Team size: 35

Spotlight on…

Elena Hatzigeorgiou currently serves as the general counsel of Bouygues Bâtiment International, where she is responsible for overseeing all legal aspects, including projects, disputes, and compliance. Elena possesses 23 years of professional experience in the construction industry and has overseen the negotiation of major projects worldwide, including PPPs, concessions, DBOs and construction contracts, for Bouygues Construction – one of the leading international construction companies.

Elena is an expert in the development of ad-hoc projects from inception to completion. She either serves as a project lawyer or leads a team of legal experts for a broad range of projects, including those involving PPP (public-private partnership), infrastructure, energy, real estate development, construction, financing, operation and maintenance, as well as litigation and dispute resolution.

What are the most significant cases and/or transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Our legal team is involved in a variety of projects, including the negotiation of large-scale construction projects on an international scale, spanning from Saudi Arabia and Miami to Morocco and Greece. They also handle the management of contracts and litigation, when necessary, as well as the implementation of the company’s compliance programs.

Could you share an example of a time when you came up with an innovation that improved how your legal team works and did not come at a large expense?

Our team has developed a bespoke program that helps with contract analysis. We call it “iContracts”, and we are very proud of it!

How do you see the general counsel role evolving in France over the next five-ten years?

The role of compliance and, more generally, the inflation of regulations and standards, is becoming increasingly important. In the next five to ten years, the general counsel will need to be a trusted advisor on ethics, societal issues such as human rights and climate change, as well as image and reputational matters.

How important is choosing to work with external lawyers who align with your company’s values? Are you likely to reconsider what firms you work with based on this?

This is absolutely vital. In today’s society, I would like external lawyers to support and encourage alternative dispute resolution and out-of-court settlements as opposed to litigation.