Bio

Antonis Gkiokas is the Theon International’s group general counsel. Theon is a leading group of companies developing and manufacturing customizable night vision and thermal imaging systems for military and security applications. with a global footprint. Since February 2024, Theon’s shares are listed for trading in the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange, marking one of the first IPOs for 2024. Previously, Antonis led the corporate restructuring and governance practice of a big-4 associated law firm in Greece, serving a wide and diverse clientele.

Antonis is a seasoned corporate lawyer with a breadth of experience spanning from complex transactional work to general corporate law and governance, having advised corporations, financial institutions, c-suite executives, senior management members and stakeholders.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

During times of global volatility, the in-house legal team needs to operate under a three-fold stool principle, acting as trusted business partner, growth facilitator and legal guardian. The general counsel must be the driving force and lead by example when implementing these principles, ensuring that the in-house legal team steps-up in its role to become an integral part of the transformative journey of the organisation towards resilience, sustainability and growth.

This entails that general counsel’s must combine strong knowledge of applicable laws and regulations; nurture a deep understanding of the global business setting and especially, in our case, possessing the defence and technology industry, but most importantly the acumen to juggle and balance the constant interplay between business and legal risk.

What emerging technologies do you see as having the most significant impact on the legal profession in the near future, and how do you stay updated on these developments?

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools strongly impact the day-to-day operations of the legal function. In-house legal functions are usually faced with limited resources. Being a position to do more by leveraging AI tools, such as copilot applications, process management tools, smart contracts and document template applications, compliance tools, smart translators etc. can enhance the role of the modern general counsel.

By using emerging tools, in-house lawyers can be more efficient and quality driven. This is beneficial for any organisation given that legal resources are freed from time consuming and rudimentary tasks. This supports them to apply and contribute their business understanding, coupled with their legal insight to roll out the corporate strategy, hence supporting projects and initiatives from inception to implementation.

However, given recent instances of bad AI use, any end user would need to apply the necessary filter, diligence and adhere to the appropriate ethical standards.

In your opinion, what are the main trends that are salient in your country currently (these can be legal, political, economy or business-based)?

Greece has sustained its post-pandemic growth momentum into 2024, aligning with the broader global economic outlook, with a prevailing sense of confidence and optimism. At the forefront of the national agenda are technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable value creation.

Greek businesses are seizing this moment to invest and expand, capitalising on a skilled workforce and initiatives aimed at upskilling existing talent and driving lean management transformations. This strategic focus is not only fuelling short-term growth expectations but also fostering a strong appetite for expansion beyond Greece’s borders, particularly into European, Asian, and U.S. markets.

However, declining demographics and the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine and the Middle East still raise uncertainty.