Kristi Purtsak appointed Head of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at Eesti Energia

As of 1 September, Kristi Purtsak took up the position of Head of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at the Eesti Energia Group. Under Purtsak’s leadership, a new Legal and Regulatory Affairs Department has been established, bringing together the previously separate fields of legal affairs and government and partner relations.

According to Andrus Durejko, Chairman of the Management Board of Eesti Energia, due to the rapid changes in the energy sector, it is becoming increasingly important to view the legal and regulatory environment as a whole and to be able to anticipate changes.

‘Today, developments in the energy sector are shaped to a very large extent by regulations and the energy policy choices of the government. For us, it is essential to be a strong partner in these matters, to identify changes at an early stage and to assess their impact both on Eesti Energia and more broadly on the energy sector of Estonia. Kristi has extensive legal experience and an in-depth understanding of the decision-making processes of the state. I am delighted that she is bringing this experience to Eesti Energia and will be heading our legal and regulatory affairs,’ said Durejko.

Kristi Purtsak joins Eesti Energia from the Government Office, where she had worked since 2020 as Director of Legal Affairs and headed the Legal Department. She was responsible for organising legal counsel to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State and the Government of the Republic, and was involved in the preparation and implementation of the strategic decisions of the Government.

Purtsak has also led the drafting of the Crisis Situation and National Defence Act, legislative work during the COVID-19 crisis, and legislative work in the fields of national security, national defence and crisis management.

‘Eesti Energia operates in a sector where business, energy policy, regulations and the state’s strategic interests are very closely intertwined. This makes this new role an exciting challenge for me. Together with the team, I want to create a cohesive, robust setup that helps the company anticipate legal and regulatory changes, manage risks effectively and support the achievement of the strategic objectives of Eesti Energia,’ said Kristi Purtsak.

The role of the Legal and Regulatory Affairs function is to ensure the legal and regulatory security of Eesti Energia’s operations and to support the Group’s business in a rapidly changing environment. Among other things, this entails the proactive management of legal and regulatory risks, the provision of legal support and the systematic handling of contracts, disputes and regulatory matters.