Banking on Success

Mirela Iovu is proud of her successful banking career in Romania and with every right. She has led legal departments and provided extensive legal counseling on a variety of areas inherent to the banking profession.

In addition to working as the legal director at OTP Bank Romania, part of OTP Group, an international financial service provider active in nine countries (Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Ukraine) and available to more than 11 million clients via more than 1,300 branch offices as well as electronic channels. Iovu was recently appointed to act as project manager in establishing a banking ombudsman in Romania. The banking ombudsman is a mediation institution that will help mediate disputes between customers (individuals) and banks with regards to their contractual obligations. The institution will create an out-of-court procedure that will act as an alternative for dispute resolution. The project, owned by Romanian Banking Association and started in November 2006, should be finalized by November 2007.

"I had the honor to receive professional recognition for my dedication and
implication from Romanian Banking Association, since I was appointed by the
Romanian Banking Association as regular member of European Payments Council
SEPA Working Groups," she says. "I am also a member of the Legal and Credit
Commission of the Romanian Banking Association, where I am invited, from
time to time, to participate in a task force for Central Bank projects that
involve the banking system."

In addition to her professional acumen, Iovu also has received extensive
education and training. She graduated from the Titu Maiorescu University Law
School in 1996 and received her LL.B in Law Science from the Lucian Blaga
University in 1999. She then went on to attend City University and received
her MBA in 2005.

"In order to be a business-oriented lawyer instead of just someone who is asked to interpret the law in the strictest sense, I knew I had to complete my education and enhance my professional expertise," she explains. "Now, after the MBA program, I feel more confident and really understand the business, which makes it easier to find appropriate legal solutions to support the business units."

Somehow, Iovu also finds the time to connect with fellow alumni living in Romania. In fact, she has spearheaded the formation of the alumni association in Bucharest and is now the incumbent vice president of the Alumni Association of City University-Romania Banking Institute MBA Graduates.

"Our main goal is to touch base with the younger generation of bankers and provide them with information on the banking system and public life while also promoting City University's MBA Program," she says. "We also like to stay abreast of what is going on with their careers so that we can provide them with advice when they need it."