We are now only two days away from the Hungary General Counsel Summit. CEE Legal Matters spoke with Erika Papp, Partner and Head of Banking and International Finance, Hungary with CMS, one of the sponsors of the conference to hear her thoughts on the upcoming event.
CEELM: What was it about the GC Summit concept that first caught your attention and why did CMS decide to partner up for the conference?
E.P.: The GC Summit has become one of the most important platforms for today’s legal professionals in the region to discuss what is going on around us: how do we keep up with the changing legal (as well as technical and political) environment, how do we innovate, develop and redefine ourselves. It is always an exciting and inspiring discussion, in which we also wanted to take part.
CEELM: What are, in your view, the main reasons a senior in-house counsel should not miss this event?
E.P.: Simply because is a great opportunity to meet their “peers”: The attendees come from a similar background and face the same challenges, so this is the time to raise issues, brainstorm and come up with best practices.
CEELM: Looking at the event agenda, what topics are you excited to hear about the most?
E.P.: All the panel discussions look promising, as they all look at a very exciting and current tendency that affect GCs today. GCs play an increasingly significant role in the corporate decision-making team, a job which comes with opportunities for business development, innovation and leadership, as well as additional responsibilities when it comes to compliance for instance. So I am really looking forward to hear what they have to say on their emerging role as a “business enabler” or a “business unit.”
CEELM: If you had to pick one, what aspect of the conference are you most looking forward to?
E.P.: Probably the coffee breaks, because these are excellent opportunities for networking and also because caffeine can generate the most inspiring discussions.