About

Although Air Arabia is one of the largest low-cost carriers in the Middle East and North Africa, it manages its operations with only four dedicated legal staff. Comprised of lawyers without an initial background in the aviation section, the team has grown into a position where it is now able handle 60% of the workload that was previously sent to external counsel. Much of this success has come from the team’s strategy of analysing business processes to ensure they are able to identify potential issues at the earliest opportunity. The team has also implemented customised systems for document management to reduce costs, while maintaining its capacity to deal with strategic issues. Under the guidance of Sherif Bihara, group head of legal, the team has been given a level of visibility within the business that is atypical in the region. The team displays flexibility in structural organisation to match the company’s growth while continuing to provide commercially astute advice, supporting the company’s growth while mitigating risks in an evolving regulatory environment.