‘I thoroughly enjoy all the challenges every day brings and the new and creative ways I learn to manage all the myriad of companies across all these different jurisdictions’, Aasma...

Australia and New Zealand-qualified Adrian Brown has been government-owned investment company Takamul’s general counsel since its 2008 inception, supporting some extraordinary developments during this period. Designed to drive forward greenfield...

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)’s award-winning former general counsel and corporate secretary, Afshan Akhtar was hired to build the company’s legal function from scratch. ‘This was no mean feat considering the size...

A ‘diligent’ and ‘devoted’ lawyer, Swaiss is valued both inside and outside his organisation, for his legal skills and ‘exceptional’ intrapersonal skills. Heading a small legal team Ahmad Swaiss established...

Heading a ‘nimble’ legal team at Baniyas Sports Club’s majority-owned subsidiary, Ahmed Al Juneidi is known for his successful leadership of major litigation. He has also taken extensive steps to...

Fluent in English and Arabic, Ahmed Hamidou is a highly experienced telecommunications lawyer. As the third industry competitor to enter a former duopoly in 2010, VIVA has faced a myriad...

UK and US-qualified Albertus Alfridijanta has extensive oil and gas experience spanning Europe, Asia, America and the Middle East. As general counsel to SOE Qatar Petroleum (QP)’s strategic investment arm,...

Heading a nine-strong team, Alex Ghazi has drawn praise both from internal and external clients, for the steps he has taken to build and consolidate the company’s existing legal framework....

‘It’s an exciting time to be GC in the UAE’, Ali Khalaf says. ‘The more light shone on the field will only result in better overall performance and tailoring of...

The region’s premier news network, Al Jazeera is at the forefront of a complex and fluid political landscape. As general counsel and executive director, Amin Saad Abdulla plays an integral...

Leading a compact team, Ammar Alattas manages GlaxoSmithKline’s Saudi Arabian legal function and supports operations across the region. A former Hammad Al-Mehdar and Co in alliance with Simmons and Simmons...

Set to be UAE’s largest regasification terminal, Abu Dhabi-based PPP EmiratesLNG is scheduled for completion in 2018. When he joined the pipeline project in 2013, Ackroyd had a number of...

‘As in-house legal counsel it is also vital to think outside the box and to take on the role of commercial strategist’. Lamprell’s former general counsel, Andrew Onley heads Oceaneering’slegal operations...

As OPWP’s general counsel, Andrew Rae is setting the wheels in motion for both Oman’s biggest independent water project and its largest power generation project. Heading all legal and compliance...

Combining ‘innovation’ with impeccable commercial and regulatory expertise, Angela Russo has a unique level of involvement in NASDAQ’s business operations. When she joined the international financial exchange in 2011, her...

Award-winning general counsel Anneliese Reinhold is an influential voice in the Middle East’s in-house community, and a bastion for diversity. Reinhold joined du, UAE’s second telecoms operator in 2005, during...

‘We are operating in a very dynamic ‎part of the world’, Anuraag Malhotra says. ‘Businesses are pressurised by changing economic scenarios; tax activism and BEPS and increased global competition coming to...

‘A lawyer who knows how to find answers’, Anwar El Khatib has been widely acclaimed throughout a prestigious 20-year legal career across in-house and private practice. During his previous role...

As Etihad Airways’ special projects legal head, Ashley Whitcher has led some of the airline’s most ground-breaking cross-border transactions of recent years. He is also credited for his role in...

With an impressive in-house career spanning multiple sectors across the Middle East and Asia, Bapsy Dastur excels in her capacity to ‘hit the ground running’, both as a lawyer and...

Leading transactions across the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, Benjamin Coquerelle stands out for for his leadership and exceptional work ethic. ‘He has performed a lion’s share of the...

As group general counsel, Bernadette Baynie has been pivotal in Batelco’s growth from a small regional player, to a global company operating across 14 companies. She has led legal and...

‘An outstanding lawyer’, Bertrand Alexis is praised highly for his commercial awareness, ‘integrity’, ‘professionalism’ and capacity to simplify complex situations. As senior director at Ooredoo, he supported the global telecommunications...

Fulfilling a dual role as deputy general counsel and corporate head, Brooke Lindsay is firmly entrenched in the business, sitting on Etisalat Nigeria’s board of directors. She has been formally...

Dubai Group’s award-winning general counsel, Cherine Ghali is routinely at the helm of high-profile strategic transactions. With 16 years’ finance experience across private practice and in-house, she has previously worked...

With ‘charm’ and ‘relationship-building skills’, Christopher Richardson is highly respected in UAE’s oil and gas circles. He has tackled a raft of legal and regulatory issues across a broad international...

Blessed with ‘charm’, Clinton Genty-Nott impresses both with his technical understanding and the strong relationships he has built inside and outside his organisation. With a dual personality as both public...

A ground-breaking hospital, research and medical centre, Sidra is not yet fully operational. During the past two years, Hermes has been developing a comprehensive legal function, which can fully support...

As the legal head of a foreign multinational moving into the region, Dalia Al Sayeh recognised the benefits of learning from the experiences of others. Accordingly, she formed an informal...

As the Qatar Financial Centre’s commercial and strategic arm, the QFC Authority’s primary objective is catalysing growth in the nation’s financial services sector. In 2010 the Authority unveiled a new...

Heading legal and compliance functions at First Energy Bank, David Hudson joined the institution on its 2008 inception and established the function from scratch. ‘While transactional legal work takes up...

As the world’s largest oil company’s legal head, managing a 150-strong global team, David Kultgen remains one of the region’s best known and most respected general counsels. In-keeping with the...

Former general counsel to Qatar Foundation and Dubai Group, David Mee has over 10 years’ in-house experience and is prominent in the region’s corporate counsel community. Joining non-profit Qatar Foundation...

Heading a 15-strong team, David O’Sullivan has distinguished himself with his transformation of the legal function into a ‘top-performing department’ and ‘partner to the business’. He has led on a...

Dean Sheehan is singled out by sources for his creative and pragmatic support to PepsiCo’s expansion strategy. The leading food and beverages company has seen continued growth in the region,...

‘Dr Khaled Aswad is an outstanding model of exactly the kind of in-house counsel external counsel wants to work with’, opines one source. ‘Khaled knows his industry inside-out and understands...

When he became general counsel in 2012, Dzul Bakar’s first and defining task was to lead Shelf Drilling’s historical $1bn Transocean buyout. ‘Achieving independence from Transocean was a challenging and...

Elnitaifa Kurmino has made a substantial contribution to optimising efficiency in Advanced Petrochemical Company’s legal function, including a substantial revamp of standard documentation, and innovative IT solutions. An executive team...

‘A very articulate and knowledgeable lawyer’, Elsamawal Idris stands out from the crowd, according to sources, with exceptional understanding of Oman’s banking system. Formerly legal head to Sudan’s Bank of...

Heading legal, HR and administrative functions, Eman Ahmed was at the pinnacle of Mena Telecom’s WIMAX network launch, which transformed Bahrain’s telecommunications industry in 2010. ‘We instigated the breaking of...

During his time as the leading port developer’s general counsel, Emil Pellicer has reduced reliance on external lawyers and heightened efficiency through standardising documentation and processes. He is praised for...

One of the developing world’s fastest growing environmental service providers, averda announced plans to launch Saudi Arabia’s first underground waste containers in 2015. As general counsel and executive committee member,...

Publicly-owned financial institution, Alinma Bank, specialises in Sharia-compliant retail, corporate and investment banking. General counsel Eyad Othman is a respected lawyer in the nation’s financial services sector, with previous employers...

‘Softly spoken and transparent’, ‘strategic player’ Fadi Hammadeh ‘presents the best of corporate counsel leaders in the Middle East’. Al Futtaim Group’s general counsel and former Dubai Properties’ legal head,...

Global brand 3M has established a meaningful footprint across the region’s ICT market, with a continuing pipeline of new products. ‘An extremely detail-oriented person’, Fadi Kahhal has been at the...

A joint venture between Oman Oil Company and International Petroleum Industries Company, Duqm Refinery will be Oman’s third petrochemicals complex. Faris Sahra has led all legal and regulatory aspects of...

Fayyaz Mahmood has been praised for his role in obtaining Bahrain Airport Company’s UK Health and Safety certification in 2015. BAC was established in 2008 to develop and manage Bahrain...

Fluent in English, French and Arabic, Firas Oggar established the legal function supporting the whole of Foulath Group, including Bahrain Steel, SULB Company, USCO in Bahrain and Saudi SULB. With...

Yahlive’s legal counsel and company secretary until 2015, Giles Menezes, who has ‘wit’ and ‘energy’, played a pivotal role in the company’s spectacular expansion across the region and beyond. ‘Giles...

Supporting one-of-its-kind ‘megaproject’ King Abdullah Economic City, general counsel Hani Gharbawi is in a unique position, particularly given his broad remit of responsibility. ‘The type of work the team is...

Highly experienced in the oil and gas sector, Hessa Al Twaijri has been active in some of the region’s most significant transactions and projects. Leading international ‘mega’ deals, she has...

As general counsel for the leading regional retail and investment banking institution, Iris Edwards is praised for her role in financing of Bahrain’s $3.2bn mixed-use Diyar Al Muharraq development. She has...

‘Analytical, tenacious and decisive’, ALUBAF legal head Ismaeel Elnasri is praised for his substantial contribution to the function’s effective internal processes, and particularly the bank’s compliance framework. Formerly at Investors...

As general counsel, James Maxwell has guided what is now Ooredoo Oman, through every major breakthrough of its 11-year history; from winning the nation’s second fixed wireless to rebranding from...

Sadara Chemical Company is constructing the world’s largest ever single-phase chemical complex business, through a unique alliance with Saudi Aramco and The Dow Chemical Company. A doyen of the region’s...

Heading a cross-functional team across legal and human resources, the ‘dynamic’ Joumana Younes’ unusually broad remit has empowered her to promote greater integration with the business, according to sources. ‘We...

Supporting a dynamic business on the rise, Julian Hicks has successfully negotiated multibillion-dollar foreign direct investments amid the MENA and FSU regions’ political instability. ‘Negotiating, implementing and defending very large...

Msheireb’s ‘first-of-its-kind’ ‘megaproject’, Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD), is the five-year $7bn regeneration and preservation of Doha’s historical old city centre. ‘MDD will blend traditional Qatari heritage and aesthetics with modern...

Supporting the Middle East’s first privately-owned submarine cable system, Kenneth Awoonor-Renner adds real value with his capacity to think holistically, across legal and business factors, according to sources. Gulf Bridge International (GBI)...

For Lois Allela, her ‘strategic contribution and visibility at board level’ are areas which have been particularly important to her throughout a high-powered in-house career. Supporting European, Middle Eastern and...

Managing legal and compliance functions for ORPIC and its subsidiaries, Lorenzo Bruttomesso’s impressive projects experience includes managing the $2.1bn Sohar Refinery Improvement, Muscat-Sohar’s pipeline and Liwa Plastics. A former Nilands...

‘One of my proudest achievements is seeing the legal department I first inherited totally transformed, and the new team developing and working well together’. In less than two years as Al...

An award-winning corporate counsel, and Oman’s first female private sector legal head, Maimuna Al-Sulaimani has made a substantial contribution to discourse in the region’s in-house legal community. She spearheaded Oman...

Heading a 12-strong team, supporting the Middle East, Africa and India, Malcolm Haack is revolutionising the structure and effectiveness of the legal function, in the view of some sources. Amongst...

A ‘dedicated’ ‘problem solver’, Marie-Therese Auger works closely with executive management in her leadership of all legal, governance and secretarial functions at the world’s largest district cooling plant operator. Sources...

Former general counsel to Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), Mark Craig led Oman Oil Company’s €1.76bn Oxea Sarl acquisition. The company’s largest international acquisition to date, it was also the first...

It is the ‘diversity and complexity’ of work which most motivates Marouf Shweikeh in his current role. ‘Our bank is on high gears when it comes to new products, which...

Taking a ‘straightforward and refreshing’ approach, Matthew Osborne has a broad international remit, and impresses through his negotiations with governmental and other stakeholders. ‘He rates as one of the most...

With a broad international remit, investment holdings group M1 operates across an exceptional spread of sectors. Upon her arrival, one of Khalife’s biggest challenges was bringing legal into line with...

‘Proactive, positive and extremely professional’ and ‘one smart lawyer’, Melanie Collishaw has built a sterling international reputation for her role in major property transactions, with particularly expertise in PFI schemes....

‘A consummate professional’, Michael Mackin heads all legal and compliance support for Qatar’s $7bn project to build a commercial port in Doha’s centre; the world’s largest “greenfield” port development. Mackin...

Oman’s third-largest lender by assets, Bank Dhofar announced plans to raise its capital by up to $300m in 2015. As its acting legal head, Mohammed Abdel Mohamed managed some of...

Not just a gifted corporate counsel but also a ‘genuinely nice man’, Mohamed El Roubi’s impressive in-house experience spans Europe and the Middle East, with past roles including GE’s general...

As former general counsel to asset manager Sidra Capital and Al Murjan, Mohamed Yousef has sterling financial services expertise. Supporting one of the region’s leading banks, Yousef is a legal...

International retail franchise operator, M. H. Alshaya Co, manages and operates over 70 of the world’s most recognisable brands, including the likes of Starbucks, HandM and Le Pain Quotidien. Heading...

The global digital leader made headlines in 2015 with its inauguration of the Samsung Academy and Ultrasound Medical Laboratory at University of Jordan. General counsel Mohanned Nabulsi has drawn high...

Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s fastest-growing electricity consumer, and the entire industry is undergoing dramatic regulatory reform. As the legal head of KSA’s primary provider, Mutlaq Al-Mutlaq is a...

As general counsel for one of the region’s largest financial institutions, Nabil Azar is an influential industry figure. He is particularly known for his role in Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank...

Heading legal and risk functions at water and power specialist, ACWA, Ned Othman reorganised the legal department into a standalone function, in his words, ‘akin to a “law firm”’. He...

A highly respected Middle Eastern corporate counsel, Nicholas Diacos joined Banque Saudi Fransi in 2014, with the task of expanding and restructuring the institution’s now 15-lawyer legal function. As well...

Former Charles Russell Speechlys LLP partner, Nicholas Polley, is credited by sources for his exceptional international structured finance expertise. As general counsel and company secretary to leading Sharia-compliant private wealth...

A highly respected corporate counsel within the region, Nick Hornung is praised by sources for his successful defence of Dubai World subsidiary, Istithmar World, in a $750m two-year arbitration. Having...

Noel Motha came firmly onto the radar with his role in GEMS Education’s 2014 minority-stake sale to private equity funds, including Blackstone (its first ever Middle-Eastern investment). The Dubai-based schools...

Supporting legal operations across Qatar, UAE and France, efficiency is key for Oliver Hallsworth’s three-strong team, and as acting GC, he has focused on optimising time and resources. With measures...

A joint venture between Vinci Group and leading national property developer Qatari Diar, QDVC’s flagship projects include the City of Lusail, and Qatar’s first rail network. General counsel Oliver Sulik...

‘I think I have demonstrated that a corporate counsel can be much more than just a legal advisor to the company’, Olof Arnman says. ‘By stepping out of the traditional...

‘A polished professional’ who has exceptional experience in the Middle East’s financial services sector, Omar Haydar is valued for his ‘communication’, ‘energy’ and work ethic. General counsel since 2010, he...

By far a high point in Paul Kirkby’s in-house legal career to date was his role in the closure of Kuwait’s first independent water and power project. ‘I was solely...

An ‘outstanding extemporaneous lawyer with a business mindset’, Raed Al-Saadouni is praised for his leadership and common-sense approach. As Airbus Defence and Space’s chief legal officer he has supported the...

Randall Geuy led the multi-billion-dollar asset-level transfer of Saudi Aramco’s shipping subsidiary, which created the world’s third largest shipping company. He also restructured the company’s entire maritime, aviation, sales and trading...

‘I cannot think of many aspects that I do not enjoy – I consider myself very lucky’, Rima Hadid Al Masri says of her role as Mumtalakat Holding Company’s legal...

A ‘brilliant’ corporate counsel, ‘calm under pressure’ and ‘softly spoken’, Shadi Aldaoud is, for some, ‘the best general counsel Siemens has ever had’. Throughout his decade-long tenure with the global...

Worth $71.2bn, Al Rajhi Bank is one of the largest Islamic finance institutions in the world. ‘One of the prominent legal scholars of our generation’, Siddig Hussein has led significant...

Heading a ten-strong team, Qatar Railways’ highly-acclaimed general counsel Stephen Hibbert established the SOE’s internal legal function from scratch in 2012, and has since delivered contracts exceeding $40bn. A qualified...

Government-owned sovereign fund ICD holds an investment portfolio spanning some of Dubai’s most recognisable brands and continues to finance significant regional projects. General counsel Susy Singgih has drawn particular notice...

‘It is an exciting time to be working with such a dynamic company but also has its challenges’. Teegan Lindsay is recognised in our list for developing a sophisticated and...

Toufic Abi Fadel has led some of Qatar Development Bank’s most significant transactions of recent times. Since becoming the bank’s general counsel in 2010, he has built a four-strong legal...

Heading Oman’s national airline’s legal and compliance functions, Vaughan Crossley is a leading regional expert in aviation law, with over two decades’ industry experience. Formerly a partner at Clark Ricketts...

Heading all legal operations across MENA and North Africa, Yasser Abo Ismail joined the company to take up the ‘exceptional opportunity’ of helping to establish new business hubs in Dubai...

Heading a 12-strong team, Zeid Uteibi has extensively revamped processes during his time as Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ regional legal head. He has also tackled a number of major cross-border deals across...