Vicky Vlastou: Driving Legal Excellence & Strategic Growth across Borders

Navigating the intersection of law and business can be quite challenging, especially when operations are multinational and multidimensional. For almost 25 years, Vicky Vlastou has worked at the very intersection of such spaces, translating intricate legal structures into growth and innovation engines for businesses.

From her early years in Ernst & Young Greece and Vodafone, where big-stakes corporate and regulatory issues sharpened her skills, to top-tier positions in Heineken Greece, top organizations in the Energy sector taking on initiatives, major M&A transactions and trailblazing startups, Vicky has always pursued opportunities that intersect legal accuracy with strategic relevance.

Currently, after leading the legal function as Head of Legal, she has transitioned to the role of External Legal Counsel maintaining an active advisory relationship with the Company.

In this capacity, she oversees key legal and compliance issues, contributes to strategic initiatives, and ensures the application of best practices in corporate governance, investor relations, compliance and cross-border legal operations at Spotawheel, a European used cars platform.

She has been instrumental in closing several rounds of equity fundraising as well as structuring venture debt deals since joining the company in 2022.

Vicky's focus is on co-creation and agility, helping organizations prepare for a fast-changing legal environment influenced by AI, digitalization and cross-border regulation.

Tell us about your educational & professional journey that led to your current role at Spotawheel.

I hold a Master’s in International Commercial Law, with minors in GDPR and ICT law, Intellectual Property, International Business Transactions, and Banking Law, and I’m qualified under English, EU, and Greek law.

I have over two decades of experience, starting at Ernst & Young Greece and later at Vodafone. These roles exposed me to fast-paced corporate environments and strengthened my expertise in legal, regulatory, and compliance matters, particularly within Greece and the EU.

This foundation enabled me to take on senior roles supporting startups and multinationals, in several sectors such as Energy, healthcare, ITC and FMCG ultimately leading me to my current position.

I’ve always pursued opportunities that intersect legal accuracy with strategic relevance

Introduce us to Spotawheel and the key responsibilities you play within the organization.

Spotwheel is a digital retail automotive marketplace for used vehicle sales and operating leases, navigating complex automotive and e-Commerce regulations. The parent company is UK-based, with operations in Romania, Germany, Poland, and Greece, and most management is in Athens.

Since joining in May 2022, I’ve been actively involved in corporate decisions, including overseeing equity fundraising, completing three major rounds, and managing investors requests.

My current role covers advising in legal and compliance matters of corporate governance, shareholder agreements, articles of association compliance, policy updates, training, and full legal and regulatory compliance across the group.

I also handle outsourcing agreements, DPAs, NDAs, GDPR compliance, AML processes, inter-company legal relations, external legal coordination, fundraising, financing agreements, and work closely with management to achieve strategic goals.

What challenges do you encounter in balancing business growth and compliance? How do you mitigate said roadblocks?

My daily challenge is balancing business objectives with legal and regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions, handling issues from tax and regulatory matters to AML and GDPR compliance. Each region brings unique ethical and regulatory complexities, so I focus on creating clear policies and processes aligned with the group’s overall strategy.

My responsibilities span advising the management in adopting corporate policies and procedures in whistleblowing, GDPR, corporate governance, investor requirements, and ESG commitments. I prioritize close collaboration with management teams in each country, ensuring they understand how compliance supports sustainable growth.

With regulations and market trends evolving rapidly, especially within the EU, my goal is to align commercial needs and growth priorities with ethical standards. Every expansion, new partnership, or venture restructuring undergoes rigorous review to ensure alignment with our investors’ and shareholders’ principles.

Which professional milestones have been key in your journey?

Early in my career, I was part of a legal team that helped establish Novabank in Greece. Though later absorbed by another institution, the project was deeply meaningful, blending my legal education with real-world application. At Vodafone, I worked on global initiatives, including the spin-off of Vodafone Group’s IT production operations, handling IT legal matters, GDPR, and employment law, leading negotiations in Greece and supporting contracts across multiple operating companies.

Later, at an Austrian startup Out Threre Media, I played a key role in the expansion of its operations into the USA and Middle East, setting up a U.S. operating company and building partnerships across India, Singapore, Malaysia, and beyond. I also have experience and expertise in the Energy sector, undertaking projects for major Greek and multinational organizations.

How do you foresee AI reshaping corporate law, and how can it be used responsibly?

The integration of AI into business operations is set to transform the corporate legal environment. Many current legal challenges will evolve as AI, digitalization, and remote practices become central to organizational operations. AI is both an enabler and a challenge, especially as education and awareness around it are still developing.

Legal professionals must adapt, reinterpreting ethical considerations and evolving legal frameworks to address digitization, high-tech processes, and new contracting methods like cryptocurrency and digital agreements such as blockchain. Contracting is shifting toward code-based, automated transactions, requiring a balance between traditional legal principles and modern regulations.

Responsible AI use is critical; therefore, systems must comply with GDPR and operate transparently. Collaboration between governments, professionals, and lawmakers will be key to building frameworks that support innovation while safeguarding ethics and security.

Vicky Vlastou, Group Head Of Legal, Spotawheel

Vicky Vlastou has spent nearly 25 years working at the intersection of law and business. After starting her career at Ernst & Young Greece and then at Vodafone, and mutilple projects in the Energy and IT sectors, she managed to untangle all sorts of complicated legal and regulatory situations for multinational entities and so she became very knowledgeable in corporate governance, compliance, and cross-border operations. Currently after leading the legal function as Head of Legal, she has transitioned to the role of External Legal Counsel at Spotawheel.