About

Starting his in-house career in 2010 with Qatar Development Bank where he was heading the company’s in-house department for six years, Toufic Abi Fadel followed this with a position as general counsel and board secretary of Qatar First Bank before beginning his current position as chief legal officer of Barzan Holdings at the start of 2018. ‘All three of my in-house legal roles were exciting positions since I had to build or rebuild every legal department I joined from scratch’, Abi Fadel says of his career so far. ‘Being the chief legal counsel of an organisation gives you the opportunity to have access to a wide range of information and transactions and to be involved in almost all strategic decisions’, he continues. ‘You end up being very pragmatic in addressing any legal issue submitted to you’. Barzan Holdings’ in-house legal function has gone from strength to strength since Abi Fadel has joined. ‘I have made sure that the legal department team is an integral part of every project from its inception, whatever the nature of the project’, he explains. ‘On a strategic level, the senior management now sees the chief legal officer as a key advisor not only on legal issues but also on the wider business matters’. He has also been extremely satisfied with his contribution to the company’s strategic projects. ‘Since I joined Barzan Holdings, I have been involved in many important investment transactions and strategic procurement contracts’, he says.