Bio

Dania Dib-Dabboussi is the Vice President of Legal at Watani Investment Company (NBK Wealth). In her role, she supports the management of the legal function, providing practical advice to the business across a wide range of investment activities. Her focus is on identifying risks and advising on solutions that support the company’s objectives while ensuring compliance.

She collaborates closely with teams in asset management, operations, and structuring. Together, they evaluate new investment opportunities, navigate legal and regulatory requirements, and bring clarity to complex situations. A key part of her approach is building strong, trusting relationships across the company.

Before joining NBK Wealth, Dania’s professional experience spanned several countries, including Canada, Lebanon, the U.S., and Kuwait. This international exposure to different legal systems has equipped her with a versatile and practical perspective, which is especially valuable given the cross-border nature of investment work.

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

As Vice President of Legal at a major investment company, I have played a key role in ensuring that our legal frameworks remain agile in a constantly evolving regulatory and economic landscape. I also work closely with regulators to facilitate the smooth onboarding of new products, combining strategic oversight with legal precision.

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?

I believe the legal function must act as a stabiliser during periods of volatility, rather than simply serving as a compliance body. My approach is based on building trust and structure amid ambiguity. Within the legal department, we work closely with business leadership to map risk scenarios early and implement responsive legal frameworks that prioritise speed without compromising integrity.

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?

We retain control over the majority of regulatory work in-house to maintain the company’s tone and pace. Outsourcing is generally reserved for high-stakes cross-border matters or specialised technical advice.