With preparations for the 2024 CEE Legal Matters Hungary General Counsel Summit in full swing, Peter Virag, the Head of Antitrust, Competition, and Trade at Oppenheim, shares his thoughts about the upcoming event and what he's looking forward to as both a moderator and participant.
CEELM: Why did you decide to get involved in this event?
Virag: We have a long-standing and fruitful cooperation with CEE Legal Matters, having participated in their regional Warsaw event earlier this year. CEELM is one of the most reliable sources of information for the legal community in this region, so when we heard about the GC Summit in Budapest, we were immediately interested.
Moreover, as Oppenheim is celebrating 35 years this year, we’ve wanted to further our commitment to participating in events that bring together the entire legal market. This summit is a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with General Counsels, who are often our main point of contact in business, in a more relaxed and informal setting.
CEELM: What influenced your choice of topic for the panel?
Virag: As a competition lawyer, the choice was quite natural for me. We opted for a broad discussion on internal investigations, not as a strict, formal topic but as something that’s relevant to many companies, even those not currently undergoing an investigation. It’s crucial to have a strategy in place ahead of time—whether to defend the case and go to court or to mitigate and settle with the authority. This is especially important from the perspective of GCs, who often have the challenging task of convincing their management that in certain cases admitting the infringement serves their business interests (eg. by securing immunity from fines, etc.) The topic is deeply connected to compliance, strategy alignment, and how these organizations manage these pressures.
CEELM: Can you give us a sneak peek into the panel discussion?
Virag: I don’t want to give away too much because we want people to attend and experience the discussion firsthand. But the subject itself is compelling. The direction the panel takes will largely depend on the panelists, who are seasoned GCs from multinational companies with significant experience in dealing with heavy investigations. They’ve felt the impact of these processes firsthand, and I believe they’ll provide invaluable insights based on their experiences.
CEELM: What are you most excited about at the GC Summit?
Virag: I’m excited not just about moderating my panel but also about attending the other discussions. Our work mainly revolves around specific legal streams like corporate M&A and finance, so I’m keen to hear what’s new in these fields. Most importantly, I look forward to meeting our existing clients outside of a work context and connecting with new potential clients in a relaxed environment.
CEELM: Why should General Counsels make sure to attend this summit?
Virag: This summit is tailored specifically to the needs of GCs, offering them insights that they will want to be familiar with now and in the future. Plus, there’s no need for extensive travel—it’s right here in Budapest. The event is a unique chance to hear directly from peers who have navigated complex legal challenges and to gain valuable perspectives that are highly relevant to the role of a GC today.
The 2024 CEE Legal Matters Hungary General Counsel Summit is sponsored by Jalsovszky, Oppenheim, Schoenherr, Addleshaw Goddard, DLA Piper, and PONTES Budapest and is organized in partnership with the Hungarian Corporate Compliance Society. Find out more about the event here or register to attend here.
