Mathieu Savaris is a distinguished legal executive with over thirty years of experience in North America, Europe, and the Middle East. He has a strong track record of steering global businesses through complex legal, governance, compliance, risk, and commercial challenges in high-profile infrastructure, energy, industrial, automotive, hospitality, and real estate projects.

Savaris currently serves as the Chief Legal, Governance, Risk, and Compliance Officer at MAGNA, a 406 km² luxury coastline development within NEOM, a ground-breaking giga-project in Saudi Arabia, aiming to create a futuristic, sustainable city and likely the largest development project in the world. He is instrumental in shaping MAGNA’s legal, governance, and compliance frameworks, ensuring alignment with global standards and navigating complex regulatory landscapes. As a member of the Executive Committee, he plays a critical role in strategic decision-making, overseeing corporate governance, enterprise risk management, and compliance functions.

Prior to joining NEOM, Savaris worked as a consultant at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, where he helped optimise the legal, risk, and compliance functions for startups and established corporations. He advised on Britishvolt’s multi-billion-dollar lithium-ion battery giga-plant project and assisted Jardines in optimising its UK legal and compliance operations.

Previously, Savaris spent nearly two decades at General Electric (GE), where he held several leadership positions, including General Counsel for GE Power Western Europe, Energy Connections EMEA, and Power Generation Services globally. He led teams of over 100 professionals across multiple regions, guiding businesses valued in the tens of billions in their growth in EMEA, delivering key energy and infrastructure projects, and advising on landmark deals like GE’s acquisition of Alstom Energy. He also oversaw the integration of legal, compliance, and contract management teams across the region. His leadership at GE was instrumental in transforming the company’s legal operations, driving efficiencies, simplifying processes, and aligning them with broader business objectives.

Savaris’ international experience is extensive, having lived and worked across the Americas, Europe, and the Gulf. This global perspective has given him invaluable insights into geopolitics and global business dynamics. Known for his cross-cultural sensitivity, Savaris has successfully guided companies through international turbulence. He has also been a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, leading GE Power Legal’s global diversity initiatives and promoting ethical business practices, integrity, and robust compliance. His expertise extends to overseeing risk management, compliance audits, and addressing high-exposure regulatory issues and disputes.

Called to the Bar in England and Wales (Middle Temple) and licensed in Québec, Spain, Greece, and the UAE, Savaris is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian, and Catalan. He holds a Bachelor of Laws in Common Law and a Bachelor of Civil Law in Civil Law from McGill University, a Juris Doctor from Democritus University in Greece, and a Master’s in International and EU Law from Paris Panthéon-Assas University. He also holds a High-Performance Board Member Diploma from IESE Business School.

In 2023, Savaris was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 3rd Legal Era Annual Middle East Law Awards, recognising his substantial contributions to the legal field. As a forward-thinking leader, he continues to shape the future of legal governance and risk management on the global stage.