GSK Stockmann is strengthening its team in labour and compensation law with the addition of Theofanis Tacou as Local Partner, thereby expanding its corporate consulting capabilities at the Hamburg office.
Theofanis Tacou is licensed as a specialist for employment and labour law and joining from KPMG Law. As a Local Partner at the Hamburg office starting 1 January 2022, he will be advising clients in the still-young legal field of regulated labour and compensation law with a special focus on the financial services sector. That practice group, led by Alexander Insam and Philipp Kuhn, already wields considerable expertise in this growing field, which has picked up substantial momentum since 2010 in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Tacou complements that expertise and will be expanding it to Hamburg and northern Germany alongside the offices in Heidelberg and Frankfurt.
Tacous’ appointment follows the addition of Alexander Insam and Martin Hörtz, who jointly enhanced this practice group in January 2021. They likewise came from KPMG Law and particularly complement GSK Stockmann’s capabilities in compensation law, sustainable employment and labour law, conflict resolution/mediation, and director and officer liability. Also as per 1 January 2022, the employment and labour law group will be strengthened by the addition of Nicole Deparade, another Local Partner from among the firm’s own ranks. With Theofanis Tacou and Nicole Deparade, the employment and labour, and compensation law practice group now has ten professionals, six of whom are partners.
Among the key counsel topics covered by this practice group: Compensation governance implementing an institution’s or a group’s compensation strategy and compensation policy; the implementation of variable compensation and bonuses in service contracts, employment contracts; and target agreements; regulatory housekeeping involving special audits by Germany’s Federal Financial Services Supervisory Authority and the ECB; and the documentation of the essential processes in written rules and regulations.
Alexander Insam, partner and remuneration law expert, commented: “Reunion accomplished: Theofanis Tacou represents a significant redoubling of the capabilities among our growing team in the dynamic legal field of regulated labour and compensation law. We are delighted that we will now also be able to provide our northern German clients and banks in Hamburg, Hanover, and Berlin with counsel directly from the Hamburg office.”
Markus Söhnchen, Partner and Head of Corporate, added: “GSK Stockmann’s labour and compensation law practice has earned an excellent reputation in recent years. With Theofanis Tacou, we will be able to broaden this expertise and further enhance our impact in the robust financial services sector.”
Theofanis Tacou stated: “It is a great joy to be able to continue the tried and true cooperation with Alexander Insam and Martin Hörtz under a new flag. For me, GSK Stockmann is a strong, independent law firm that combines the highest quality of legal counsel for our clients with access to Luxembourg, which bears particular importance for financial institutions.”