate, and banking law.

In 2010, he joined White & Case, which later became Bondoc & Associates in 2014. His focus there was on energy, real estate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and regulatory matters, dealing with both national and cross-border issues. This role helped him develop a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale projects and transactions.

In June 2016, he joined the in-house legal department of STRABAG Group Romania. His work primarily involves construction law and other legal areas relevant to the operations of the STRABAG Group. In parallel, he has taken a keen interest in renewable energy initiatives within the company.

In mid-2017, he began managing the internal legal department and had the opportunity to grow the team from two members in 2017 to an interdisciplinary group of 16 colleagues in 2025, including seven lawyers and six contract managers.

Starting in 2019, he also helped establish the internal legal department for STRABAG Group in Bulgaria. Since early 2023, he has been managing the internal legal departments across several countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. This role has allowed him to work on various legal matters while supporting operations across different jurisdictions, aligning legal strategies with STRABAG’s business objectives and ensuring compliance with local and international regulations.

Mihai Mares, founder and managing partner, Mares & Mares

Traian Badescu, managing associate, Mares & Mares

Traian’s passion for criminal law is evident in his extensive experience across various fields, with particular expertise in tax evasion, money laundering, and corruption-related offenses.

His practice has involved managing complex criminal proceedings and litigation, providing him with invaluable insight into prosecutorial tactics. With a deep understanding of both theoretical principles and practical experience, he skillfully builds robust defenses, accurately anticipating the opposition’s moves.

He is a true asset to our team, and his results-oriented approach consistently proves to be a powerful advantage, continuously adding significant value to the cases he handles.

Traian’s academic achievements further bolster his credentials, having graduated from the esteemed University of Bucharest Law School. Additionally, he holds a Master’s Degree in Judicial Career, solidifying his reputation as a well-qualified and accomplished legal professional.

Liana Iacob, managing associate, Mares & Mares

With over 20 years of experience, Liana Iacob is a highly accomplished lawyer specializing in business criminal law and business law. Her extensive expertise and strategic legal acumen have made her a trusted advisor to leading corporations across diverse industries, including energy, pharmaceuticals, IT, real estate, and financial services.

Liana has a distinguished record of successfully navigating complex negotiations and resolving high-stakes commercial disputes. She provides her clients with strategic, results-oriented legal representation, earning recognition as one of the field’s most reliable and proficient professionals.

Her areas of expertise include fraud against the financial interests of the European Union, banking & insurance fraud, public procurement fraud, corruption and tax evasion, corporate fraud and intellectual property crimes.

Recognized by Legal 500 as a lawyer with great potential, Liana’s dedication to her clients and exceptional legal skills set her apart.

Beyond her work in business criminal law, Liana is passionately committed to defending the fundamental rights of individuals and companies. She has successfully represented clients against unjustified interference by state authorities or third parties, safeguarding their legal and constitutional rights.

Liana holds a law degree from the University of Bucharest and a master’s degree in business law, solidifying her foundation as a highly capable and well-rounded legal professional.

Ileana Glodeanu, partner, Wolf Theiss

Ileana Glodeanu is a Partner at Wolf Theiss and leads the Corporate/M&A team in Bucharest. As a talented and professional lawyer, who enjoys high positive name recognition on the M&A market, Ileana is extremely active and has advised on some of the largest transactions concluded in the past few years in Romania. She has a solid profile as a leading expert with a particular focus on energy, TMT, private equity funds, food, automotive, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, also excelling in the field of employment and insolvency restructurings.

Ileana has received several awards as woman in business law in Romania and in Europe. Ileana has been appointed new officer of the IBA Women Lawyers Committee of the International Bar Association in January 2025. Ileana is a member of the Bucharest Bar Association and holds two LL.M. degrees in Private and Commercial Law. 

Horia Gusta, director legal department, Muntenia Invest

Horia Gustă is Head of Legal Department in SAI Muntenia Invest SA since 2021 and also the President of the AAF (Asociația Administratorilor de Fonduri din România – Association of Romanian Fund Managers) Board of Director since 2020. Horia was CEO at SAI Certinvest Asset Management Company for 11 years, starting 2010. Horia has worked as legal adviser in leasing, asset management and stock brokerage since 2000, after graduation. 

Bogdan Plesuvescu, deputy general director, Banca Transilvania

Daria Niculcea, executive director, JURIDICE.ro

Meet Daria Niculcea, a seasoned legal expert with over 12 years of experience in the field. Graduating from the prestigious University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Law, Daria’s journey began at JURIDICE.ro during her undergraduate years, marking the inception of a remarkable career. In 2020, she ascended to the role of executive director and became a shareholder, solidifying her commitment to the growth and success of JURIDICE.ro. Renowned as Romania’s premier legal hub, JURIDICE.ro stands as the cornerstone of trust and reliability within the Romanian legal community, serving as the go-to search engine for legal professionals across the nation.

Laura Estrade, co-founder and partner, actlegal

With over 20 years of experience, Laura Estrade is a renowned expert in M&A, corporate law, and business restructuring. She has been advising on high-profile acquisitions, mergers, de-mergers, business transfers, joint ventures, and sophisticated energy sector transactions. Recognized for her innovative approach to corporate restructuring, she has successfully structured complex projects, including spin-offs involving the Romanian State and the implementation of strategic corporate schemes to optimize shareholder structures.

Beyond transactional work, Laura has also coordinated high-stakes litigation cases against minority shareholders and former management, securing favorable outcomes for the firm’s clients. Her expertise spans corporate governance and commercial law, making her a trusted advisor to companies dealing with complex business challenges.

Laura is also a member of the Paris Bar Association, which brings an even more international perspective to her practice.

She further perfected her leadership and strategic capabilities by completing Harvard Law School Executive Education’s Leadership in Law Firms program, reinforcing her ability to drive innovative legal solutions and strategic business decisions at the highest level.

Mihai Popa, corporate legal director, E.ON Romania

Mihai G. Popa holds the position of Legal & Compliance Director in the corporate field at E.ON Romania, where he coordinates the Corporate Legal Department and he is involved in compliance practices – risk management, providing consultancy for the top management within major projects.

Mihai is a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration in Foreign Languages and Lecturer at the Corporate Compliance Postgraduate Program at the Faculty of Law, Bucharest University of Economic Studies.

He has a vast experience in the corporate field, in areas of activities such as natural resources and building materials, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, medical devices, crop science and energy.

Mihai G. Popa holds the degree in Law as well as in Economics, also he holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Law at the Faculty of Law from University of Bucharest and the Master of International Business Law within the jointly organized program by the Faculty of Law from the University – Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne with the University of Bucharest. Also, in November 2018, Mihai graduated a specialization course for Innovation Management in New Technologies, organized by the University of Oxford, Department of Continuing Education.

He is involved also in a research program at the Faculty of Law, University of Bucharest.

Mihai G. Popa is author of numerous studies and participated as speaker at several international conferences in areas of international business law, ethics & compliance, anti-corruption, competition law for numerous conferences organized at Bucharest, Helsinki, Budapest, Berlin, Oxford, New York and others.

Andrei Hancu, chief legal officer, SeedBlink

A tech-savvy business lawyer, Andrei Hancu specializes in multi-jurisdictional legal matters across financial services, corporate M&A, capital markets, and e-payments. With a strong focus on venture capital and startup financing, he has played a key role in helping tech companies and investors deal with complex transactions efficiently.

As CLO at SeedBlink, Andrei was instrumental in securing the platform’s authorization as a crowdfunding service provider, establishing the nominee structure, and launching innovative products such as Equity, Syndicates, and Secondaries. His expertise extends to regulatory compliance, investment structuring, and deal execution, ensuring seamless transactions between investors and startups. Actively involved in board advisory roles, he supports tech companies in equity management, including stock-option plans, cross-border flips, fundraising, and deal structuring. With a business-oriented legal approach and a deep understanding of technology-driven investments, Andrei is a key player in the fintech and startup ecosystem.

Denisa Gogoriță, legal director, RetuRo

Cristian Buzan, executive vice president and director general adjunct, Engie

Anca Jurcovan, partner, Wolf Theiss

Anca Jurcovan is a Partner at Wolf Theiss and the coordinator of the Competition & Antitrust Practice Group of the Bucharest office. Her experience in relation to competition law matters extends to over 17 years and includes advising high-profile clients active in a number of industries like energy, telecommunications, FMCG, retail and pharmaceuticals in relation to antitrust investigations, merger control and leniency applications, including the providing of compliance trainings and the carrying out of competition law audits.

Anca holds an LLM degree from the Bucharest University Law School, a license degree from Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, an Advanced diploma of Competition Law and an Advanced Diploma of Economics for Competition Law from King’s College London. Anca is a member of the Bucharest Bar Association. 

 

Bogdan Chiritoiu, president, Romanian Competition Council

Bogdan Chirițoiu is President of the Romanian Competition Council since 2009, Vice Chair of the OECD Competition Committee and Vice-Chair of the Administrative Board of the European Union Agency of Energy Regulators.

From 2005 to 2008 he has served as Presidential Advisor on Economic Affairs and Public Policy and, between 2008-2009, he was Presidential Advisor on Planning and Political Analysis.

Between 2005 and 2009, Mr Chiritoiu was Head of the Romanian Delegation to the EU Economic Policy Committee.

He holds, since 2008, a PhD in Economics (International Economic Relations) at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest, developing a thesis on Public Health Insurance Systems in the CEE States. Bogdan Chiritoiu has a MA in political science (Central European University, Budapest, 1997) and a MSc in European Studies (London School of Economics and Political Science, 1998).

Dr Bogdan Chiritoiu has also been lecturer on Public Administration and European Studies at the University of Bucharest, since 1999. He is member of the some of the most important Romanian and European think tanks: Romanian Society of Political Science, the Network of Institutes and Schools of Public Administration in Central and Eastern Europe – NISPA CEE, the Aspen Institute of Romania and the Romanian Academic Society.

Mr Chiritoiu is lecturer on Economics and European Studies at the University of Bucharest
since 1999

Marinela Besleaga, head of legal and administration,Tekzen

Marinela has been working as a legal adviser since 2001. In 2007, Tekzen entered the Romanian market as one of the major players in Turkey’s DIY sector at the time, establishing its headquarters in Brașov. Marinela joined the team from the outset, providing legal and commercial support, starting even before drafting the articles of incorporation for the Romanian company.

In 2019, following the acquisition of a Romanian subsidiary of a major global player in the fertiliser industry by Toros Comp, she was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Toros Agroport SA. Toros Tarım is part of the agricultural industry group within Tekfen Holding.

Merging two different industries within a multicultural organisation has enhanced her professional skills, broadening her expertise.

Her experience in due diligence spans the entire business lifecycle—from establishment and development to restructuring and optimisation—ensuring the effective implementation of management decisions while adapting to economic conditions, including financial crises, health emergencies, and geopolitical or natural disasters.

Mihai Rotaru, director of the legal division, Banca Transilvania

Mihai is the President of the Association of Legal Advisors in the Financial and Banking Industry, Director of the Legal Division at Banca Transilvania, and Vice President of the Legal Commission of the Romanian Banking Association.

Sabin Taclit, head of legal, Orange

Dr. Sabin Taclit is a legal professional with extensive experience in both the telecommunications and financial sectors in Romania. He is the Head of Legal of Orange Romania and also the Chief Administrative and Development Officer of NextGen Communications (a company owned by Orange Romania).

Dr. Taclit earned his Doctor of Law degree in International Private Law from the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy.

He also holds both Bachelor and Master of Laws degrees from the Universitatea Româno-Americană din București. In 2019, he published the book “Freedom of Communication in the European Space,” which examines the legal aspects of communication within the European Union. 

 

Lucian Bondoc, managing partner, Bondoc și Asociații

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