Petros has worked with NBGI since 1998, when he was introduced to the firm by the Bank’s then Governor, the late Mr Theodoros Karatzas. The intention was that he was to assist the firm on a single specific structured product assignment.
Over the last thirteen years that single assignment developed into a long list of transactions in fixed income, M&A and private equity, many of which were milestone deals or broke new legal ground. Petros also assisted NBGI in a number of its own corporate projects in relation to the Greek established business and was instrumental in the setting up of the first generation of what is now the South Eastern European fund.
The relationship with NBGI however goes beyond these formal engagements. Petros was never a “house lawyer” for NBGI and he worked with his exceptional levels of diligence for many firms, many of which were NBGI’s competitors. But such has been the quality of his firm’s and his personal service that for many in NBGI Petros was always available and became the trusted “first point” of contact. Sometimes this extended to a trusted “day to day” contact, even if the long distance telephone cost of such indulgence could not always be fully justified on professional grounds; it was always a pleasure to chat, whether on business or otherwise. Petros became thus an indispensable part of NBGI, an informal “colleague” and a friend: looking back, Petros’s interaction with NBGI is the story of NBGI itself.
There are many ways to quantify such a bold statement. In this blog, where we invite people to write their thoughts and remembrances, perhaps the most telling statistic is neither the number of deals he worked on (“numerous” will suffice) nor the various parts of the business he supported (in fact, all: fixed income, corporate finance, public securities, private equity, HR, compliance, finance and various central projects); it is rather the sheer number of people in NBGI who have worked directly with him on their assignments. No less than 35 NBGI present and former members of staff have worked directly with Petros and his highly gifted and hard working colleagues in the Dracopoulos & Vassalakis firm. This figure is more impressive if we take into account that there was never a policy to work with him, nor did he ever market his services to any of us. It sort of, just happened. Where there were challenges Petros would offer solutions. Transactions that might never have happened came to life. “Everything” was possible in business and outside work.
Over the last few days, as the shocking news has been relayed among the finance community in Athens and London, the overriding impression one received was of admiration for such a gracious and kind man. But perhaps it would also be important not to allow Petros’ warm and unassuming character to overshadow the simple fact, that he was a remarkable lawyer with a legal mind second to none.
The real story of Petros must yet be told. He was immensely admired as a professional and liked as a friend. No one person’s account can do justice to this wonderful friend of NBGI – and of many other clients whom he served with such absolute devotion. Hopefully this blog will go some way in helping us all gather up and share some of our collective experiences of Petros, both professional and personal.
Petros enjoyed life to the full and was never one to hold back. We would ask for any contributions (tributes, stories, anecdotes) to be as unconstrained by decorum and convention as possible: this is what he would have wanted and expected.
