Alina Arsene, General Counsel at Interbrands Orbico in Romania, highlights the evolving GC community in Eastern Europe – where resilience and collective insight are key to tackling increasingly complex challenges.
How would you describe the state of the GC Community in your region? How has it changed since you first moved in-house?
If I had to define in one single word the General Counsel community in Romania – as well as within the entire Eastern Europe (SEE) region – this word would be “resilient”. Resilient because legal professionals in this region manage to successfully navigate issues within environments that are frequently challenged by geopolitical instability, economic volatility, and evolving legal frameworks blending local law with EU requirements.
In such a complex legal landscape, in the last decade, the role of a GC has transformed from “corporate guardian or risk manager” to “strategic business partner” with a key role in the decision-making process in transactions with tremendous financial and reputational stakes.
This reshaping has strengthened the GC Community and made it competitive, reliable, and trustworthy. Hence, I couldn’t be prouder and more privileged to have been part of this amazing evolving journey of General Counsel leadership.
Why is expanding your network important to you?
People build communities and strong and healthy communities create value, secure opportunities to stay connected with colleagues, mentors and industry leaders, enhance specialised knowledge and share diverse perspectives.
What kinds of connections or discussions would be most valuable to you?
What would be most valuable to me is that “safe environment” umbrella principle under which to freely explore ideas, share concerns and identify ways to transform challenges into opportunities. An environment where it feels fine to be vulnerable.
What do you want to achieve by collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers?
On multiple occasions, it has been proven to me that collective brainpower solves complex challenges faster. In a high-speed business environment, where the need for “yesterday” solutions is crucial, collaboration between GC leaders and legal professionals by sharing knowledge, expertise and insights – whilst leveraging technology – becomes essential to create tailored advice, well-rounded decisions and foster trust.
