Draivi is scaling deliberately across eight markets, and that means building senior regulatory capability in-house, ahead of time. Lavinia Husa, a lawyer specialised in regulatory compliance and with direct fintech consumer-lending experience, is leading that work. At Draivi we are treating compliance as a strategic strength, not an afterthought.
Before Draivi
Lavinia has obtained qualifications and practiced law in Finland, Belgium and Malta. Her interest in EU law goes back to her studies, and the sense that European integration was building something genuinely significant. “The concept, structures and legislation of the European Union were developing and creating something big and exciting which would lead to economic growth and stability in the European region. I immediately understood that following this path was the right way to go.”
Over more than a decade at firms including Eversheds and Borenius, she built deep expertise in EU regulatory compliance, M&A and contracts, and later brought fintech consumer-lending experience from Multitude Bank, alongside a strong background in privacy, AI and data regulation.
The move in-house was about proximity to the business itself. “Moving in-house not only allows one to work very closely with business and management on day-to-day business decisions but also provides the opportunity to take ownership of legal, governance and compliance projects to make impact and put my drive to full use.”
Why Draivi, and the first months
For Lavinia, joining as Draivi’s first legal counsel came down to the company itself. “From the results one can tell that Draivi has a good business model and is well managed.” Operating in a highly regulated sector meant she’d be working daily across financial services, consumer rights and data protection, with cyber security and AI regulation adding both challenge and opportunity.
What stood out most in her first months is the pace. ‘Although the team is small, things get done and fast.’ Her week runs on a rhythm of check-ins and updates, but the substance varies constantly: partner contracts to review, growth ideas from colleagues that need a legal read before they move forward, and judgment calls that shape decisions before they’re finalized.
Working in-house, compared to a law firm or a bank, means being part of the team rather than only responding when asked. “I also see myself as a trusted, strategic advisor rather than a legal checkpoint, someone the business turns to early, while a decision is still being shaped, not only at the end to sign it off.”
Staying ahead, not catching up
Lavinia’s approach to Europe’s evolving consumer-finance regulation is proactive by design. “Staying ahead of regulatory requirements, for example by implementing best practices even though there are no sanctions, is an opportunity to grow and build better relationships with our customers and business partners.” That means engaging with voluntary frameworks like the EU’s AI Pact, and treating the banks and financial institutions Draivi works with as strategic partners, rather than arm’s-length counterparties. Operating across eight markets gives Draivi exposure to a wide range of regulatory approaches, which she sees as an advantage rather than a burden.
That mindset extends to how compliance is built, not bolted on. “Compliance by design is inevitable in most of the areas of Draivi’s legislative environment, including data protection, consumer protection as well as AI transparency obligations.” For Lavinia, that means building tools and processes from the start rather than treating compliance as something to enforce as an afterthought. The same applies to complying with legislation, contractual obligations, and the promises made to customers alike.
