About

Beginning her career in 1999 in the Financial and Private Equity Fund division of a Romanian bank, gave Mihaela Popescu the opportunity to gain experience in the highly competitive environment offered by the Romanian banking system. At the time Popescu did not know that she would develop an exceptional professional career, amounting to over 16 years in the leasing industry and ten years in the legal field. Everything became clearer in 2013 when she had the chance to develop her professional experience at one of the top players in the industry, Planet Leasing. Her role there gave Popescu the opportunity to work with highly professional people in a wide range of reputable Romanian companies within Planet Leasing’s client portfolio, contributing to their impeccable financing services and legal framework in line with the demands of the leasing market. This endeavour lasted almost ten years, during which time Popescu graduated in law and was appointed as legal counsellor of the company, gaining substantial legal and financial skills whilst creating sustainable growth of the business strategy. In 2013, Popescu joined Intesa Sanpaolo Leasing and became responsible for setting the foundations of its legal and general affairs department. Although it was a short period, it provided her with invaluable experience due to the variety of equipment leased by the company. In 2014 she started the collaboration with a number of companies belonging to Daimler’s Mercedes Benz Financial Services in Romania, holding the head of legal and compliance position at the company. This role has given her the chance to not only work with people on an international scale but also advance her knowledge of leasing operations, developing her skills both in terms of management, leadership and legal skills to become an exemplary part of the Romanian in-house legal market. Gaining recognition in the industry, Popescu is described by a nominator as a ‘very skilled professional with a massive sector knowledge, possessing complex management, communication and coordination skills’. In May 2017, Popescu joined one of the leaders on the Romanian receivables market as a legal and compliance director.