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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. As well as codifying processes and putting comprehensive systems in place, Ghazi says he has ‘tried to strengthen the bond between the business and the legal department’, raising awareness of the function’s role and cementing its status as a ‘business partner’. ‘Often in the Middle East, one of the main challenges is to demonstrate to the top management the extent to which the legal department can be of assistance to the organisation and how cost-effective it can be’, he adds. Formerly group chief legal officer at ALJ Co, the world’s largest distributor of Toyota, Lexus, and Daihatsu vehicles, it is this closer interaction with the business and the ‘bird’s eye view’ this offers, which most appeals to him about his role.