Dessi Fessenko

Experience

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  European Research Executive Agency (REA)

  External Consultant

  Feb 2025 - Present

  The European Research Executive Agency is a European Union agency that funds research and innovation projects in the Union, including €22.7 billion for the period between between 2021 and 2027.

  • Advising on AI and data governance with regards to large-scale healthcare projects integrating Big Data and generative AI.
  • Consulting on the legal and ethical compliance of AI-assisted solutions under consideration for investment, including on privacy, data and AI governance, IP strategy and regulatory feasibility of route-to-market strategies.
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  University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education

  Tutor and Course Director

  Nov 2024 - Present

  University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) delivers lifelong learning through part-time courses for adults taught by leading Cambridge academics and expert tutors. With options ranging from weekend courses right up to two-year Master's programmes and career accelerators, PACE welcomes thousands of students every year, from all over the world.

  • Course director and lecturer for a ten-session course on ethics of Big Data and AI offered by the University of Cambridge PACE as part of its International Summer Programme.
  • Authored the course proposal, developed and delivering the course as part of the University of Cambridge PACE’s 2025 and 2026 International Summer Programme.
  • Designed, developed and delivering the lectures to provide foundational theoretical knowledge, as well as practical guidance to resolving moral disagreements about AI design, development and deployment, and the use of Big Data.
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  European Data Protection Board

  External Expert - EDPB Support Pool of Experts

  Sep 2023 - Present

  The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) is an independent European Union agency responsible for streamlining the application and coordinating the enforcement of the European Union data protection rules, in particular of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), throughout the Union.

  • Appointed to the EDPB’s Support Pool of Experts, sub-list “Legal expertise in new technologies”.
  • Opine on the interpretation and implementation of the GDPR and its interplay with the European Union digital technology regulations, such as the AI Act, the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.
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  Dessislava Fessenko, Innovation Counsel

  Senior Counsel, Innovation, Technology & Compliance

  Aug 2021 - Present

  Dessislava's solo practice specializing in European Union artificial intelligence (AI), data and privacy regulations. Working with general counsels, business executives and founders of multinationals, scale-ups and start-ups, Dessislava guides responsible innovation and compliance with the European Union data protection and data governance, platform and AI regulations and policies.

  • Advising a large European institutional investors on the conformity of AI projects under consideration with the EU AI, privacy and other digital technology regulations.
  • Consulting a large European funder on the compliance of generative AI health solution with the EU AI, privacy and other regulations.
  • Advised an international medical software developer on AI governance.
  • Consulting a leading international institutional investor on the implementation and enforcement of EU competition and privacy regulations.
  • Advising an e-mobility services provider on compliance with the EU privacy and data protection regulations.
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  European Artificial Intelligence Office

  Independent Expert, Working Groups on Drafting the GeneraI-Purpose AI Code of Practice

  Aug 2024 - Jul 2025

  European Artificial Intelligence Office is the European Union regulator tasked with the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act.

  • Member, in my personal capacity of an independent expert, of the Plenary appointed and tasked by the AI Office to draw up the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice envisaged under the EU AI Act and adopted by the European AI Office.
  • Participated specifically in the working groups on: (i) Transparency and copyright-related rules, and (ii) Internal risk management and governance for general-purpose AI model providers.
  • Took part in discussions on specific aspects of these topics and how they should translate into specific obligations for providers of general-purpose AI.
  • Opined on and contributed to iterative drafts of the General Purpose AI Code of Practice with regards to the topics above.
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  Harvard Innovation Labs

  Member

  Jan 2024 - Jun 2024

  The Harvard Innovation Labs is Harvard University's hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. It supports students, faculty, and alumni from across all of Harvard's schools who want to explore entrepreneurial ventures, develop innovative projects, or launch startups.

  • Project work at the intersection of ethics, AI governance and law.
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  University of Cambridge

  Guest Lecturer

  Dec 2023 - Sep 2024

  The University of Cambridge is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious universities, located in Cambridge, England, and established in 1209. It consistently ranks among the top universities globally, typically placing in the top 5 in major international rankings such as QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Cambridge has produced 121 Nobel Prize laureates.

  • Guest-lectured in ethics, regulation and governance of AI and data.

• Kinstellar

  Counsel / Of Counsel

  Dec 2014 - Dec 2022

  Kinstellar is an international law firm that focuses on Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Central Asia. Kinstellar advises on various areas of law including corporate and M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, real estate, energy, infrastructure, dispute resolution, and regulatory matters.

  • Lead competition, data protection and technology lawyer and former head of Kinstellar’s firm-wide Technology and Data Protection practice.
  • Provided strategic and operational advice and led competition, data protection and technology work on complex transactions, tech, life sciences and intellectual property matters, emergent and disruptive innovation, and compliance initiatives.
  • Advised Fortune 500 and DAX international companies, emergent businesses, investors, international organizations and institutions on expansion, innovation, transformation and mission critical antitrust, data and technology matters and mergers.
  • Advised on responsible data governance, including: data audits, design, development and implementation of internal policies, processes, protocols and controls.
  • Represented large multinational clients before competition authorities and courts, in complex mergers worth between EUR 300 million and EUR 1 billion, and successfully obtained clearance for these mergers.
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  CMS CEE

  Senior Attorney

  Feb 2011 - Dec 2014

  CMS is a global, full service law firm with 75 offices worldwide. CMS are a top 10 global law firm and the largest in Europe and have over 4,800 lawyers who work in international teams, focusing on industry sectors.

  • Advised international clients from various industries on compliance with the European Union and Bulgarian competition, data protection and technology regulations.
  • Successfully represented large multinationals in proceedings before competition and data protection authorities and courts.
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  Novartis

  In-house counsel (secondee)

  Jun 2010 - Nov 2010

  Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. It focuses on developing and manufacturing prescription medications, generic drugs (through its Sandoz division), and eye care products. Novartis works across several therapeutic areas including oncology, cardiology, immunology, neuroscience, and ophthalmology.

  • Seconded in-house lawyer responsible for all matters related to European Union competition and IPR regulations.
  • Advised lifecycle management, patent litigation and settlement, parallel imports, licensing agreements, R&D cooperation, supply and distribution arrangements, compliance in region Europe.
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  Linklaters

  Associate

  Aug 2006 - Dec 2010

  Linklaters is one of the world's leading international law firms, headquartered in London. It's part of the "Magic Circle" - a group of elite UK law firms known for handling major corporate and financial transactions. The firm operates across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the US, in corporate law, banking and finance, capital markets, M&A (mergers and acquisitions), dispute resolution, and regulatory matters.

  • Advised large multinationals on all aspects of the European Union antitrust, merger control and State aid regulations and competition policy.
  • Represented international clients in antitrust, merger and State aid proceedings before the European Commission and in lawsuits before the Courts of the European Union.