Team size: Five

Jurisdictions your role covers: Kuwait and KSA.

What are the major cases or transactions you have been involved in recently?

Recently, I was involved in the acquisition of a limited liability company holding an industrial license. This transaction required a comprehensive due diligence process, approval from the Competition Protection Agency (CPA), and negotiations with two banks to resolve outstanding financial matters. One of the more complex aspects of the deal involved securing consent from two partners who were incarcerated, alongside navigating legal complications stemming from previous court cases related to the company.

In addition, I supported our legal advisor, ASAR Legal Firm, in initiating legal proceedings against a state-owned entity. The case, valued at approximately USD 26 million, resulted in a favourable judgment, with the appeal court ordering the entity to settle the full amount.

These matters were handled within the context of our group’s broader structure, which includes 15 subsidiaries operating across various sectors such as oil and gas, contracting, communication, manufacturing, and commercial representation.

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 role of the legal department is to take all necessary action in order to maintain legal stability by securing the validity of all commercial and industrial licenses, adequate compliance legal requirements including without limitation the obligations stated in the Companies Law.

What factors influence your team’s decision to use external legal services versus handling matters in-house, and what criteria are used to evaluate their performance?

Our decision to engage external legal services is primarily driven by the nature and complexity of the matter at hand, with court cases being the most significant factor. When litigation is involved—particularly those requiring specialized expertise or jurisdictional knowledge—we typically rely on external counsel to ensure the best possible outcome.

In evaluating the performance of external legal firms, we place strong emphasis on their ability to understand our Group’s business model and strategic objectives. Their effectiveness is measured by how well they can align their legal advice with our operational realities, providing opinions and solutions that are not only legally sound but also commercially viable.