Multilingual sports lawyer with 9 years of expertise in government relations and public policy advocacy focused on the sports sector. Specializes in anti-doping issues and good governance. Successfully led advocacy initiatives that improved regulatory frameworks and advanced stakeholder interests.
Manage regulatory governance matters, focusing on FIFA Statutes and FIFA Governance Regulations
Deliver comprehensive feedback on regulatory projects, legal documents, and organizational matters concerning FIFA Regulations
Prepare documentation for the FIFA Council and Congress meetings
Provide responses to regulatory enquiries from all internal and external football stakeholders
Deputy Director, Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships
World Anti-Doping Agency
Montreal
06.2023 - 08.2024
Fostered strategic alliances between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and intergovernmental bodies such as UNESCO, Council of Europe, American Sports Council (CADE) and ASEAN
Supported WADA's President and Director General, ensuring seamless interaction with Governments and intergovernmental institutions
Led development of briefing documents, speeches, position papers, and background data tailored for WADA leadership
Engaged in high-level political forums to advocate for WADA’s strategic objectives and secure governmental backing, in particular, at the agency's Executive Committee and Foundation Board
Collaborated with EU entities to shape policies that supported WADA's objectives
Directed team efforts in lobbying and advocacy, managing content strategy and outreach initiatives
Coordinated regional intergovernmental conferences to strengthen collaborative efforts against doping
Manager, Government and NADO Relations
World Anti-Doping Agency
Lausanne
06.2021 - 05.2023
Established lasting relationships with key European stakeholders like governments and National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs)
Assisted European Governments to develop anti-doping legal framework which is in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and NADOs to create robust and in line with the Code anti-doping programs
Served as ISO-certified auditor for WADA audits of NADOs and International Federations
Engaged in international policy dialogues for WADA across major global organizations
Case management coordinator, Case Management team
Athletics Integrity Unit, World Athletics
Monaco
12.2018 - 05.2021
Crafted comprehensive written submissions for the independent Disciplinary Tribunal of World Athletics and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), demonstrating expertise in legal documentation, case law research, and strategic analysis
Managed high volumes of correspondence and ensured compliance with tight deadlines while preparing for hearings, including cross-examinations and witness statements
Actively represented the AIU in hearings before the independent Disciplinary Tribunal and CAS, showcasing strong advocacy and communication skills
Legal officer, Sport Conventions Division
Council of Europe
Strasbourg
11.2016 - 11.2018
Contributed to the Secretariat of the Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No
135) by preparing meeting documentation for the Monitoring Group of the ETS No.135, while participating in compliance evaluation visits to enhance member states adherence
Study Visit
Inter-American Court of Human Rights
San Jose
07.2017
Conducted extensive research on sport-related cases before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Legal trainee
European Olympic Committees
Brussels
07.2016 - 10.2016
Participated in European institutions' meetings on sport policies to gather insights
Paralegal
Mills&Reeve
Manchester
05.2016 - 06.2016
Composed CAS awards on football-related disputes for a CAS arbitrator and conducted legal research on case law
Legal trainee, Sport Conventions Division
Council of Europe
Strasbourg
03.2016 - 04.2016
Examined and prepared documents addressing legal implications of Conventions
Legal trainee
Law firm " Koutsougiwrgos Panos-Tomas and partners"
Thessaloniki
04.2015 - 08.2015
Organized case materials for court proceedings
Trainee, Civil Matter -Court of Appeals
Greek Court of Justice
Thessaloniki
09.2014 - 03.2015
Conduct detailed reviews of legal documents to ensure correct classification and categorization
Legal trainee
Ville de Bruxelles
Brussels
03.2014 - 06.2014
Analyzed administrative claims and drafted responses addressing complaints
Education
Master in Sports Law - Juriste du Sport
Université Côte d'Azur
09.2015 - 09.2016
Degree in law - undefined
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
09.2009 - 07.2014
Erasmus Studies - undefined
Université Libre de Bruxelles
09.2011 - 01.2012
OTHER SKILLS
Project Management Methodology, Council of Europe, 03/28/18 - 03/29/18, Strasbourg, France
Investigation and legal follow-up on sexual harassment cases in athletics, 02/17/20 - 02/18/20, Monaco, Monaco
<ul>
<li>Led a team of three in the credit risk function for borrowers in North India.</li>
<li>Managed complete documentation process for corporate loans, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.</li>
<li>Reviewed legal documents to verify compliance with internal policies and regulations.</li>
<li>Collaborated with legal counsel and relationship teams to close transactions promptly.</li>
<li>Resolved loan document discrepancies within policy framework, minimizing risks and delays.</li>
<li>Improved loan documentation processes, achieving a 99% accuracy rate.</li>
<li>Partnered with product and governance teams to refine banking products based on customer needs.</li>
<li>Directed relationship management efforts to enhance stakeholder engagement and process improvements.</li>
</ul> at Standard Chartered Bank<ul>
<li>Led a team of three in the credit risk function for borrowers in North India.</li>
<li>Managed complete documentation process for corporate loans, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance.</li>
<li>Reviewed legal documents to verify compliance with internal policies and regulations.</li>
<li>Collaborated with legal counsel and relationship teams to close transactions promptly.</li>
<li>Resolved loan document discrepancies within policy framework, minimizing risks and delays.</li>
<li>Improved loan documentation processes, achieving a 99% accuracy rate.</li>
<li>Partnered with product and governance teams to refine banking products based on customer needs.</li>
<li>Directed relationship management efforts to enhance stakeholder engagement and process improvements.</li>
</ul> at Standard Chartered Bank
<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. Contributed to investor communications with data-backed insights to enhance stakeholder confidence and secure strategic funding.</li><li>Cross-Functional & Global Stakeholder Management: Functioned as the strategic finance business partner to cross-functional heads and the PUIG global finance team, aligning local execution with global financial strategies and compliance requirements.</li><li>ERP Transformation & System Automation: Led end-to-end ERP reimplementation to address system gaps, enforce role-based controls, and automate core finance processes—resulting in enhanced data accuracy, faster reporting and improved internal controls.</li><li>Costing, Inventory & Profitability Optimization: Designed and implemented plant-level costing models to ensure accurate COGS determination. Improved inventory management across pricing, consumption tracking, and aging analysis—enabling better working capital control and cost efficiency.</li><li>Manufacturing Finance & Statutory Compliance: Supervised end-to-end accounting for manufacturing operations and ensured full statutory compliance.</li><li>Financial Reporting, MIS & Profitability Analytics: Delivered accurate and timely monthly MIS reports, including P&L, Balance Sheet and KPI dashboards with deep-dive variance analysis across stores, business verticals, and geographies. Supported board-level decision-making through insightful presentations on financial health and business performance.</li><li>Budgeting, Forecasting & Business Planning: Led the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and rolling forecasts, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and market dynamics. Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. Reviewed key business contracts to ensure financial viability, risk protection, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li><li>Treasury & External Commercial Borrowing (ECB): Managed fund planning and liquidity management including ECB drawdowns, bank negotiations, and interest optimization. Improved working capital cycles through proactive cash flow forecasting and receivables control.</li><li>Internal Controls & Governance Framework: Led organization-wide reviews of internal control systems, identified process gaps, and redesigned or implemented over 40 SOPs and IFCs. Established a governance structure for financial discipline, risk mitigation, and policy compliance across departments.</li></ul> at Kama Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. & PUIG India Pvt. Ltd.<ul><li>Company Overview: Group Company of PUIG, Spain</li><li>Team Leadership & Process Excellence: Organised the transformation of the Finance & Accounts function, establishing performance-driven goals, and embedding a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Drove operational efficiency through process redesigns, SOP implementation and optimal resource deployment, leading to measurable improvements in turnaround time and accuracy.</li><li>Strategic Partnering with CXOs: Acted as a key advisor to the CEO, CFO, and other CXOs on business planning, pricing strategies, and business model pivots to support scale-up and profitability. Contributed to investor communications with data-backed insights to enhance stakeholder confidence and secure strategic funding.</li><li>Cross-Functional & Global Stakeholder Management: Functioned as the strategic finance business partner to cross-functional heads and the PUIG global finance team, aligning local execution with global financial strategies and compliance requirements.</li><li>ERP Transformation & System Automation: Led end-to-end ERP reimplementation to address system gaps, enforce role-based controls, and automate core finance processes—resulting in enhanced data accuracy, faster reporting and improved internal controls.</li><li>Costing, Inventory & Profitability Optimization: Designed and implemented plant-level costing models to ensure accurate COGS determination. Improved inventory management across pricing, consumption tracking, and aging analysis—enabling better working capital control and cost efficiency.</li><li>Manufacturing Finance & Statutory Compliance: Supervised end-to-end accounting for manufacturing operations and ensured full statutory compliance.</li><li>Financial Reporting, MIS & Profitability Analytics: Delivered accurate and timely monthly MIS reports, including P&L, Balance Sheet and KPI dashboards with deep-dive variance analysis across stores, business verticals, and geographies. Supported board-level decision-making through insightful presentations on financial health and business performance.</li><li>Budgeting, Forecasting & Business Planning: Led the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and rolling forecasts, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and market dynamics. Monitored key financial metrics to enable business decisions and proactive cost management.</li><li>Statutory, Internal & Tax Audit Management: Finalized standalone and consolidated financials under Ind AS and IFRS, ensured timely group reporting and compliance with international standards. Delivered clean and timely closures of statutory, tax, and internal audits in coordination with Big 4 auditors. Strengthened audit readiness through pre-audit diagnostics and rectification of recurring control gaps.</li><li>Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensured end-to-end compliance which includes ROC, RBI, FEMA, Income Tax, GST, Transfer Pricing, DTAA, and Customs. Reviewed cross-border contracts and transactions to ensure arm’s length pricing, accurate TDS application, and proper documentation under Transfer Pricing regulations.</li><li>Commercial Negotiation & Contract Governance: Led commercial negotiations and structured deals with vendors and franchisees. Reviewed key business contracts to ensure financial viability, risk protection, and compliance with regulatory standards.</li><li>Treasury & External Commercial Borrowing (ECB): Managed fund planning and liquidity management including ECB drawdowns, bank negotiations, and interest optimization. Improved working capital cycles through proactive cash flow forecasting and receivables control.</li><li>Internal Controls & Governance Framework: Led organization-wide reviews of internal control systems, identified process gaps, and redesigned or implemented over 40 SOPs and IFCs. Established a governance structure for financial discipline, risk mitigation, and policy compliance across departments.</li></ul> at Kama Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. & PUIG India Pvt. Ltd.