Speakers
Dr. Nicolas Bremer LL.B., partner, BREMER
Nicolas is a partner and attorney with the regional law firm BREMER where he heads the firm’s Regulatory M&A team. He oversees the firm’s Riyadh and Cairo representations and has extensive experience in advising PE firms and corporates clients on merger control and antitrust matters as well as FDI and transaction related financial regulations in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and the wider MENA Region. He works in English, Arabic and German languages.
Akshay Doshi, SVP, sales, Spotdraft
Akshay graduated from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon and has spent his entire career in B2B Saas. He has built a depth of knowledge on building scalable go-to-market motions. In his spare time, Akshay likes to work on his Lego collection. He is responsible for new business acquisition at SpotDraft.
Nadim ElHaj, chief legal officer, Abu Dhabi National Hotels
A results-driven and strategic C-level executive with in-depth expertise in launching and rolling-out multi-billion-dollar businesses in the real estate development, hospitality, leisure, retail, TMT and education industries in the UAE/MENA region. Nadim took on lead roles in negotiating and closing mega transactions, which included structuring and closing major acquisitions of prime/trophy hospitality and leisure assets, real estate developments, retail, TMT and education projects across the MENA Region and on an international scale.
Nadim has gained more than two decades of experience on groundbreaking projects in both the Government sector and private sector in the UAE in his capacity as Chief Legal Officer/General Counsel/Board Secretary and ExCo. member, with a high level of critical analysis coupled with a 360 degree strategic overview of complex transactions. Such knowledge allows Nadim to negotiate complex transactions while ensuring all critical matters are covered, from inception to closing and stretching to post-closing integration requirements, securing the investment at hand and maximising shareholders’ equity.
He was ranked by Legal 500 as one of the most influential general counsels in the Middle East in recognition of his major successes during his tenure at ADNH, including the steering of the negotiation and successful closing of AED 2.2nm acquisition of five EMAAR hotel assets in Downtown Burj Khalifa in a record three month period and was therefore featured in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Middle East 2019. This strategic acquisition is considered as one of the biggest M&A deals in the UAE hospitality sector.
Nadim was re-hired by ADNH in support to its ambitious expansion plan to the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah that was recently announced consisting of a more than 3 Billion Dirhams luxury resort development project on Al Marjan Island that will comprise circa 1000 rooms in addition to its announced global expansion plan.
Nadim has recently steered the structuring and successful execution of ADNH catering arm (ADNH Catering PLC)’s initial public offering whereby 40% equity was floated on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) for a consideration of circa AED 900m.
He strongly believes that teamwork and collaborative success are key to laying down solid foundations for success and sustainable growth. Nadim is a strong advocate of a “people first” corporate culture as instrumental for transformational change in any organisation.
Hadi El Kadi, group chief legal officer, Al Habtoor Group LLC
Hadi N. El Kadi is the Group Chief Legal Officer of Al Habtoor Group, one of the UAE’s most prominent and diversified conglomerates headquartered in Dubai. He also serves on the boards of several Al Habtoor Group subsidiaries and acts as Board Secretary of Dubai National Insurance & Reinsurance P.S.C., a publicly listed company on the Dubai Financial Market. With over 25 years of international legal and leadership experience, Hadi has built a distinguished career advising major corporations, family groups, and government entities across the Middle East and North Africa region. His expertise spans corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory affairs, and strategic legal risk management, consistently positioning legal functions as value-creating partners within complex business ecosystems.
Before joining Al Habtoor Group more than nine years ago, Hadi served as Group Vice President Legal and General Counsel / Board Secretary at Al Ghurair Investment, overseeing legal operations across 24 countries. Prior to that, he was Group General Counsel and Board Secretary at Al Faisaliah Group PJSC in Riyadh, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading diversified groups. Earlier in his career, he spent over five years as Regional Partner at Hugh Fraser International Legal Consultancy, a UK-based firm where he led crossborder legal mandates throughout the MENA region.
In addition to his corporate leadership roles, Hadi is also a Senior Lecturer at the University Paris II Panthéon-Assas (Dubai Campus), where he teaches UAE and GCC Legal Systems, as well as Commercial and Criminal Law. He is a member of the International Bar Association (London) and regularly contributes to professional dialogues on governance, legal strategy, and leadership.
Hadi holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Faculty of Law and Political Science in Beirut, an LLM in International Business Law from the Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas (Sorbonne-Assas International Law School – Paris), and an MBA from the American University in Dubai. He has also completed an Executive Education Certificate in Governance, Risk and Compliance from the London School of Business and Finance (UK).
Currently, Hadi is pursuing a Doctorate in Management (Dual Certification with a Master of Research) at UCAM University (Spain), focusing on Legal Management, Leadership, and Enterprise Risk, research aimed at redefining how legal functions drive organizational value. Fluent in English, Arabic, and French, Hadi combines academic depth, strategic insight, and cross-cultural fluency, positioning him as one of the region’s foremost legal leaders bridging law, governance, and corporate strategy.
Rima Hadid, general counsel, Emirates Investment Authority
Rima Hadid serves as General Counsel of the Emirates Investment Authority, where she leads the Legal & Compliance function supporting the UAE’s federal sovereign wealth portfolio. She advises the Board and executive leadership on high-stakes transactions and partnerships, portfolio governance, regulatory engagement, and enterprise risk; pairing strategic counsel with disciplined execution.
Rima is a longstanding fixture of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Middle East – featured every edition since the list’s inception and again in 2025 – a testament to her calibre, professionalism, and standing in the region. Her experience spans cross-border M&A, fund and capital-markets matters, infrastructure and technology investments, and complex regulatory change. Before EIA, she held senior roles advising financial institutions and government-linked entities, building operating models that scale, develop talent, and embed robust compliance.
A committed mentor and advocate for legal excellence, Rima invests in developing in-house capabilities and next-generation leaders across the Middle East.
Paola Kattar, head of legal, KEO International Consultants
Paola is a distinguished senior legal professional with more than 25 years of experience across the MENA and GCC regions. She brings extensive expertise in construction claims avoidance and management, contract drafting and negotiation, and strategic risk management. Her deep understanding of both corporate and project-based legal frameworks positions her as a trusted advisor within the engineering and construction sectors.
As the Head of Legal for KEO International Consultants, Paola leads the firm’s legal and contractual operations across all jurisdictions and offices. She oversees corporate governance, strategic legal advisory, and the full spectrum of contract and claims consultancy for KEO’s diverse portfolio of projects. Her leadership ensures legal and operational alignment with the company’s strategic objectives while safeguarding its interests and reputation.
Paola’s strategic mindset, attention to detail, and solution-oriented approach have been instrumental in building and leading an award-winning legal team. She has played a key role in the development of standardized contract frameworks and legal procedures for landmark regional projects, and her guidance has enabled the successful resolution of complex disputes through negotiation and settlement, preserving client relationships and avoiding conflicts.
Throughout her career, Paola has represented and advised leading developers, contractors, and consultants on major infrastructure and development initiatives. Her multidisciplinary perspective, combining legal precision with practical project insight, has consistently driven results in challenging and high-stakes environments.
Recognised for her excellence, Paola was named General Counsel of the Year 2022 at the Qatar Business Law Forum Awards and nominated for the 2023 GCC Women in Law Award. She has recently been listed in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist – Middle East 2025. Her contributions continue to shape the legal and commercial landscape of the construction industry across the GCC and beyond.
Mumtaz Kynaston-Pearson, principal product and IP counsel, Mimecast
Mumtaz Kynaston-Pearson is Principal Legal Counsel at Mimecast, where she partners with Product and Engineering leadership to navigate the legal, regulatory and ethical dimensions of AI-driven cybersecurity solutions across global markets. Based in Dubai, she advises on AI governance, data privacy, intellectual property strategy and cross-border compliance, bringing strategic risk-based guidance to technology development teams.
With experience across in-house and private practice roles, Mumtaz has led enterprise-wide AI adoption initiatives, including spearheading procurement and early adoption of AI powered tools withing her organization’s legal team as well as developing scalable compliance frameworks for new AI-powered products. She holds the AI Governance Professional (AIGP) and Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) credentials from the International Association of Privacy Professionals, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Legal Technology from The University of Law, and a Mini-MBA from King’s College London.
Mumtaz is a frequent contributor to discussions on the intersection of law, technology and innovation; and is passionate about empowering legal teams to drive responsible AI adoption in the Middle East and beyond.
Behnam Khatami, founder and managing partner, Nami Associates
Behnam Khatami is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nami Associates, with over 18 years of distinguished legal experience. Renowned for his commercial acumen and legal expertise, he has played a pivotal role across diverse market cycles, equipping him with deep insights and unparalleled proficiency. His extensive experience and strategic approach consiste
ntly set him apart as a leader in the legal profession. As a top-ranked lawyer in Iran, Behnam has led significant corporate transactions, including joint ventures and M&As. He serves as a trusted legal advisor to numerous multinational corporations and their international counsel across diverse industries. For more please visit: Behnam Khatami – Nami Associates Law Firm
David Laliberté, general counsel, CPX
David Laliberté is a corporate lawyer with more than 25 years of experience across the technology, media and telecommunications industries. Throughout his career, he has held legal and leadership positions at Dentons, Baker & McKenzie, Rogers Communications, BlackBerry, Microsoft and CPX. He previously served as Director of Intellectual Property Policy at Microsoft and as Global Public Policy Counsel at BlackBerry. In his current role as General Counsel of CPX Holding, he is responsible for the day-to-day management of the legal department and for all legal, contractual, compliance and IP matters for the CPX group of companies.
David holds a Bachelor of Public Policy and Administration from York University, a Juris Doctorate (JD) in Law and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Ottawa. He is admitted as a Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
In 2018, he co-founded TMT Law, a boutique law firm specializing in corporate and technology law. He is also an active angel investor who co-founded TMT Angels, a syndicate of angel investors. As an angel investor and mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs, he is passionate about supporting growth and innovation in the tech sector, both in the UAE and abroad.
Mahmoud Yousef, general counsel – global, Foodics
With over 15 years of legal practice across multiple jurisdictions, Mahmoud Yousef has built a career at the intersection of international business law, innovation, and operational excellence. He is an Egyptian Attorney at Law with dual LLBs from Cairo University and Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, a Master’s in Civil and Commercial Obligations from Paris V, and an LLM in International and Comparative Business Law from Indiana University – Purdue.
Since joining the Egyptian Bar Association in 2010, he has held senior legal leadership roles in multinational organisations, most recently serving as General Counsel where he leads legal strategy and manages complex operational matters across corporate, commercial, capital markets, and regulatory domains.
His current focus lies at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation. He is particularly passionate about legal technology, telecoms, AI, and data protection — and regularly advise startups and scale-ups on building legally resilient, innovation-friendly business models. Whether navigating GDPR and cross-border data transfers or advising on AI governance frameworks Fintech, he brings a strategic lens to legal risk in tech-driven environments.
Fluent in Arabic, French, and English, he brings not only legal expertise, but also cultural fluency to every negotiation, contract, or regulatory engagement.
Ruben Miessen, CEO & co-founder, LEGALFLY
With over ten years of entrepreneurial product leadership experience, Ruben Miessen has a strong desire to harness innovative technologies to improve user experience. He thrives on building bold initiatives aimed at disrupting existing approaches. As the CEO and Co-Founder of LEGALFLY, Ruben is leading the charge in revolutionising the legal industry with AI-driven solutions that enhance efficiency and security for law firms and corporate legal teams.
Raneen Stanley, data privacy lead – Middle East, Aon
Raneen is the Data Privacy Lead at Aon Middle East, where she is responsible for the regional data privacy strategy and for ensuring alignment with the rapidly evolving privacy laws in the Middle East, particularly across the GCC. She leads the implementation of comprehensive privacy programs across 5 Aon GCC branches, more than 15 entities and encompasses a workforce of 500+. In this capacity, she provides expert guidance on privacy, security, cross-border data transfers, cloud storage, IT applications, cookies, outsourcing and the localisation of Europe-based services within the region. She acts as a subject matter expert in data privacy and serves as the primary liaison for internal and external stakeholders.
With more than 12 years of professional experience, including 9 years dedicated to data privacy, Raneen has worked across a range of national and international sectors. She spent 5 years in the Netherlands, primarily in a consultancy capacity, supporting governmental and commercial organisations with the practical implementation of the GDPR. Prior to relocating to Dubai, she gained aviation sector experience as Privacy & Contract Counsel at Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), where she advised on aviation, transport and IT contracts and SLAs, and contributed to the organisation-wide implementation of GDPR compliance.
Raneen has published practical manuals that translate complex privacy laws into clear, operational standards, and she holds the CIPP/E certification.
Yosr Hamza, director, legal & compliance | Middle East, Gartner
Yosr Hamza is a multi-award winning legal leader, founder, storyteller, caregiver, TEDx speaker, and inclusion advocate.
She is currently the head of legal and director of legal & compliance at Gartner. With over 15 years of experience, she has led regional legal functions, built departments from the ground up, and advised global organizations on complex regulatory issues. Beyond her corporate role, Hamza is an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and disability rights. She co-founded the legal and compliance inclusion council at Gartner and volunteers her time mentoring junior professionals and promoting disability-friendly workplace policies. As a full-time caregiver to her son, who has a rare disability, she uses her personal experience to drive change. This also led her to co-found Yusr, an app designed to simplify life for caregiver families in the Middle East and North Africa, reflecting her mission to build a more inclusive world.
Afshan Akhtar, Bahrain country representative, ACC MENA
Afshan Akhtar is a distinguished lawyer whose career spans some of the most complex legal, financial, and governance landscapes in the Middle East and beyond. With over two decades of experience, she has built a successful reputation in combining technical legal expertise with strategic foresight as well as advising Boards and Executive Management to navigate legal, compliance and governance challenges.
Afshan is the former Board Secretary and Board Governance Officer at Bapco Energies, where she supported the Board of Directors, Board Committees, and Executive Leadership in embedding best-practice governance across the National Energy Company of Bahrain. In this role, she designed and implemented board operating models, streamlined governance structures for multiple subsidiaries, and elevated the Board Secretariat into a strategic partnership role with the business. Her work has ensured that decision-making at the highest levels of the organisation is efficient, transparent, and aligned with international governance standards.
Afshan‘s career began in London with Clifford Chance, one of the world’s leading law firms, where she trained and practised in the Banking & Finance Department. There, she honed her skills in cross-border transactions, regulatory framework setting, and multi-disciplinary contract negotiations.
Upon relocating to Bahrain with her family, Afshan has held senior executive legal roles at Bank ABC, Alba, and Bapco Refining, each appointment exposing her to different sectors and regulatory environments. At Bank ABC, she advised on complex financing arrangements across multiple jurisdictions; at Alba, she oversaw legal issues in heavy industry, including listed company regulations and capital programmes; and at Bapco Refining, she managed the Legal and Board Secretary positions within one of Bahrain’s most critical energy assets. These roles cemented her ability to blend legal insight with pragmatic solutions tailored to the needs of large enterprises.
Afshan is a Chartered Director (CDir) with the Institute of Directors (IoD) UK, a credential that reflects her advanced competence in board leadership, strategy, risk, and stewardship. She is one of the few legal professionals in the region to hold this designation, underscoring her dual identity as both a lawyer and a governance professional of the highest calibre.
Afshan was named In-House Lawyer of the Year at the Legal 500 Legal Awards in Dubai and has served as a judge for numerous legal awards. This highlights her strong and vocal support for the profession and to create a community of likeminded professionals across the Middle East region. In addition to her professional recognition, Akhtar was the recipient of a national award from His Majesty the King of Bahrain – a testament to her contribution to the legal profession in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Beyond her formal roles, Afshan is passionate about mediation and conflict resolution, often emphasising the importance of discretion, judgment, and foresight in building trust with stakeholders. She regularly speaks at legal and governance forums, where she shares insights on key legal issues and evolving board practices and the role of legal and governance frameworks in energy transition.
Throughout her career, Afshan has embodied the principle that law and governance is not about process alone but about enabling sound judgment and long-term value creation. Her combination of legal acumen, governance expertise and emotional intelligence makes her a leading voice in shaping the future of legal and governance leadership in the region and beyond.
Narguiz Birk-Petersen, regional general counsel – growth & emerging markets, Takeda Pharmaceuticals FZE
Narguiz Birk-Petersen is Vice President and Regional General Counsel for Growth and Emerging Markets at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, where she leads legal strategy across a broad portfolio of emerging and high-growth markets globally and oversees a team of more than 30 lawyers worldwide. A US-qualified attorney and graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, she has over two decades of legal experience, having lived and practiced law in the US, Europe and the Middle East. In the past nearly 15 years she has worked the pharmaceutical sector, holding senior leadership roles within global pharmaceutical companies. She is currently based in the UAE.
Tarek Nakkach, director & general counsel – MEA, Kyndryl
Tarek is an award-winning General Counsel, thought leader and a regular speaker on topics of AI, Governance, Policy and Law. He manages the MEA legal team at Kyndryl based out of Dubai.
He is the coauthor of the book “The New AI Era: Transforming Governance and Society” and has many publications in the field of AI governance, policy and regulation. He is also the winner of the Association of Corporate Counsel Top 10 30-Somethings award.
Fellow at the Centre for Assuring Autonomy at the University of York in the UK which is a program specialised in research in areas of safety for robotics and autonomous systems and a member of The Digital Economy Court Working Group at the Dubai International Financial Center.
Omar Alrasheed, founder and managing partner, Omar Alrasheed Law Firm
Omar Alrasheed is the Founder and Managing Partner of the firm. With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Alrasheed has represented multinational clients such as ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Bechtel, Ford, Merck, and Mars. He also served in a lead capacity regarding Saudi Arabia’s accession to the World Trade Organization. His clientele range across different industries including banks, government agencies, and prominent family-owned businesses in Saudi Arabia. Previously, Mr. Alrasheed practiced with Al Fahad Law Firm in affiliation with Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld LLP. Mr. Alrasheed is ranked in multiple global legal guides and is an active member of both the U.S.-Saudi and U.A.E.-Saudi Business Councils. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from King Saud University and a Master of Laws from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is fluent in Arabic and English, with a basic knowledge of Japanese.
Abdelrahman Sherif, deputy general counsel, VFS Global
Abdelrahman serves as the Deputy General Counsel at VFS Global, where he oversees the legal complexities of the company’s expansive global operations. With over 13 years of experience spanning the Middle East, Europe, and the GCC, he provides strategic counsel on M&A, high-value arrangements, technology, and corporate matters.
Beyond his advisory role, Abdelrahman is instrumental in driving the efficiency and modernization of the legal function. He manages comprehensive legal operations, including workforce structuring, knowledge management, and professional development programs to ensure the team remains agile and high-performing.
His career includes:
• Global Reach: Broad experience navigating diverse legal landscapes across international markets.
• Public Policy & International Law: Prior tenures with prestigious international organizations, including the OECD and the League of Arab States.
• Dual Qualification: Qualified as a Solicitor in England and Wales and as a Lawyer in Egypt.
• Bilingual Proficiency: Fully fluent in Arabic and English, enabling seamless cross-border negotiations and stakeholder management.
Abdelrahman is deeply committed to innovation within the legal services industry, consistently seeking ways to deliver excellence through a blend of rigorous legal standards and operational efficiency.
Majid Alharbi, CEO, Areeb Capital
Majid Alharbi is an accomplished banking professional with significant experience in leadership roles. Currently serving as Chief Executive Officer at Areeb Capital since February 2023, and as Chief Executive Officer at a Confidential Company since January 2024, Majid has held various senior positions at Riyad Bank and Banque Saudi Fransi. Majid’s expertise ranges from corporate governance and relationship management to product development. Educational qualifications include a Master’s degree in Management, Banking and Finance, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies with a major in Finance, both from Massey University. Previous leadership roles in student organisations demonstrate strong management and teamwork skills.
Hasan Al Kilany, senior legal advisor, UAE Ministry of Economy
Hasan Al Kilany is a prominent General Counsel recognized for modernizing UAE commercial laws and setting global standards for regulatory agility. He has spearheaded transformative legal programs across the UAE and GCC, aligning federal laws with evolving business needs and promoting international cooperation. Hasan authored key legislation in areas such as commercial agency, registries, arbitration, IP, and digital trade, including creating an integrated economic data ecosystem for commercial registries and recently the updated to the commercial companies law. His expertise spans complex domains like corporate laws, foreign investment, and space activities, enabling high-level negotiations and multilateral initiatives across MENA. Notably, he proposed the UAE’s Trading by Modern Technological Means law to UNCITRAL as a model for global digital trade which had been joined by the kingdom of Spain.
Jad Skaff, partner, Al Naqbi & Partners
Jad is a partner at HNS Legal and Al Naqbi and Partners with significant expertise in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and cross‑border transactional work.
He has led and executed numerous high‑value M&A transactions across the Middle East and Africa, advising strategic buyers, sellers, financial investors, and multinational groups on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate reorganisations.
Beyond M&A, Jad regularly advises clients on their ongoing general corporate and governance matters. He has substantial sector experience in FMCG, real estate, renewable energy, entertainment, and media, and is known for delivering practical, solution‑driven counsel under tight timelines.
Marcus Khoury, head of legal, Averda
Marcus Khoury has been practising as a legal counsel in the GCC since 2005, and in particular in the UAE since 2008. He is originally from both Lebanon and Germany and is a graduate of the Sorbonne University in Paris, France. Marcus has previously worked for major construction and energy companies in the region and has worked on long-term assignments in Morocco, in Saudi Arabia and in Oman. He enjoys hiking and has walked the Camino trail on foot for over 900 km to the Spanish city of Santiago.
Mohamad Fayad, senior managing associate, Al Naqbi & Partners
Mohamad is a Senior Managing Associate with a practice focused on cross-border M&A transactions, private equity and investment-led deals, and complex corporate and commercial matters across multiple sectors. Mohamad is involved in the structuring and execution of divestitures, and corporate reorganizations, and advises on the commercial and governance aspects of transactions across jurisdictions. In addition to transactional work, Mohamad has experience in high-value corporate and commercial disputes, including matters arising from shareholder relationships, contested transactions, and distressed or post-deal situations.
Monita Barghachie, general counsel, Marafeq Qatar
Seasoned strategist legal counsel of distinguished experience hailing from private practice to leading corporate legal departments.
General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Marafeq Qatar, a leading district cooling and SNG provider in the State of Qatar.
Formerly, Group Legal Director at Power International Holding, a Qatar based international conglomerate. Prior to pursuing corporate counsel role, Ms. Barghachie led a remarkable career in private practice working with renowned international law firms Squire Patton Boggs, Pinsent Masons, Clyde & Co, Addleshaw Goddard, and prominent Qatari law firm Sultan Al-Abdullah and Partners.
Ms. Barghachie’s skills portfolio include corporate governance and compliance, legal department management, legal operations, strategic planning, stakeholders and people management. Her professional experience spans from corporate commercial advisory and transactions including M&A, IPO and listing, restructuring and reorganisation, FDI, corporate establishment and joint ventures, to construction, hospitality and real estate development and dispute resolution.
Ms. Barghachie is qualified with the Lebanese Advocates Association; she is a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
Ms. Barghachie holds the designation ‘’In-house Counsel Certified (ICC)’’ by the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Credentialing Institute and is recognized by the Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Middle East 2025.
Ms. Barghachie has contributed to numerous World Bank publications, authored trending legal topics, and featured on legal forums in Qatar and the region.