How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

The right hiring, with the appropriate skill set, is the most important and effective way to build an efficient team for managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises. Except for exceptional circumstances, a team should not be overworked, and department heads must ensure that work is evenly distributed within the team. At Burjeel, we have always been a legal team driven by business needs, broader organisational objectives, and goals. We are accustomed to getting involved from the inception of discussions for transactions and then driving each transaction to closure.

How have you integrated technology into your legal processes, and what impact has this had on efficiency and compliance?

In today’s world, without technology, lawyers, like professionals in any other field, are also handicapped. From contract trackers and litigation trackers to risk assessments, due diligence, virtual data rooms, cloud storage, and e-meetings, all these tools are technology-driven and integrated into our systems. When comparing 2024 to 2019, we see that work productivity, employee happiness, and cost-effectiveness have improved tremendously.

What do you see as the major legal challenges for businesses in the region over the next five years, and how are you preparing to address them?

Regional business challenges are driven by international business models and economic factors, such as interest rate hikes and oil prices. As envisioned by most leaders in the MENA region, reducing dependence on an oil-based economy is a necessary goal. With the ease of technology, creating subsidiaries and branches in the region is straightforward; however, managing them operationally, legally, and with full compliance is what all business houses will need to evaluate and focus on. This will require process automation, dedicating resources, and increasing the use of technology.

What role does the legal department play in promoting and ensuring corporate social responsibility in your organisation?

Our legal department plays a pivotal role in compliance, risk mitigation, and informed decision-making in the context of M&A activity. We ensure that all transactions are legally compliant, identify and mitigate transaction risks, and simultaneously make decisions during negotiations and transaction implementation.