EU Whistleblower Directive: status of its implementation and related issues

Eric is Co-Chair of the Compliance Subcommittee within the IBA Anticorruption Committee and is heading GSK Stockmann´s compliance advisory practice in Munich. He specializes on designing, implementing and reviewing risk-based Compliance Management Systems in international industry corporations. He served as the first Chief Compliance Officer of a Dax30 company, supported international corporations under World Bank- and US DoJ/ SEC monitorships and was a senior member of the monitor team in one of the largest FCPA cases to date. Eric studied Law and Economics at the universities of Mannheim, Lausanne, Cambridge (UK) and Heidelberg. He received executive education in Business Administration at Babson College in Wellesley and Harvard Business School in Boston.

Sophie’s practice focuses on white collar crime defense and regulatory investigations, with a particular emphasis on fraud and international corruption, internal investigations, compliance and risk management. Sophie has been involved in several high profile criminal matters. She has managed extensive international fraud cases, international money laundering, tax fraud and criminal proceedings, such as the “Wendel” case. She has represented individuals and companies in domestic and international corruption matters, some in connection with the “Oil for Food” case. She has assisted companies to enter into deferred prosecution agreements with the US DoJ and settlements with the International Banks of Development and foreign authorities.

Before joining Cagnola & Associati Law Firm in July 2016, Silvia Martina collaborated with other Italian Law Firms where she developed her expertise in corporate administrative liability. She graduated with honors from the Università degli Studi in Milan. Now she collaborates with the University as an Expert in her specialty and she holds the Chair of Advanced Criminal Procedural Law. She is a Lawyer of Milan Bar Association and , from July 2020, a member of the International Bar Association. She cooperates regularly with foreign legal firms, both EU and non-EU based, to provide assistance in criminal defense cases brought before the Italian Judicial Authorities.

With almost 25 years of practical experience, Bogdan Bibicu is the co-head of the Investigations, Crisis Response & Compliance practice and also part of the White Collar Crime and Asset Recovery practices at Wolf Theiss, leading independent law firm in the CEE&SEE. Bogdan specialises in investigations, compliance, corporate criminal liability, white collar crime, asset recovery, remedial matters and other related angles. Bogdan has been acting for international, regional and local clients in various industry sectors, such, as production, infrastructure, energy, life sciences, finance, IT/TMT, professional services, engineering, transport, logistics and others. Bogdan's expertise is also complemented by a wealth of experience also in the areas of Projects, Banking & Finance, Restructuring & Insolvency, TMT, Lifesciences & Pharmaceuticals or Disputes at a Magic Circle firm in London and in the CEE&SEE. Besides his legal qualifications, Bogdan is a Certified Auditor for ISO 37001 (Anti-bribery management systems).

Tobias Teicke is founding partner of the leading German compliance boutique law firm COMFIELD LEGAL based in Berlin. The JUVE Handbook of German law firms and the Brandeins ranking on law firms consider COMFIELD to be one of the best law firms in the area of internal investigations and compliance. Tobias advises companies and institutions in the areas of compliance and white collar crime. His focus lies on liability issues, corporate governance, debarments, supply chain compliance and ESG. Based on his many years of experience, Tobias supports clients in setting up compliance systems in international structures and carrying out internal investigations (e.g. in the areas of criminal law, antitrust, data breach, ESG, #metoo, sanctions, AML, supply chain and corporate culture). He also advises clients in matters involving compliance monitorships (e.g. FCPA DOJ), investigation authorities and in disputes before the state courts and courts of arbitration. Tobias is an ombudsperson for various companies. He was an expert for the OECD Working Group on Bribery on the measures taken by Germany in the fight against foreign bribery. Tobias is a member of various working groups at the German Institute for Compliance (DICO) and the Anti-Corruption Committee of the International Bar Association (IBA).