Moving in-house
- Andrija Djonovic
- Andrija Djonovic
Head of Compliance at UNIQA Biztosito shares his career trajectory, his team's role in the ethical deployment of AI solutions, the strategy for communicating complex regulatory issues to internal stakeholders, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
Featured
Saly spent four years at YIT Group, between 2021 and 2025. Prior to that, he worked at Strabag Group as a Chief Legal Officer between 2013 and 2021.
- Radu Cotarcea
General Counsel at J&T Finance Group shares his approach to aligning the legal strategy with business needs, what market dynamics are currently having the biggest impact on the banking sector, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
General Counsel of L'Oreal Adria & Balkan shares how his role has changed in the 13 years with the company, the impact of changing consumer expectations on the legal strategy, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
- Saida Ayupova
Prior to joining the organization, Okolski ran his eponymous practice Okolski & Partnerzy between 2005 and 2025. Earlier, he worked as an Attorney-at-Law at Haarmann Hemmelrath between 2003 and 2005.
- Radu Cotarcea
Prior to joining the subsidiary of Public Power Corporation, Dumitru worked as Legal Counsel at NCH Capital between 2023 to 2025.
- Radu Cotarcea
Kuun has been with the company since 2023, previously working as Legal Manager. "I am honored to take on the role of Legal & External Affairs Manager at EcoPro BM Hungary," commented Kuun.
- Saida Ayupova
Head of Compliance at UNIQA Biztosito shares his career trajectory, his team's role in the ethical deployment of AI solutions, the strategy for communicating complex regulatory issues to internal stakeholders, and more.
- Radu Cotarcea
Saly spent four years at YIT Group, between 2021 and 2025. Prior to that, he worked at Strabag Group as a Chief Legal Officer between 2013 and 2021.
- Saida Ayupova
General Counsel at J&T Finance Group shares his approach to aligning the legal strategy with business needs, what market dynamics are currently having the biggest impact on the banking sector, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
BLRT Grupp's General Counsel explains the benefits of building a career with the same company for more than two decades, the profound impact of geopolitical developments on the shipbuilding and maritime sector, and more.
- Andrija Djonovic
Before the move, Gulyas-Kovacs spent 12 years at Erste Bank Hungary, where she worked as Legal Counsel, Head of Corporate Work Out and Restructuring Legal Department, and, finally, as Head of Corporate Legal Department.
Interviews
Head of Compliance at UNIQA Biztosito shares his career trajectory, his team's role in the ethical deployment of AI solutions, the strategy for communicating complex regulatory issues to internal stakeholders, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
General Counsel at J&T Finance Group shares his approach to aligning the legal strategy with business needs, what market dynamics are currently having the biggest impact on the banking sector, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
BLRT Grupp's General Counsel explains the benefits of building a career with the same company for more than two decades, the profound impact of geopolitical developments on the shipbuilding and maritime sector, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
General Counsel of L'Oreal Adria & Balkan shares how his role has changed in the 13 years with the company, the impact of changing consumer expectations on the legal strategy, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
Corwin Head of Legal Services Department discusses balancing legal precision with business agility, the realities of cross-border in-house work, and the shifting regulatory landscape in Slovakia’s real estate sector.
- Teona Gelashvili
Heineken Slovakia Legal & Compliance Director discusses her career, the realities of moving in-house, and the challenges and opportunities shaping the GC role in Slovakia.
- Teona Gelashvili
Hitay’s Legal Counsel discusses his nearly-decade career at the organization, what regulatory themes come up often across the group’s portfolio companies, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
Chief Compliance Officer at First Investment Bank shares his professional journey, what challenges are most pressing for the banking sector in Europe, how the role of compliance leaders will evolve, and more.
- Saida Ayupova
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Commentary
Kosovo has no shortage of entrepreneurial talent. What remains limited is access to finance, especially for early-stage businesses that are too risky for traditional lending.
- Contributor
Taking a closer look at all the Deal 5 interviews, we sought to map out the biggest challenges that got in the way of smooth sailing.
- Radu Cotarcea
Approximately two-thirds of GCs said that the reason behind choosing a specific legal counsel was their successful cooperation in the past.
- Radu Cotarcea
We analyzed the fundamental factors that play a role in GCs’ decision-making process in terms of choosing a new law firm to work with.
- Radu Cotarcea
describe what is at the top of the agenda for their compliance and risk functions and how they nurture a culture of compliance within their companies
- Radu Cotarcea
Corporate Counsel Handbook
your go-to guide for all things in-house legal
Packed with insights from GCs all over CEE, this issue covers everything from team leadership and budget hacks to risk management, compliance, working with external counsel, and so much more. Whether you’re an in-house pro looking to shake things up or a law firm eager to get inside the minds of your corporate clients, the 2024 CEE Legal Matters Corporate Counsel Handbook has something for everyone!
Internal moves and promotions
Kuun has been with the company since 2023, previously working as Legal Manager. "I am honored to take on the role of Legal & External Affairs Manager at EcoPro BM Hungary," commented Kuun.
- Radu Cotarcea
Tatulescu has been with UiPath since 2019, joining as Senior Employment Legal Counsel (EMEA). In 2023, she was appointed Legal Counsel Director.
- Saida Ayupova
Dymel has been with the organization since 2023, previously working as Legal Counsel – Coordinator of Legal Services for Investment Products.
- Saida Ayupova
Raszplewicz-Czyzewska has been with the company since 2002, previously working as Legal Counsel CEE.
- Saida Ayupova
Pintilie has been with the company since 2023, previously working in the role of Legal Counsel for South East Subregion.
- Saida Ayupova
Pavlekovic has been with the organization for more than 16 years, originally joining as Contracting Specialist II in 2008 – a role he held until 2009.
- Saida Ayupova
Lalatovic has been serving as the Head of Compliance for South Eastern Central Europe at the company since 2020. He first joined the company in 2015.
- Radu Cotarcea
Simandi has been with the organization for over 13 years, joining in 2012 as Legal and Corporate Affairs Director for Hungary – a position she held until 2017.
- Saida Ayupova
Chekova has been with the organization since 2024, previously working as Head of Legal.
- Saida Ayupova
Future-Proofing Legal Operations: Insights into AI, LLMs, and Next-Gen Tools