Assistant general counsel, legal compliance, EMEA | Genpact
Director of legal and public affairs department and member of the executive committee | Up Romania
Legal manager, Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia | STRABAG
Head of legal and secretariat general department | Bucharest Stock Exchange
Head of legal, regulatory and public affairs | MOL Romania
Corporate, external and legal affairs lead, Central Europe | Microsoft
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
Head of legal and general partner | Roca X Management
Legal and compliance lead, CEE | Haleon
General counsel, compliance officer and board secretary | Holcim Romania
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!
Legal 500 was proud to host the launch of our second GC Powerlist: South Africa, an event that brought together approximately 100 of the country’s most distinguished in-house lawyers at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s (CDH) stunning Sandton, Johannesburg office.
Updating this year’s Powerlist was no small feat—our research team faced the challenge of reflecting market shifts while ensuring the continued recognition of the most outstanding general counsel from the previous edition. The result is a carefully curated list that celebrates the evolving leadership and expertise within South Africa’s in-house legal community.
The evening commenced with a welcome address from Phetheni Nkuna, Director: Executive Management at CDH, who reaffirmed the firm’s unwavering commitment to supporting corporate counsel as they navigate the challenges of their profession. She also highlighted the importance of recognizing the exceptional work of in-house lawyers, who often receive less public acknowledgment than their law firm counterparts.
The event’s first GC keynote speaker, Velile Mamela of Sanlam, took the stage to congratulate the honorees and share pivotal moments that shaped his journey as a corporate counsel. Following him, Zanoodene Kassim of Uber delivered a highly engaging and well-received speech, which is reproduced below with his permission:
“Good evening, everyone. First, let me just say—what a relief it is to be in a room full of lawyers where no one is billing by the hour. We should do this more often! I would like to take a moment to thank our hosts, Legal 500 and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer, for organising this amazing event. Also, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate each and every one of the honourees for the recognition you are receiving this evening – it is truly a great accomplishment. It’s an honour to be here as we celebrate the unsung heroes of the corporate world: in-house lawyers. General counsel may not have the fancy courtroom gowns of our law firm counterparts, but we do have something even more impressive—the ability to translate “legalese” into business speak. And, on occasion, the ability to be true thought-leaders and collaborators – not only explaining to the business why their latest “great idea” may not be, technically, legal but also working on finding solutions to such trivial technicalities.
A big part of our job is knowing the law of course—but an even bigger part is knowing the business. We don’t just interpret contracts; we interpret intent. We don’t just mitigate risk; we anticipate it. During my time in practice, the late Sternford Moyo, former president of the International Bar Association, used to say that in order to be a good attorney (other than knowing the law or at least knowing where to look) – a good attorney had to have the three “A”s. They needed to be: Affable; Available; and Affordable. Apart from the last one, I think that having these qualities makes for a good in-house lawyer as well. In my career, I have always found that when we are most appreciated as in-house lawyers by our business counterparts, is when we are true thought-partners. Knowing their business as well as you know the law is probably the skill most valued by the business.
I think that the late Mr Moyo’s three “A”s (now to be read as Dene’s two “A”s) give us good insight into what being a great in-house lawyer means. It isn’t just about reading the fine print—it’s about understanding how that fine print fits into the bigger picture of what the company is trying to do. Our role is unique because we are both protectors and enablers. We keep our companies out of trouble, but we also help them grow. We find solutions that allow innovation to move forward responsibly. And, occasionally, we act as therapists when a stressed-out executive realizes they’ve just promised something that isn’t, strictly speaking, you know – legal. So tonight, I’d like for us to take a moment to appreciate what it is we actually do – us the wordsmiths, the therapists, the sense-checkers, the protectors, the enablers.
We may not always be the most visible (and we may be called nasty things like “cost centres”), but we are the ones who make innovation possible, who keep our companies ethical, and who—despite our best efforts—are still the first ones people call when they “just have a quick legal question.” Congratulations to all of tonight’s honorees. You’ve earned this moment. And now, let’s enjoy the rest of the evening—before someone pulls us aside to review something.”
As the legal landscape in South Africa continues to evolve, we eagerly anticipate witnessing the impact of the talented legal professionals shaping the industry. We look forward to celebrating the next cohort of top in-house lawyers in the GC Powerlist South Africa 2025 edition next year.
