Kuwait 2025
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Chief legal officer | Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA)
General manager and general counsel, head of legal affairs | National Bank of Kuwait
Assistant general manager, legal affairs division | Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait
Corporate counsel | Fouad Alghanim & Sons Group of Companies
General counsel and company secretary | Kuwait Food Company (Americana)
Lead of corporate legal affairs | Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC)
Director of legal affairs and compliance | The Arab Investment & Export Credit Guarantee Corporation
Senior vice president, legal and board secretary | United Real Estate (URC)
Senior group manager, legal services | Al-Sayer Group Holding
General counsel | Energy Solutions Co. Ltd Meroven Group Ltd & AMG Kuwait
Legal manager | United Projects for Aviation Services Company (UPAC)
Senior manager, board affairs, legal and compliance | Kuwait Credit Information Network Company (CINET)
Group chief general counsel and international advisor | Action Group Holding
Chief of legal and governance | Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO)
Senior legal counsel, head of international and subsidiaries legal affairs | Kuwait Finance House
It is with immense pride that we present the inaugural edition of the GC Powerlist: Kuwait 2025, a landmark moment in our ongoing mission to spotlight legal excellence across the region. After years of featuring Kuwait within our broader Middle East coverage, the country now takes centre stage with its own dedicated publication. This reflects not only Kuwait’s evolving legal landscape but also the strategic significance of its corporate counsel.
This edition honours the trailblazing general counsel who are redefining the role of legal leadership. Far beyond safeguarding legal interests, these professionals are driving innovation, shaping public policy, and influencing business strategy in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. Their work spans vital sectors including energy, finance, healthcare, and technology – demonstrating that their impact reaches well beyond the legal department.
The decision to launch a standalone Kuwait Powerlist was inspired by the exceptional calibre of legal talent in the country and the distinctive challenges they navigate. From steering regulatory reforms to orchestrating cross-border transactions, the individuals featured here embody the agility, foresight, and leadership that define the modern general counsel.
Inside, you’ll discover exclusive interviews and in-depth profiles of Kuwait’s most influential corporate lawyers, representing a rich array of industries. Their ability to craft legal strategies, mitigate risk, and align with business priorities underscores the increasingly pivotal role of in-house counsel in shaping organisational success.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this edition – through nominations, interviews, and insights – and offer our warmest congratulations to the distinguished counsel featured within these pages. Their achievements reflect not only personal excellence but also the growing influence of legal leadership in Kuwait’s economic and institutional development.
On behalf of The Legal 500, thank you for joining us in celebrating this milestone. We look forward to continuing our mission to elevate the voices and stories of in-house legal leaders around the world.
Francisco Faria e Castro | Research Editor | GC Powerlist Series
The recent news that elite US firm Sullivan & Cromwell had apologised to a judge over AI hallucinations in a court filing prompted a collective wince from the legal profession.
But while some lawyers remain wary of AI, others are striking a more open-minded note, and at the LexisNexis AI Forum hosted this Wednesday (20 May) by Legal 500 and Legal Business, panelists argued that the risks are far outweighed by the opportunities.
Barbara Zapisetskaya, principal technology counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, made the case that hallucinations and other potential pitfalls can be overcome with a shift in mindset.
‘What makes a difference,’ she said, ‘is empowering your lawyers to take responsibility for AI output – helping them become active AI operators, not just passive AI users. You have agency to decide whether you agree with the output or not.’
Zapisetskaya was among a line-up of leading in-house figures speaking on two panels, which covered everything from practical steps for AI implementation to the key decisions GCs need to be making in the coming months.
Financial Times general counsel Dan Guilford began by stressing the importance of building the right culture for AI adoption. In addition to proactively upskilling himself, Guilford talked about how he had implemented a voluntary weekly ‘show and tell’ meeting for team members to share successful use cases – or an exercise that became a gratifying measure of progress.
Other panelists discussed how increased in-house productivity is altering the dynamic with their external counsel.
While some see the use of AI by law firms as a precursor for reduced fees, Russell Davies, head of global operations for legal and compliance at Dentsu, said that faster results – however they are delivered – are something to be valued.
GSK assistant general counsel Anthony Kenny agreed, saying that while there was an expectation that external counsel would be utilising AI, the focus should be on the value of the output, rather than an overemphasis on identifying AI use as a justification to reduce fees.
Speaking on the second panel, MUFG EMEA general counsel James Morgan stressed the critical importance of education, noting that educating the C-suite on the advantages and risks of AI is just as important as enabling large in-house teams to use these tools.
Shanthini Satyendra, vice-chair of the AI Committee, Society for Computers & Law, CEO and founder of Manisain, offered a reminder of the importance of making the connection between tasks and the purpose behind them, extolling the virtues of identifying use cases for AI that can solve a meaningful problem.
Zapisetskaya concurred, adding that one of the most important tasks for GCs across the next six to twelve months is to create AI playbooks and templates, noting that ‘it is easy for lawyers to see problems – much harder for lawyers to see opportunities.’
There was also broad agreement among panellists that GCs should focus on upskilling their junior lawyers on AI, rather than – as some may expect – cutting back their workforce. As Satyendra summarised: ‘Some people are replacing human capital with AI without thinking about what’s required to make AI work. Retain your people and train them up.’
The panels were moderated by Emma Millington, head of the UK Lexis+ Finance Group, and LexisNexis director of segment management Stuart Greenhill.
