You have worked as in-house counsel for Coca-Cola Hella SA, Papastratos SA, a Philip Morris Affiliate, and are now presently at Microsoft Hellas SA. What made you move to the digital industry and how have these roles differed?

The main motivation to move from FMCG to the technology sector was the challenge of the new and to grow further as a professional. Also, on a personal level, being a mother, I wanted to be closer and gain a better understanding of the digital world.

Having been an in-house counsel in the FMCG and technology sector didn’t drastically differ. In both cases, you are advising, supporting customers on legal aspects of their activities and bringing a commonsense approach to the table. However, one difference is that I now have a 360 overview of the business as I am being member of the Leadership team of Microsoft Hellas, Cyprus & Malta, which requires me to constantly to stay up to date with the changing technological environment!

Whilst at “Coca-Cola Hellas SA”, Athens, you were involved with the company’s sponsorship of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. What were your tasks throughout?

I was the legal counsel of the Olympic Project team which oversaw the activation of The Coca-Cola Company sponsorship to 2004 Athens Olympic Games. My tasks constituted in negotiating and drafting contracts of a world class and high budgeted Olympic activation and Torch Relay program. I was monitoring and ensuring proper implementation of company’s Olympic sponsorship rights and I was a member of the Incident Management Core team.

It was a lifetime experience as I learnt essential and unforgettable skills which have stayed with me throughout my professional life!

As legal counsel of the Olympic Project Team, mytasks constituted drafting contracts of high budgeted Olympic activation and Torch Relay program.

In 2016, you wrote an article named “The Trusted Cloud” wherein you stated the measures taken by Microsoft to ensure the users of your cloud computing system was safe. Since then, the GDPR has come into effect. How has Microsoft developed upon the measures laid out in your article?

As part of Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to privacy, it has made a number of investments and improvements to its data handling practices to support GDPR and the privacy rights of individuals. It is difficult to concisely summarise all that has been done but if you look at Microsoft’s Trust Center, the tools which Microsoft is using are clearly and concisely laid out. With the Trust Center someone can discover the company’s privacy programs best practices and how its approaching regulations in accordance to GDPR Compliance.

With Microsoft’s Trust Center, someone can discover the company’s privacy programs and how its approaching GDPR Compliance!

How do you envision Artificial Intelligence (AI) changing the job of IT lawyers in the future?

All areas of work will in some way be affected by AI. In reference to law, the greatest change thatwill appear is in the handling of data processing, research and transactional aspects of the work. The application of AI will help legal professionals to augment their ingenuity and to devote time and effort to what matters most, leaving behind the procedural type of work. Legal professionals will have a pivotal role to play in the development, formation, interpretation and implementation of new laws that may be needed in the future because of the impact of AI in the society at large.  

AI will change the legal profession through its data processing, research and the transactional aspects of the work.

If you wouldn’t be a lawyer, what would you be? 

I would like to be a doctor in neuroscience as I would like to do something innovative which could have a positive impact on humans in terms of making their life better. When my high school came to an end, I was torn between whether to pursue a medical or legal career. However, I do not regret for a second the decision to pursue legal studies!

Being part of the Women Talent Pool Program and a member of the Local Leadership Team at Microsoft, means you are exposed to leaders and leadership skills. What do you consider are the factors which distinguish a good leader from a bad one?

What makes a great leader is someone who is foremost visionary and afterwards empathetic and modest!

Lastly, we always conclude our interviews with a question from Proust questionnaire: which historical figure do you most identify with?

I cannot help but to think of the ancient tragedy of Sophocles the name of which I have, “Antigoni”. Antigoni is the daughter of the King Oedipus, king of Thebes, and Jocasta (Oedipus mother and wife), who attempts to bury her brother Polinices against King Creontas’ order because Polinices fought against his own city in an attempt to control. Antigoni is caught and is ordered to be buried alive by her uncle the King.

Antigoni had gone against the law which was imposed by the King and instead followed the “natural” law which was formed on the basis of the societal principles and which honored her dead brother. She ensured he was given a formal funeral and did not allow his body to become food for vultures. She had to balance between what is legal and what was fair, and she had the stamina and strength to accept the consequences of her actions.