About

The recently consolidated ACWA Holding legal function possesses multiple competencies that allow it to meet the demanding requirements of ACWA’s varied infrastructure development portfolio. The company deals in many sectors, including aviation, industrial gases, district cooling, power and water, and has even recently moved into the education sector. The very capable Ned Othman is the longest-serving and most senior lawyer in the team and takes on overall responsibility for corporate matters, while Shaun Johnson leads on transactions across the group. Johnson explains that the amalgamation of historically different legal functions has meant the company has brought together two strong teams to provide one unified and formidable team to provide seamless, integrated legal support to the parent company as well as the group’s subsidiaries and affiliates. Johnson also provides some insight into the company’s diversification and growth in recent years: ‘If I was to sum up our previous approach, ACWA has always been traditionally interested in economic infrastructure – water, power, energy and other utilities. But recently, and in alignment with KSA’s Vision 2030 policy, we are looking into social infrastructure like education, health and maybe even accommodation.’ Johnson is enthusiastic in his description of ACWA Holding’s legal team: ‘The individuals we have in our integrated legal team are adept at what they do, agile in their thinking and show a willingness to go above and beyond to support the company’s needs. Our team of five means we are lean in proportion to the legal demands of ACWA, so we are very, very busy but in a good way. The calibre and nature of the legal work is exceptional and we get to turn our hand to so many different aspects – it is what I enjoy most’. From a personal perspective, Johnson is passionate about the evolution of legal technology and the use of outsourcing and commoditisation to deliver legal advice as the next wave of enhancing value for businesses. ‘All of us in the profession now know that low-value, process driven legal work is the low-hanging fruit for legal technology, commoditisation and outsourcing’, he explains, ‘but a number of law firms I have spoken to keep challenging my assumptions on technology and how it can be applied to even complex transactions in the very near future. I am open to this way of thinking, and we would certainly consider investing time and resource at the front end of these processes if it means that we, as an in-house team, can deliver a more efficient and enhanced value proposition to our internal stakeholders over the long term’.