As we near the conclusion of the first quarter of 2025, it is clear that the Greek corporate landscape and M&A market are undergoing significant changes influenced by a variety of economic, regulatory, and social factors. While the M&A sector experienced steady activity over the past two years, its overall momentum was relatively muted, primarily due to geopolitical tensions, social dynamics, and inflationary pressures. However, a much-anticipated increase in traction appears to be on the horizon, making a comprehensive understanding of the current trends and challenges within the market crucial to effectively navigate and track this evolving environment.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

Drakopoulos Senior Associate Sofia Angelakou talks about M&A in Greece in 2025.

The NIS2 Directive is the EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity. It provides legal measures to increase the overall level of cybersecurity in the EU by modernizing the existing legal framework, broadening the scope of covered entities, and specifying high fines (2% or EUR 10 million for essential entities, or 1.4% of global annual turnover or EUR 7 million for important entities), directly involving the board members of covered organizations and holding them accountable for any breach of the legal framework established by the new Directive.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around we turn our attention to setting up new practices and ask: When launching a new practice, what is your go-to strategy – do you look at internal team members to spearhead it, or are you more likely to turn to lateral hires? Why?

Drakopoulos has advised Guy Carpenter on the acquisition of the remaining 51.5% stake in Carpenter Turner from Noorstar Investments. Apostolos Georgiades & Associates reportedly advised the sellers.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

Labor shortages have emerged as a pressing issue across CEE, prompting diverse responses from governments, businesses, and the public as they navigate the challenges of workforce gaps and economic sustainability.

On November 7, 2024, M&A experts from Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine participated in a virtual round table moderated by CEE Legal Matters Managing Editor Radu Cotarcea to discuss the FDI screening regimes in their country and key developments in the area on the horizon.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

Drakopoulos has launched a new Data and Digital practice dedicated to “providing comprehensive legal solutions to clients navigating the increasingly complex landscape of data protection, digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.”

Once known for its financial turbulence, the Greek economy is showing strong growth. Bahas, Gramatidis & Partners Managing Partner Marios Bahas and Drakopoulos Partner Mika Lalaouni discuss key sectors and major drivers of the turnaround.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

Drakopoulos is pleased to announce the launch of its new Data and Digital practice, dedicated to providing comprehensive legal solutions to clients navigating the increasingly complex landscape of data protection, digital transformation, AI, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.

Despite a slowdown experienced in the Greek M&A sector in 2023, primarily attributed to factors such as inflation, increased interest rates, pervasive geopolitical instabilities, and diverging valuation perspectives between sellers and buyers, the ongoing year of 2024 has seen a notable upsurge in transaction activity. This upward trend underscores the robustness and resilience of the market, which is not only recovering but is also attracting heightened attention from international investors.

Contributed by Drakopoulos.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.