Event information
The Legal 500 looks forward to welcoming delegates to the third edition of the Middle East Disputes Summit in Dubai, in September 2023. With a comprehensive agenda put together by our steering committee, the summit will bring together the Middle East’s leading in-house counsel to discuss challenges, insights and, most importantly, potential solutions to the main issues the region faces today in the resolution of disputes.
The Middle East is experiencing an exponential surge in business opportunities with global ramifications, and the region is consolidating success through the adoption of existing business models, as well as adding new revenue streams to many industries, through new and existing companies, making the region a hub for international commerce at all levels of the corporate world.
However, the positive effects of this new surge of upright business do not come easy, and the consequence of such success brings arbitration and dispute resolutions to these fruitful corporations making the work of the in-house counsel crucial and extremely necessary in times of political and regulatory disruption, economic uncertainty and strenuous competition.
With the support of Al Tamimi, Charles Russell Speechlys, K&L Gates, Afridi & Angell, Hadef & Partners, Horizons & Co, and OGH Legal, we are thrilled to present the third edition of the Middle East Disputes Summit
Drawing on the vast experience of our steering committee members and highly-accomplished speakers, this event will provide insightful and practical advice to all in-house counsel. It is a must-attend event for any in-house counsel in the region that is aiming to reach the next level on their professional development journey.
Attendees can expect high-profile speakers, plenty of time for debate, and networking opportunities.
Agenda
08.15am – 09.00am Registration and Breakfast
09.00am -09.30am Welcome & Keynote
- Dominik Engel, vice president and global lead counsel digital & cybersecurity, ABB
09.30am -10.30am The rise of dispute resolution in the region
Navigating the complexities of enforcement and new changes in the UAE and KSA.
- What is new? The pros and cons of the evolving legal and judicial frameworks in the region.
- Understanding the Landscape: Overview of legal frameworks for security and enforcement in the UAE and KSA, highlighting dispute-prone areas.
- Competing jurisdictions: DIFC and ADGM courts
- Is the region prepared for the sudden influx of technological advancements in dispute resolution?
- Transparency Challenges: The role of transparency in financial instruments and its influence on dispute resolutions in the UAE and KSA
Moderator
Jody Waugh, deputy managing partner, Al Tamimi & Co
Panelists
- Naief Yahia, partner, Al Tamimi and Co
- Jonathan Brooks, senior counsel – International Litigation Group, Al Tamimi & Co
- David Holloway, partner – head of advocacy, Al Tamimi & Co
- Ahmed Basrawi, partner, Al Tamimi & Co
- Fauzia Khehar, division legal counsel, Middle East & North Africa – (MENA), Citi
- Sridip Ganguli, financial advisory partner, Deloitte
10.30am -11.30am Is regional arbitration on the verge of extinction? (Sponsored by K&L Gates)
This lively panel discussion will consider the opinions and experiences of in-house counsel and private practice lawyers regarding regional arbitration and whether regional arbitration enables parties to achieve timely, cost-effective, and efficient dispute resolution. Representatives from two regional arbitral institutions, the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA), will be invited to respond and explain what the institutions are doing to enhance the quality of regional arbitration. The panel will explore whether those developments are sufficient and what else needs to be done to make regional arbitration more attractive to local businesses.
Moderator
Jonathan Sutcliffe, partner, K&L Gates LLP
Panelists
- Jennifer Paterson, partner, K&L Gates LLP
- Refki El-Mujtahed, legal manager, BESIX Construct
- Robert Stephen, registrar, Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
- Iryna Telychko, general legal counsel, Eithad Rail
- Christian Alberti, chief of ADR and general counsel, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA)
11.30am – 11.45am Coffee Break
11.45am – 12.45pm Unmasking Tech Fraud and Cyber Risks in the UAE: Current Trends, Threats and Legal Responses
This panel session will explore the challenges stemming from tech fraud in the UAE. Discussing the increased sophistication of fraudsters and emerging threats, our distinguished panellists will provide valuable insights into the key trends observed within the jurisdiction of common law courts (DIFC/ ADGM) and local UAE courts (onshore).
Moderator
Patrick Gearon, partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
Panelists
- Max Davis, legal director, Charles Russell Speechlys
- Ghassan El Daye, partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
- James Tebbs, senior managing director, Ankura
- James Daniell, managing director, Alvarez & Marsal
12.45pm – 1.15pm Good faith and breakups in relationships?
We will examine the concept of good faith in DIFC law and whether it extends to the suspension, termination, or renewal of commercial contracts. We will go over some recent caselaw from the banking industry.
- David Holloway, partner and head of advocacy, Al Tamimi & Co
- Robert Lewsley, regional head, disputes & government investigations legal, AME, Standard Chartered Bank
1.15pm – 2.25pm Lunch
2.25pm – 3.25pm The financial outlook in dispute resolution, bankruptcy, restructuring and the weaponisation of such elements locally and beyond borders
Bankruptcy and restructuring are particularly relevant in the current economic climate. Because of this, creditors are weaponising these two sectors, which harms not only the borrowers but also creates a hostile environment for others seeking financial support from external entities – how do in-house legal experts navigate these waters? What can we expect in the short and medium term? Our legal experts will answer these questions and many more in this exciting panel discussion.
Moderator
Walid Azzam, partner, Hadef & Partners
Panelists
- Mohammed Al Dhaheri, partner, Hadef & Partners
- Haroon Ahmed, partner, Grant Thornton
- Karim Serour, executive vice president legal, Al Ghurair
- Tarek Mogharbel, executive director and senior country counsel – MENAT JP Morgan Chase & Co
3.25 pm – 3.55pm Mini Panel: Regional litigation outlook: Saudi Arabia – United Arab Emirates
The two nations are role models in embracing change and opportunities with great speed and accuracy in areas such as dispute resolution. The first Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) in the DIFC is an excellent example of innovation. The two countries are embarking on a new legal framework across their borders that aims for more effective judiciary procedures that can enhance their arbitration and litigation systems with tools such as the special tribunals in local courts, the advocacy law allowing partners of international firms the right of audience, and more. This session will explore the latest trends in dispute resolution and discuss the future outcomes of the new mechanism available for in-house counsel and private practice lawyers.
Moderator
Chatura Randeniya, partner, Afridi & Angell
Panelists
- Ahmad Azzouni, chief legal counsel, Aujan Group Holding
- Jeanina Awni, senior lawyer, Mohamed Al Sharif in Association with Johnson & Pump
- Raghav Mathur, general counsel, Healthcare and Real Estate Divisions, Yas Holding
3.55pm – 4.10pm Coffee Break
4.10pm – 4.40pm Experiencing the new era of commercial agency disputes
In this exciting session, our legal experts will contesting the previous discussion with fascinating insights, such as the recent changes in dispute resolution in the UAE and how those changes are opening the door to arbitration in the country. At the same time, our panellists will discuss how arbitrators are embracing the new mechanisms set by the institutions, such as commercial agency disputes, intending to provide efficiency, impartiality and seamless solutions to the parties involved in the arbitration procedure. Finally, our legal experts will discuss the scepticism surrounding the new mechanisms for different legal matters and their efficiency on the issues related to arbitration and dispute resolution in the country.
- How arbitration practitioners are embracing and actioning the agency dispute mechanisms
- Exploring the powers of arbitral tribunal to investigate alongside customs authorities
- The new competencies of international companies opening their agencies in the UAE and how other GCC jurisdictions react to UAE’s most recent and attractive strategy to attract new companies.
Moderator
Natasja Pollemans, partner, Horizons & Co
Panelists
- Ali Al Zarouni, partner, Horizons & Co
- Sara Darazirar, leader, legal & compliance MENA/MED, LIXIL EMENA
- Shafiq Jamoos, head of legal, AWR Properties
4.40pm – 5.25pm The General Counsel’s Role in Dispute Resolution
This panel will incorporate the thoughts and opinions of three notable GCs from the region in order to convey their major takeaways from the day. The panel will also outline the role of in-house lawyers in the dispute resolution process and how to appropriately manage the expectations of their organisation.
- Shaharya Nashat, senior legal counsel GCC, Engie
- Donia Droubi, head of legal, Coastal Arabia Cluster, Nestle
- Irina Kovalchuk, group general counsel, ZMI Holdings
5.25pm – 5.30pm Closing remarks
5.30pm – 6.30pm Drinks reception
Speakers
Walid Azzam, partner, Hadef & Partners
Walid is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution department at Hadef & Partners. He specializes in complex Commercial and Corporate arbitration and litigation, often with multi-jurisdictional elements.
Walid joined Hadef & Partners in 2005. During that time, he has developed specialist knowledge of managing large scale, disputes and has acted on a number of high-profile banking and commercial matters. Walid advises a diverse group of clients; including publicly traded and multi-national companies, as well as high net worth individuals on various contentious matters including insolvency related issues.
Walid also specializes in local and international asset tracings, recovery and investigations and has been recognized as one of the leading individuals in the UAE for asset recovery.
He advises on financial crimes as well as on extradition and mutual legal assistance matters.
Walid has a Juris Doctorate and is admitted to the Massachusetts State Bar. He routinely lectures, and sits on various panels that deal with a variety of issues relating to regional legal trends and developments.
Mohammed Al Dhaheri, partner, Hadef & Partners
Mohammed is a Partner of our Dispute Resolution team in Dubai. He has rights of audience as an Advocate in the UAE courts. Mohammed is experienced in advising on a diverse range of court litigation and disputes including civil and criminal cases. He has a wealth of experience acting on commercial litigation matters in addition to real estate and banking matters, including white collar crime.
Mohammed holds an LLB in Sharia & Law from the United Arab Emirates University, (Hons with distinction). He also holds an LLM and certificate in International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution from Georgetown University, Washington DC.
Mohammed is fluent in Arabic and English.
Ghassan El Daye, partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
Ghassan heads the Arabic regional litigation practice in the Middle East and specialises in all areas of dispute resolution with a particular emphasis on construction, commercial, civil, banking, real estate and criminal matters. Ghassan has over 23 years’ experience in litigation and dispute resolution. His extensive in-depth experience in civil, Sharia, commercial, real estate, banking, construction and criminal laws have enabled him to represent clients in some of the region’s most high profile and complex cases. Offering a full scope of litigation services from drafting to implementation of case strategies locally and internationally, Ghassan is one of few litigators who won multi-billion dollar cases for clients and advised on high complex and cross border disputes. In addition, Ghassan possesses thorough expertise in matters of civil, administrative, real estate, banking and Sharia’h law.
Max Davis, legal director, Charles Russell Speechlys
Max specialises in high value, multi-jurisdictional disputes involving fraud, asset tracing and corruption in the financial services and banking sectors, often with an insolvency element. He has litigated in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council, and as far afield as in the Cayman Islands and Tanzania. He also has extensive experience of complex multi-party LCIA arbitration.
In tandem, Max has a burgeoning practice in Public and Administrative Law disputes, with a particular focus on Judicial Review and assisting colleagues in a wide variety of sectors including competition, environmental and planning, foreign governments, immigration, pensions and tax, and public inquiries and inquests. He is an active member of both the Young Lawyers Committee of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the ACROSS Fraud Network. He is also a member of ALBA, the Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association.
Patrick Gearon, partner, Charles Russell Speechlys
Patrick is Head of Charles Russell Speechlys LLP’s Middle East practice (conducted from offices in Bahrain, Dubai and Qatar). Patrick is also Chair of the Firm’s Global Markets Group, which co-ordinates the Firm’s international activities.
He specialises in all areas of dispute resolution with particular emphasis on banking, intellectual property, insolvency, professional negligence and company disputes.
Patrick has conducted litigation and arbitration in Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Italy, France, Ukraine, the USA and in all the GCC states as well as in all the courts within the English jurisdiction.
Patrick is one of the lead partners acting in the administration of Awal Bank B.S.C. which has involved over 75 different litigation and arbitration cases in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA and the Cayman Islands.
Jonathan Sutcliffe, partner, K&L Gates LLP
Jonathan Sutcliffe is a partner in K&L Gates international law firm, resident in the firm’s Dubai office, and a member of the international arbitration practice group. He has over 26 years of experience in international arbitration, ADR and litigation. He has been resident in Dubai for more than 14 years. Jonathan is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). As well as representing clients in arbitrations, Jonathan frequently sits as an arbitrator.
Jennifer Paterson, partner, K&L Gates LLP
Jennifer Paterson is a partner in K&L Gates international law firm, resident in the firm’s Dubai office, and a member of the international arbitration practice group. Jennifer has been practising as a disputes lawyer in Dubai for over 12 years. She advises and represents regional and international clients in a wide range of contentious matters.
Refki El-Mujtahed, legal manager, BESIX Construct
A UK-qualified solicitor with over 22 years of experience, over 14 years managerial experience, 12 years international and over eight years regional experience. Fluent in English, French and Arabic. Legal Manager for Besix ME Group, overseeing infrastructure projects for the GCC region. He joined Besix in February 2021.
Robert Stephen, registrar, Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
Described as a “highly respected figurehead and operator” and a “very composed practitioner“, Robert is an internationally recognised arbitration expert. He is the Registrar of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre; a former Partner and Chief Operating Officer of specialist arbitration boutique, Ghaffari Partners; and the former Registrar of the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre and Dubai Financial Services Authority’s Financial Markets Tribunal. Prior to that, he practiced with Herbert Smith Freehills in London, Paris, Moscow, and Dubai for more than a decade. He has been based in the United Arab Emirates since 2011.
As Registrar, he has a proven track record of putting users, party-counsel, and arbitrators first. He has been recognised in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 editions of Who’s Who Legal Arbitration and described as a “Future Leader”. Peers say he is “professional, thorough and meticulous” and “extremely good at explaining complex issues to people who do not have the detailed knowledge he possesses”. He is said to be “excellent to deal with”, possessing a “real depth of knowledge” and he is further described as a “leading figure” that is said to have “raised the standards of arbitration in the [MENA] region”.
Iryna Telychko, general legal counsel, Eithad Rail
Mrs Iryna Telychko is a recognized corporate counsel included in GC POWERLIST: MIDDLE EAST 2019 and a member in-house working group of IBA Arbitration Committee. She is an international lawyer with more than 15 years of in – house and private practice experience in the fields of international commercial transactions, infrastructure projects, general corporate law, energy projects, finance and banking transactions as well as dispute resolution. She is regularly appointed by various arbitration institutions to act as an arbitrator to resolve commercial disputes and invited to speak at the professional events.
Christian Alberti, chief of ADR and general counsel, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA)
Christian P. Alberti is the Chief of ADR and General Counsel of the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) and based in Riyadh and Dubai. Prior to joining the SCCA in 2019, he was the Assistant Vice President of the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA-ICDR). He taught as Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Law (NYU) on International Arbitration and International Sales Law between 2017 and 2019. He is a Member of the Global Advisory Board of the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators as well as a member of various international ADR associations. He is certified to practice law in Germany and New York State.
Tarek Mogharbel, executive director and senior country counsel – MENAT, JP Morgan Chase & Co
Tarek is the Senior Country Counsel for J.P. Morgan in the MENAT region, with more than 20 years multidisciplinary experience in the legal, banking, corporate and financial fields. He has extensive experience in conventional and Islamic banking products, contract negotiation and cross-border transactions. His experience includes dealing with complex regulatory issues, license applications and managing large projects.
He joined J.P. Morgan in 2012 and is currently based in Dubai, responsible for advising the firm’s businesses in connection with legal, regulatory and governance matters in the United Arab Emirates and the wider MENAT region.
He was involved in advising and structuring major Capital Markets/IPOs, M&A and financing transactions in the MENAT region and he continues to advise various J.P. Morgan lines of business, including Investment Banking, Capital Markets, Financing/Trade Finance, Transaction Services (including cash and liquidity products), Markets/Fixed Income Currency and Commodities, Equities and Custody.
Previously, he was also responsible for advising the management and Board of J.P. Morgan Bank Luxembourg (and its branches across Europe), as the acting head of legal for Luxembourg.
He is active in Business Resource Groups (BRGs) and DEI initiatives, especially in his role as co-Chair of EMEA Working Families Network (WFN), which aim at promoting knowledge sharing and providing opportunities to support employees with work and family integration.
Before joining J.P. Morgan, he spent 5 years as a Legal Director and Division Head at another US financial institution, responsible for managing the legal team in the region, providing legal support to various businesses, managing litigation and working closely with regulators. Prior to that, he worked for reputable regional and international law firms representing leading multinational companies and governments. He represented banks and financial institutions in capital market transactions and advised on projects relating to the privatization of the public sector.
Tarek holds a double major in Law and Business Administration. He has a Bachelor of Business Administration and two Licenses in Public and Civil laws. In addition, he has two Masters, a Master in Money and Banking and a Master in Arbitration Law.
Chatura Randeniya, partner, Afridi & Angell
Chatura is a partner in Afridi & Angell’s dispute resolution team. His practice spreads across on-shore litigation, DIFC Court litigation, and international and domestic arbitration. He also sits as an arbitrator. Chatura regularly acts for clients in high value commercial disputes, and his advice is regularly sought by clients particularly in relation to complex and cross-border disputes. He also advises on construction, maritime and shipping, banking, and employment disputes, and has been involved in several first-in-kind cases both in the DIFC Courts and the onshore courts. Chatura is also known for his pro bono work involving young families and children. Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2008, Chatura practiced in one of the leading commercial law chambers in Sri Lanka and was a visiting lecturer in law at the Faculties of Law and Management at the University of Colombo.
Natasja Pollemans, partner, Horizons & Co
Natasja Pollemans, dispute resolution partner at Horizons & Co, advises on complex commercial disputes and arbitration matters across a range of sectors, including construction, international trade, maritime, shipping, commodities, and oil and gas. She is also an accredited civil/commercial mediator.
Ali Al Zarouni, partner, Horizons & Co
Adv. Ali is the founder and managing partner at Horizons & Co. With over 20 years of experience practicising as a lawyer, he is considered one of the leading individuals in the UAE, especially in relation to dispute resolution. He is an accredited arbitrator and public notrary, registered with the DIFC Courts and is an ICC UAE member. He is recognised in all the leading legal directories including Chambers and Partners.
Sara Darazirar, leader, legal & compliance MENA/MED, LIXIL EMENA
Trilingual legal counsel, 10+ years’ UAE & Algeria experience. Leader Legal & Compliance NAMET, top global building materials & housing equipment manufacturer. Diversity & inclusion advocate, 2019 Oath Middle East Legal Award winner.
Ahmad Azzouni, chief legal counsel, Aujan Group Holding
Ahmad Azzouni has been working in the UAE for the last 20 years. He is currently the Chief Legal Counsel of Aujan Group Holding and a member of its executive committee. Aujan Group Holding is a diversified group active in a number of sectors including soft drinks, hospitality, real estate, mining and investments, mainly in the Middle East and Southern Africa. Ahmad is responsible for managing a legal team of 13 members. He advises on strategic decisions, investments, acquisitions, corporate structuring, dispute resolution and development of sound corporate governance practices.
Prior to joining Aujan Group Holding in 2010, Ahmad worked in the corporate departments of DLA Piper and Hadef & Partners in Dubai.
Ahmad holds a Law degree from the University of Jordan and an LLM in Commercial Law from UWE, Bristol, a PG Dip in Arbitration from Queen Mary College, University of London and a PhD in Law from Nottingham Trent University.
James Tebbs, senior managing director, Ankura
James Tebbs is a Senior Managing Director at Ankura based in Dubai, focused on risk, forensics, and compliance. He is an adept forensic professional with over 20 years of experience in professional practice in the UK and the Middle East.
James specializes in advising clients on financial crime compliance, fraud prevention, fraud detection, and investigation across a range of sectors. Prior to joining Ankura, he held senior leadership roles in the forensic practices of two other global professional services firms in the Middle East. He was also previously with a Big 4 firm in London as an auditor and forensic practitioner.
Karim Serour, executive vice president legal, Al Ghurair
Karim is the Executive Vice President- Legal for Al Ghurair Investment since January 2023. Before that, Karim has held the position of Head of Dispute Resolution for Al Ghurair Construction and Energy sectors. A seasoned legal practitioner, Karim’s experience spans more than 22 years, holding positions in international, regional, and local law firms, as well as regional corporations in trusted in-house counsel roles. With diverse sector experience, including energy, construction, real estate and food, Karim is recognized as a dedicated and insightful legal professional, with a keen focus on innovation and optimization.
Prior to his current appointment as Executive Vice President- Legal, Karim provided legal counsel to Business Unit Heads across Al Ghurair Investment, representing sister companies and subsidiaries in need of dispute resolution support.
Prior to joining Al Ghurair Investment, Karim served as counsel for several international energy, real estate and construction contractors involved in large-scale infrastructure projects. His focus on these specialties enhanced his capabilities and honed his expertise in the Middle East’s regulatory and legal framework.
Karim holds a bachelor’s degree in law, along with a post-graduate diploma in International Arbitration from Cairo University. He also holds a master’s degree in international business law from Cumbria University. He was admitted before the Bar in 2002 and is a member of numerous legal institutions and bodies.
Haroon Ahmed, partner, Grant Thornton
Haroon is a partner and leads the Restructuring Advisory department at Grant Thornton UAE. Haroon has over 15 years’ experience in delivering restructuring and insolvency mandates, He is a licenced insolvency practitioner in the DIFC, ADGM and is a registered expert for financial reorganization and bankruptcy procedures by the Ministry of Finance.
In the UAE, Haroon has successfully led on several restructuring and insolvency engagements, including the liquidation of a $2.5bn turnover commodities business based in Dubai and the restructure of one of the region’s largest tech businesses. He also has extensive onshore restructuring and bankruptcy experience as he advised businesses including a high-profile construction business in the UAE through an onshore bankruptcy process. Furthermore, Haroon has acted as an Administrator for businesses registered in the ADGM and as a liquidator for a number of companies in the DIFC. He has extensive international experience in the UAE, UK, Singapore, and the USA on mandates including MF Global, Leeds United, JJB Sports and Thomas Cook.
Haroon was recently listed in the Global Restructuring Review 40 under 40 as a leading restructuring professional.
Rita Jaballah, partner, Al Tamimi & Co
Rita Jaballah is a Partner in Al Tamimi & Company’s Dispute Resolution practice and leads its International Litigation Group. She has extensive experience of handling complex, high value local and international disputes in the local UAE Civil law courts and common law courts in the UAE and across the region including the DIFC, ADGM, QFC and AFC.
Rita specialises in advising and representing clients with respect to a wide range of commercial and DIFC/ADGM related disputes and claims with a particular focus on commercial and regulatory proceedings in the banking and financial services sector. In this regard, Rita has acted for prominent investment banks and financial institutions in a number of high profile and significant disputes in the banking and regulatory arena. She has been involved in the development of the DIFC Courts and currently sits as a member of the DIFC Courts’ Rules Sub-Committee. In addition, Rita advises and represents local and foreign businesses and financial institutions in a wide range of commercial, property, company, shareholder, enforcement and banking disputes under UAE, DIFC, English and International law. She has expertise in devising enforcement strategies for the enforcement of foreign judgments and awards in the UAE and the region.
Rita retained her Band 1 raking in Chambers Global Guide 2023 Dispute Resolution and as a “Leading Individual” in Legal 500 Dispute Resolution UAE. Rita is also recognized in Who’s Who Commercial Litigation (2022) and as one of the MENA Super 50 Lawyers for 2021 in Asian Legal Business. Chambers Global describes Rita as frequently sought after by both regional and international banks, as well as financial regulatory authorities, for her wealth of experience in financial services litigation.
James Daniell, managing director, Alvarez & Marsal
James Daniell is Head of Alvarez & Marsal’s Middle East Disputes & Investigations practice. He has over 20 years’ experience in conducting complex financial and accounting investigations and in advising clients on the detection and prevention of white-collar crime.
Jeanina Awni, senior lawyer, Mohamed Al Sharif in Association with Johnson & Pump
Jeanina has 15+ years of experience as a commercial litigator and technology lawyer in Saudi Arabia with a solid and comprehensive legal, finance and business background. She advises clients in various sectors on complex transactions and legal disputes, emphasising commercial and financial litigation matters. She represents clients in arbitration and litigation with expert engineers, forensic auditors and other expert witnesses. She has effectively advised leading technology companies in personal data protection, anti-cybercrime, information technology, e-commerce, fintech and IP litigation.
Raghav Mathur, general counsel, Healthcare and Real Estate Divisions, Yas Holding
Raghav is a multijurisdictional certified attorney with 17 years of post-qualification experience who is currently employed as the General Counsel of Yas Holding LLC’s healthcare division in Abu Dhabi. He was the head of Corporate Legal at NMC Healthcare LLC, an FTSE 100 firm whose parent company is listed on the London Stock Exchange, immediately before taking on this position.
Raghav worked as an Associate Solicitor at Arthur Cox in Dublin, one of Ireland’s top legal companies, and as a partner at Desai & Diwanji, one of the leading law firms in India.
Shafiq Jamoos, head of legal, AWR Properties
Shafiq is the head of legal at A W Rostamani and a dual-qualified attorney who formerly served as counsel for Majid Al Futtaim and Deyaar Development. He has been in practice in Dubai since 2012.
Lead attorney for intricate business deals, mixed-use developments in Dubai and the Middle East, as well as some of the biggest and most intricate legal cases in front of the Dubai Courts, the DIFC Courts, and the DIAC.
Jody Waugh, deputy managing partner, Al Tamimi & Co
Jody oversees the banking practice in the Al Tamimi offices throughout the Middle East, including the GCC, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.
Jody has been practising in the Middle East for over a decade, and has extensive experience in advising regulators, banks, finance companies, investment banks and other financial institutions on a wide range of banking and finance matters. He also regularly advises borrowers on corporate and property development financing transactions.
Jonathan Brooks, senior counsel - International Litigation Group, Al Tamimi & Co
Jonathan qualified in 2007. He is a commercially minded trial lawyer who trained and then qualified into corporate law so has exposure to transactional work.
Since late 2008 Jonathan has focused on litigation and dispute resolution work, frequently for banking and other lender clients. He has helped those clients recover significant losses (multi-million) in the past few years, both in ADR and at trial. Jonathan also advises clients with regard to asset recovery and the use of interim injunctions to prevent dissipation.
The Legal 500 mentions that “The ‘organised and proactive’… Jonathan Brooks is singled out for his ‘strong grasp of the law’ and ‘excellent client-care skills.“
David’s bio: David studied law at Cambridge University in the UK and had been in practice at the English Bar for over 20 years. He joined Al Tamimi in 2022 from a leading set of chambers in London. He has lived and worked in the UAE since 2019 and has been listed as one of the leading English barristers practising in the region in the Legal 500 in 2021 and 2022.
David Holloway, partner - head of advocacy, Al Tamimi & Co
David studied law at Cambridge University in the UK and had been in practice at the English Bar for over 20 years. He joined Al Tamimi in 2022 from a leading set of chambers in London. He has lived and worked in the UAE since 2019 and has been listed as one of the leading English barristers practising in the region in the Legal 500 in 2021 and 2022.
Ahmed Basrawi, partner, Al Tamimi & Co
Dr. Basrawi has more than 20 years of legal experience. Also, he was Lecturer in Litigation and Commercial Law at the University of Jeddah.
His experience includes attending court sessions and arbitration tribunals in Saudi Arabia in the areas of construction commercial matters administrative law, labour, shipping, insurance, banking, intellectual and property, and he successfully negotiated early settlement in regard to a dispute thereby avoided determined by the court or arbitration tribunal.
Dr Basrawi participated effectively in drafting regulation, restructuring and privatization projects in KSA. He also has experience in establishing Saudi Arabian, GCC and international companies (through SAGIA) and the drafting of commercial contracts and advice memoranda, and has advised clients on a wide range of property and corporate commercial matters from due diligence through project execution.
Naief Yahia, partner, Al Tamimi and Co
Naief Yahia joined Al Tamimi & Company in 2009. He is a Partner in the Dispute Resolution Department. Naief has been working in Dubai since 2006 with two of the local firms before he joined Al Tamimi & Company. He gained experience in various areas of practice (including: construction and commercial, banking, property and corporate related matters). He received his Bachelor of Law degree from Cairo University, English Section. Naief uses his wide knowledge of local laws, commercial and legal acumen and practical experience to the best of his abilities in conducting all commercial and civil litigation cases with the commercial reality and the clients’ interest in mind.
Naief is heading up the construction litigation team in our Dubai office. In his role, he acted and advised major construction players in the region in relation to highly complex construction disputes before local courts and arbitral tribunals. He regularly provide expert’s evidence on construction local law issues in international arbitration concerning cross-border and landmark construction disputes.
In addition, Naief is also leading our banking litigation practice in our Dubai office and regularly advises many local and international banks on all types of banking disputes in the region. In this role, he acted as the lead lawyer in securing the first successful judgments issued by the Dubai Courts in relation to foreclosure cases under both conventional and Islamic finance arrangements.
Fauzia Kehar, division legal counsel, Middle East & North Africa - (MENA), Citi
Fauzia Kehar has been working as a lawyer for over 20 years. She joined Citi in Pakistan in 2006. She subsequently moved to UAE in 2009 and is presently designated as the Regional General Counsel, Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Division for Citi. She leads a team of lawyers at Citi that are responsible for providing legal services across all businesses for the MENA Division.
Fauzia is an active member of the Citi’s Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) Diversity Committee formulated in 2019. She has also co-chaired the UAE Women’s Network from 2017 until 2020.
Dominik Engel, vice president and global lead counsel digital & cybersecurity, ABB
Dominik Engel arrived 2008 in the Middle East and received multiple awards in Middle East as team leader and legal practitioner (the Oath, Legal500 GC Powerlist, Legal Era). Engel is a fully qualified Solicitor and Barrister from the Palatine chamber and holds a legal degree from England and a MBA from Warwick Business School. Engel showed always an affinity to digital, cybersecurity and legal tech topics. Currently he is responsible globally for the legal side of the Digital and Cybersecurity aspects of ABB’s Electrification business, closely collaborating with functions, like CSO, CTO, R&D, Digital and Business Development.
Sridip Ganguli, financial advisory partner, Deloitte
Sri is a partner at Deloitte leading data analytics, business intelligence, geospatial intelligence and tech led solutions for Financial Advisory. He has over 21 years of expertise in these areas, helping organizations make more informed, data-backed decisions enabled by technology. Sri has cross-sector industry experience and has a deep understanding of advanced analytics techniques. His experience allows him to translate complex technical concepts into clear and actionable recommendations for clients.
Robert Lewsley, regional head, disputes & government investigations legal, AME, Standard Chartered Bank
Robert is the Regional Head of Disputes and Government Investigations (Africa & Middle East) at Standard Chartered Bank. Robert studied law at the London School of Economics (2003, LLB Hons first class), was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2004 and practised in London before moving to Dubai in 2009. He spent eight years in private practice handling complex commercial disputes, appearing regularly before the DIFC Courts and arbitral tribunals as an advocate. He joined Standard Chartered Bank in 2017. Robert has published widely, contributing articles to Global Arbitration Review, the International Arbitration Law Review, and chapters on the DIFC as a seat for arbitration.
David Holloway, partner and head of advocacy, Al Tamimi & Co
David studied law at Cambridge University in the UK and had been in practice at the English Bar for over 20 years. He joined Al Tamimi in 2022 from a leading set of chambers in London. He has lived and worked in the UAE since 2019 and has been listed as one of the leading English barristers practising in the region in the Legal 500 in 2021 and 2022.
Shaharya Nashat, senior legal counsel GCC, Engie
Mr. Shaharyar Nashat Senior Legal Counsel GCC at Engie. Prior to this, he was serving as the Company Secretary, Director Legal and Public Relations of The Hub Power Company Ltd, and Head of Legal for Citibank Pakistan. He received a full commendation in his Post-Graduate Degree, LPC, from the University of Oxford and stands qualified as an Advocate of the Punjab Bar Council. He has an LLB (Hons.) degree from the University of London. He has successfully completed the Directors Training Program at the Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance, and as part of the Faculty, he conducts modules on Corporate Governance including the Directors Training Program.
His areas of expertise include corporate law, competition law, banking and finance, litigation and arbitration. His published work includes articles on law, politics and international affairs in national and international publications.
Donia Droubi, head of legal, Coastal Arabia Cluster, Nestle
Donia Droubi is Head of Legal and Compliance at Nestle for the Coastal Arabia Cluster (UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait). She has more than 20 years’ experience managing legal affairs for large corporations in the Food and Beverage, Retail and Real Estate industries in Europe and the Middle East. Prior to joining Nestle, she was Legal Director at Majid Al Futtaim Retail -Carrefour. She also managed the legal affairs of Majid Al Futtaim UAE shopping malls and exercised in a real estate focused law firm. Prior to moving to Dubai is 2008, Donia lived in France where she worked in several companies and international organizations.
Donia holds a bachelor’s in law degree from the University of Damascus-Syria, and master’s in law degrees, in Commercial law and in Arbitration and ADR, from the University of Paris II -Assas in France.
Irina Kovalchuk, group general counsel, ZMI Holdings
Formerly a lawyer for the Ukrainian government and the Parliament of Ukraine, Iryna has joined ZMI Holdings, one of the leading marine provider for offshore services in the GCC region and globally, in 2017 where she is now a Group General Counsel, managing legal services across UAE, Qatar and Saudi offices. Iryna holds LLM from the University in London and is a member of a number of international professional organizations.
Main areas of my responsibility include: (i) advising company executives on various legal matters; (ii) determining most efficient defense strategies in company litigation, leading dispute settlement and negotiation with counter-parties; (iii) evaluating legal risks in relation to business decisions and operations, applying effective risk management techniques with proactive legal advice on prevention and minimizing the legal risks; (iv) legal representation of the company before external parties (regulators, external counsels, public authorities); (v) Initiating, drafting, negotiating commercial agreements; (vi) leading implementation of corporate governance and compliance, initiating corporate legal initiatives and programs.
In association with...
Al Tamimi & Company is the MENA region’s leading law firm with 17 offices in 10 countries, drawing from over 30 years of unparalleled experience in the region. Our internationally qualified lawyers offer comprehensive legal services to global corporations, financial institutions, and government bodies. Renowned for our top-tier dispute resolution practice, our skilled team handles complex litigation, mediation, and arbitration, consistently earning Band 1 ranking in Legal 500. Our deep regional and international expertise, multilingual talent, and strong government relationships ensure successful cross-border strategies. Committed to growth, we’re expanding our footprint to better serve clients across MENA.
We are a market leading award winning international law firm with offices in 3 key Middle East locations: Dubai, Manama and Doha. We have been working with clients in the GCC region for over 30 years and operating on the ground in the Middle East for over 15 years. With both English and Arabic speaking lawyers, our experienced Middle East team understand your specific requirements and the nuances of each market place in the region. We undertake some of the region’s highest value transactions and cases and our partners in the Middle East are consistently ranked as leading lawyers in their respective fields in independent directories such as Chambers Global and The Legal 500. We are particularly proud of our investment in lawyers with local law qualifications, which brings an important multi-cultural dynamic to our Middle East team.
K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents. The firm represents leading multinational corporations, growth and middle-market companies, capital markets participants and entrepreneurs in every major industry group as well as public sector entities, and individuals. K&L Gates’ Dubai office, established in 2009, supports clients doing business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and beyond. Our Dubai-based lawyers provide advice on all aspects of onshore UAE law and practice, as well as the laws and regulations applicable in the UAE freezones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The focuses of our Dubai office are dispute resolution (including arbitration), a broad spectrum of commercial and corporate matters (including mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and venture capital investments) and employment.
Hadef & Partners is an independent, full-service business law firm with local knowledge and experience, along with international expertise, providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary legal advice specific to the jurisdiction of the UAE.
Founded in 1980 by Dr Hadef Al Dhaheri, the former UAE Minister of Justice, the firm is consistently instructed on all manner and aspects of regional and multi-jurisdictional matters in the UAE onshore and the varying free zones throughout the UAE.
The Hadef & Partners team consists of lawyers from the UAE, the Middle East and the international arena who are experienced in advising on regional and international matters. Members of the team speak English and Arabic. Regional and international businesses and governmental entities value the firm’s business acumen and our approachable manner.
Founded in 1975, Afridi & Angell is a full-service UAE law firm in its fifth decade at the forefront of the legal community. The firm provides comprehensive legal advice and innovative business solutions in banking and finance; corporate and commercial law; arbitration and litigation; construction; real estate; infrastructure projects; energy; project finance; maritime (wet and dry); employment; as well as doing business in the UAE.
Horizons & Co specialises in the efficient and effective resolution of legal issues and disputes.with a focus on litigation, including employment disputes, international arbitration, criminal cases, and insolvency restructuring. We also provide ancillary corporate support when it comes to UAE legal matters. Our in-depth sector knowledge covers construction, real estate, private client affairs, finance, energy, infrastructure, and projects.
OGH Legal is a specialised dispute resolution firm with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Cairo. Established in 2016 by litigation & arbitration experts, we deliver local law expertise with international service standards. Our team are local court practitioners providing unique expertise alongside a true understanding of working with regional and international corporates, SMEs and international law firms. Having worked at leading international and local firms before founding OGH, our partners understand how to juggle client demands and provide a seamless service.
Z&Co. is a national Saudi law firm that is able to offer clients a unique full-service offering that covers regulatory; commercial in-house support; dispute resolution, and transactions practices that each combine deep local expertise with international commercial standards. Our local team combines former members of the judiciary, Sharia law experts, and both Saudi and internationally-qualified lawyers.
Our first aim is always to fully understand our clients’ business objectives for any matter we work on. We consider ourselves commercial advisers, delivering advice in the format and language that our busy clients demand.