On January 28th, after a long time in the making, the Legal 500 proudly brought its renowned GC Summit series to the Middle East. Held at the prestigious Waldorf Astoria in Dubai\u2019s International Finance Centre, this milestone event gathered over 120 attendees, including some of the region\u2019s foremost legal minds, leading law firms, and 27 distinguished guest speakers. Together, they tackled key challenges and emerging trends shaping the legal landscape in the Middle East, delivering insights of the highest calibre.<\/p>\n
A Collaborative Effort<\/strong><\/p>\n The event was made possible in association with our esteemed partners: CMS, Stephenson Harwood, Al Majd Law Firm, Nami Associates, and Qanooni, along with our valued networking sponsors, Greenberg Traurig, Afridi & Angell, DiliTrust, and Tribonian Law Advisors. With their support, the Legal 500 curated a dynamic agenda featuring five insightful panel discussions, each designed to address pressing issues facing in-house counsel today.<\/p>\n Setting the Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n The conference commenced with a warm welcome from Francisco Castro, representing the Legal 500\u2019s editorial team. In his opening remarks, Francisco highlighted the significance of launching the GC Summit series in Dubai, underscoring its role in uniting and fostering collaboration within the Middle East\u2019s growing in-house legal community. He emphasised the importance of delivering tailored, high-quality content to enrich legal practices and support in-house counsel in navigating the complexities of their roles.<\/p>\n Panel Highlights<\/strong><\/p>\n Legal Tech & AI in M&A Transactions<\/strong><\/p>\n The first session, in association with CMS, explored the growing influence of legal technology – particularly AI – on M&A practices in the region. Moderated by Patrik Daintry, partner at CMS, the panel featured Karl Rogers (Standard Chartered Bank), Salma Miah (SS&C Intralinks), Donya Fredj (G42), and Joel Vertes (CMS). Together, they examined how AI-driven solutions enhance accuracy, mitigate risks, and streamline transactions, setting a forward-thinking tone for the rest of the summit.<\/p>\n Navigating M&A in Uncertain Times<\/strong><\/p>\n The second session, presented in partnership with Stephenson Harwood, delved into the challenges of executing M&A deals amid economic and political uncertainty. Melissa Forbes-Miranda, partner at Stephenson Harwood, expertly moderated a discussion featuring Ed Reilly (Standard Chartered Bank), Sanjay Bhatia (Pinnacle IBP Management Consultancy), Ahmed Zaki (Al Hamra Group), Dolly Ramaiya (Truleum Venture Partners), Lydie Traore (Petromin Corporation), and Ali Tariq (CapitalH). Panellists provided strategic insights on risk mitigation and opportunity maximisation in an unpredictable global landscape – an especially timely discussion as 2025 approaches with its own set of uncertainties.<\/p>\n Networking & Engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n Following these initial compelling sessions, attendees enjoyed a networking lunch, sponsored by Tribonian Law Advisors. This break provided an opportunity for participants to engage in deeper discussions on the morning\u2019s topics, connect with peers, and explore the law firm exhibits in the networking area.<\/p>\n Investing in Qatar: Legal & Business Landscape<\/strong><\/p>\n Post-lunch, the third session, in collaboration with Al Majd Law Firm, provided a comprehensive look at investment opportunities in Qatar. Moderated by Mira Adra (Al Majd Law Firm), the discussion featured Bashar Hanna El Nashef (Al Majd Law Firm), Taki Eddine Sahbi (Ariane Holding), Dr. Zain Al-Abedin Sharar (Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Center), and Hamad Al Nasr (Ministry of Commerce and Industry). Panellists outlined key investment prospects, regulatory requirements, and legal frameworks designed to protect investors while fostering economic growth in a country that offers so much to potential investors.<\/p>\n Legal Trends in Iran\u2019s Healthcare & FMCG Sectors<\/strong><\/p>\n The fourth session, held in partnership with Nami Associates, focused on legal developments affecting Iran\u2019s healthcare and FMCG industries. Brilliantly moderated by Shahram Safai (Afridi & Angell), the discussion featured Behnam Khatami, Sanaz Hosseini-Kolahi, and Mansour Vesali (Nami Associates), alongside Mohammad Mostofinejad (Nestl\u00e9). Esteemed speakers shared practical insights on navigating regulatory complexities, emerging opportunities, and key challenges for international businesses in these sectors.<\/p>\n Generative AI: Enhancing Productivity in Legal Teams<\/strong><\/p>\n Following a short networking coffee break, the final panel, in association with Qanooni, explored the transformative role of generative AI in corporate legal departments. Moderated by Ziyaad Ahmed (Qanooni AI), speakers Diwakar Agarwal (Stephenson Harwood), Yosr Hamza (Gartner), and Sophie Best (Knowledge Nexus) engaged the audience in a highly interactive discussion. The session provided actionable insights on leveraging AI to optimise legal workflows, improve efficiency, and drive innovation within in-house teams.<\/p>\n A Memorable Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n The conference concluded with a compelling closing speech by Tarek Nakkach, director and general counsel, MEA at Kyndryl. He reflected on the evolution of the in-house legal profession, emphasising the crucial role of technology in modern legal operations. His remarks reinforced the importance of community-driven events like the GC Summit in fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the legal industry.<\/p>\n Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n On behalf of the Legal 500, we extend our sincere gratitude to our esteemed partners and attendees for making this event a resounding success. We eagerly anticipate returning later this year for the launch of the GC Powerlist: Middle East 2025, our flagship publication celebrating the region\u2019s leading in-house counsel.<\/p>\n Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to support and spotlight the exceptional legal talent in the Middle East!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":204756,"template":"","class_list":["post-204626","event_report","type-event_report","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_report\/204626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_report"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/event_report"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_report\/204626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204824,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/event_report\/204626\/revisions\/204824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.legal500.com\/events\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}