About

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba)’s award-winning former general counsel and corporate secretary, Afshan Akhtar was hired to build the company’s legal function from scratch. ‘This was no mean feat considering the size of the business and the multiple jurisdictional, industrial and regulatory exchange issues applicable to it’, Afshan says. ‘In addition, the combination of the economic crisis and the Arab Spring created a very uncertain time for the business. As a result, the legal department had to be set up and hit the ground running quickly to ensure operational risk was minimised’. In response to the economic climate, Akhtar consciously built a ‘lean responsive team’, comprising five professionals across legal and corporate secretarial. Formerly a Clifford Chance senior associate in London, Akhtar is praised for her practical and methodical approach, as well as her ‘deep industry knowledge’ and relationship-building skills. She feels the function is now ‘an integral business partner’. ‘This cross-functional bias and interaction enables the legal department to be proactive in influencing the business and supporting its strategic direction’. Active in board-level decisions, Akhtar co-headed Alba’s Integrity Work Force and is increasingly being recognised as a corporate governance expert in the region. She is a director of the ACC’s Middle East chapter and a regular events’ speaker.