Middle East Teams 2016 – GC Powerlist
GC Powerlist Logo

Middle East Teams 2016

  • Industries

  • Powerlist

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
3M

| 3M

Producer of a vast portfolio of products ranging from car wax to healthcare and industrial products, US-based multinational 3M has diverse and complex operations across the Middle East and North...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
ABB Industries

| ABB Industries

As one of the leading power and automation engineering companies, ABB provides solutions for secure, energy-efficient transmission and distribution of electricity. Among operations in roughly 100 countries worldwide, ABB manufactures...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

| Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank

Financials

The legal team of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), one of the most prominent commercial and investment banks in the Gulf region, has been instrumental in growing the bank’s operational...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC)

| Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC)

The government-owned Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has a portfolio that includes well known venues such as Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, ExCeL London, Al Ain Convention Centre and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC)

| Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC)

Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC), a developer and manager of 11 commercial, logistics, community and leisure ports, has a team of five lawyers, led by general counsel Emil Pellicer, to...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Action Group Holdings

| Action Group Holdings

Kuwait-based holding company Action Group Holdings has specific interests in the MENA region and Australia, Europe and the United States. The company has a diverse profile covering investment, consultancy, real...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
ACWA Power International

| ACWA Power International

Energy and utilities

Founded in 2008 to take advantage of Saudi Arabia’s newly liberalised water and power utilities market, Riyadh-based ACWA Power has since expanded to become a key provider of power generation...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Advanced Petrochemical Company

| Advanced Petrochemical Company

The Advanced Petrochemical Company started commercial operations in 2008 and is now among the most technologically advanced petrochemicals operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Operating with...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aggreko

| Aggreko

The Aggreko legal team has recently undergone a restructure and reorganisation. The changes made have been primarily aimed at improving processes company-wide, and included the legal team deepening their involvement...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Air Arabia

| Air Arabia

Although Air Arabia is one of the largest low-cost carriers in the Middle East and North Africa, it manages its operations with only four dedicated legal staff. Comprised of lawyers...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Airbus Defence and Space

| Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus Defence and Space finds itself operating in a classic counter-cyclical environment where increased geopolitical tensions are contributing to military sales while the fall in oil prices puts a drag...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Al Faisal Holding

| Al Faisal Holding

Al Faisal Holding, a leading private company that has had significant input into the development of the Qatari economy, now has over 120 companies that operate under its umbrella from...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Al Khalij Commercial Bank

| Al Khalij Commercial Bank

Financials

Operating in a region heavily depend on oil, Al Khalij, dubbed the next generation bank of Qatar, has been supported through market challenges by the legal team’s work on a...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Al-Jazeera Media Network

| Al-Jazeera Media Network

One of the most recognisable global names from the Middle East business world, Al- Jazeera Media Network owns a broad portfolio of media products, including television channels and online editorial...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aldar Properties – UAE

| Aldar Properties - UAE

Aldar Properties, a leading regional developer, investor and manager of real estate, has a legal function that is recognised for its many strengths. The team is led by Brett Scrymgeour...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Company

| Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Company

Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Company (AAW) is a diversified retail enterprise headquartered in Sharq, Kuwait City, with a company history that stretches back over a century. Along with its...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Alinma Bank

| Alinma Bank

Financials

Alinma Bank, a newcomer to the Saudi Arabia banking sector, completed the largest initial public offering in the Middle East and raised an estimated $2.8bn in 2008. The in house...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Almarai

| Almarai

Almarai – meaning ‘green pastures’ in Arabic – is the largest integrated dairy foods company in the world. The company has operations across the Gulf region including dairy farms, food...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aluminium Bahrain

| Aluminium Bahrain

The legal team at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) can look back on the past year as a particularly successful one. With ‘almost all’ outstanding and long-standing litigation and dispute matters resolved,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Amec Foster Wheeler

| Amec Foster Wheeler

International engineering conglomerate Foster Wheeler was acquired by AMEC in 2014 in a multi-billion dollar deal. The Abu Dhabi-based legal team at what is now Amec Foster Wheeler has grown...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Arab Banking Corporation Bank

| Arab Banking Corporation Bank

Financials

Established in 1980, the Arab Banking Corporation has recently rebranded itself as ABC Bank to mark their 35th anniversary. In doing so, they have consolidated their operations into a single,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Arcapita

| Arcapita

Bahrain based Arcapita has over 17 years of experience in real estate investment and portfolio management. The company has built a global investment platform and accessed US, European, Middle East...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Aster DM Healthcare

| Aster DM Healthcare

Established in nine countries, Aster DM Healthcare is a regional healthcare enterprise with significant international operations. In spite of its size and complexity, the company only introduced a dedicated legal...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
AstraZeneca

| AstraZeneca

One of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the Gulf, AstraZeneca fulfils a critical role in developing, testing and bringing to market effective drugs and remedies, and often engages in cooperative...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Averda

| Averda

Averda, an environmental service provider, has undergone rapid expansion and is now one of the largest waste management companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This expansion...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bahrain Airport Company (BAC)

| Bahrain Airport Company (BAC)

Supported by a legal team of four, the Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) is responsible for the development and management of Bahrain International Airport. The recently installed legal team, directed by...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company

| Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company

Established in 2006, Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company actively manages and grows a portfolio of commercial assets. The growth of the company has prompted the addition of four new members to...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bahri

| Bahri

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia, known as Bahri, boasts a vast and diversified fleet of transport vessels able to ship a range of cargoes around the world. Invariably,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bank Albilad

| Bank Albilad

Financials

Bank Alibad forms a key component of the vibrant Saudi banking sector. With billions in revenue and thousands of staff, Bank Alibad provides a range of banking services based on...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bank Audi

| Bank Audi

Financials

The legal department at Bank Audi has earned its place as one of the leading in-house functions in the Middle East by offering expert advice on the bank’s investment and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bank Sohar

| Bank Sohar

Financials

Oman-based Bank Sohar has been growing rapidly and is now the fastest growing bank in the country. The legal department, led by head of legal Elsamawal Idris, has played a...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Barclays

| Barclays

Financials

Barclays Middle East operations, based in Dubai, have undergone significant changes in recent years. One of a number of European investment banks to be affected by falling revenue and growing...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Batelco Group (Bahrain Telecommunications Company)

| Batelco Group (Bahrain Telecommunications Company)

The Batelco Group (Bahrain Telecommunications Company), has grown from its initial regional presence to operate in14 different jurisdictions. The legal team at Batelco has also grown to a 16-strong diversified...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Bupa Arabia

| Bupa Arabia

Bupa Arabia, headquartered in Jeddah, began as a joint venture with Nazer Group in 1997. The company is now the largest health insurance provider in Saudi Arabia, with a customer...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Carillion MENA

| Carillion MENA

Carillion is a leading UK-based international integrated support services business operating in the UK, Canada and the Middle East. In the Middle East region, Carillion operates construction and facilities management...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Cerner

| Cerner

Against the background of the Gulf region’s startling economic transformation, improvements in its healthcare facilities have seemed an inevitable development. These improvements, however, have been the result of a well-managed...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCEC)

| China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCEC)

China State Engineering Construction Corporation Middle East (CSCEC), a subsidiary of the third largest construction company in the world, is developing some of the most recognisable infrastructure and mega-projects in...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Citigroup

| Citigroup

Those unfamiliar with Islamic finance would be unlikely to name Citigroup a key player in the industry, but since 1981 the bank has been at the forefront of developing Shari’ah...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Commercial Bank of Dubai

| Commercial Bank of Dubai

Financials

As the Commercial Bank of Dubai undergoes a series of ambitious changes to its operations, such as full digitalisation of its retail banking, the legal team has undergone its own...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
DAMAC Group

| DAMAC Group

Established in 2002 as a private residential, leisure and commercial developer in Dubai, Damac Properties has since expanded rapidly in the region. The legal team led by James Anderson plays...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Drake & Scull International

| Drake & Scull International

Drake & Scull International is leading the regional market for integrated engineering and constructions designs. With a vast portfolio including mechanical electrical and plumbing (MEP), infrastructure development, waste-to-energy, data centre...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)

| Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)

Dubai’s ambitions of becoming a global centre for commodities trading was made clear in 2002 when the government established the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) free zone. Today the more...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Dubai World

| Dubai World

A global holding company that supervises and manages a huge portfolio of projects, Dubai World made headlines in 2015 when it implemented a debt optimisation project to restructure and extend...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries

| Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries

Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company is the result of a joint venture between Oman Oil Company and International Petroleum Investment Company, for the purpose of producing a major refinery...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
El Seif Engineering

| El Seif Engineering

With over 40,000 employees and company history going back to 1951, El Seif is one of the largest and oldest Saudi construction firms. El Seif’s civil construction and engineering services...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Emaar Properties

| Emaar Properties

Dubai-based global property developer Emaar has an in-house legal team of 15 lawyers and non-lawyers in the core corporate team and around 20 lawyers and 25 non-lawyers working in international...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du)

| Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du)

Telecommunications is one of the most rapidly developing global industries with colossal levels of competition with some of the largest names in tech like Facebook and Google entering the market....

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT)

| Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT)

Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT) is the telecommunications investment arm of one of Dubai’s largest diversified conglomerates, Dubai Holding. Operating internationally, EIT manages a well-known portfolio and takes ownership stakes in...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Engie

| Engie

The energy sector is fast paced and unpredictable. Climate change, the new technology and the shift to accommodate renewable energy has added to the pace of change, leading to a...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Evolvence Group

| Evolvence Group

Based in Dubai, Evolvence Group operates a diverse business portfolio focused on asset management, education and consumer business. Evolvence Capital was quick to notice the potential of a growing Indian...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Fajr Capital

| Fajr Capital

The Dubai International Financial Centre-headquartered Fajr Capital is a leading investment and financial services firm focusing on high-growth Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) markets and Muslim majority nations. Fajr prides...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Fawaz Alhokair Group

| Fawaz Alhokair Group

Riyadh-based Fawaz Alhokair group has transformed the retail landscape in Saudi Arabia since its inception, and now operates an extensive portfolio of international brands. As the brainchild and namesake of...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
First Energy Bank

| First Energy Bank

Financials

With a number of Gulf States now looking to develop their clean energy portfolios, the opportunities for investment in renewables are growing rapidly. Since it was founded in 2008, Bahrain-based...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Garmco

| Garmco

Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (Garmco), one of the largest aluminium rolling companies in the Middle East, has had an active 12 months. As part of their three-year efficiency strategy,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
GE Middle East, North Africa and Turkey

| GE Middle East, North Africa and Turkey

With revenues of more than $14bn a year, GE’s Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) division plays an important part in the conglomerate’s global operations. The MENAT legal team...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Gemstone Real Estate Development

| Gemstone Real Estate Development

Gemstone Real Estate Development is a regional property developer operating at a global scale and a function that is a part of combined legal services across multiple sectors of the...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
GFH

| GFH

Previously known as GFH, the Bahrain-headquartered Islamic investment bank expanded its role in 2014 to become a financial group offering a range of Sharia-compliant services including real estate finance and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Google

| Google

Information technology

With just over 100 employees, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional operations of Google represent a small part of its global activities. Yet, with aspirations to connect the...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Gulf Related

| Gulf Related

Formed in 2009 as a joint venture between Gulf Capital and Related Companies, leading regional real estate development company Gulf Related has been behind some of the most eye-catching real...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Hikma Pharmaceuticals

| Hikma Pharmaceuticals

Healthcare

Founded in Jordan in the 1970s, London-based Hikma has always held strong ties with the Middle East and North Africa region. However, in the face of both a regional slowdown...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Honeywell

| Honeywell

The Middle East legal team of the multinational conglomerate Honeywell is formed of three experienced lawyers led by the regional general counsel Dalia Al Sayeh. The legal team has partnered...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
International Cricket Council

| International Cricket Council

With 106 members around the world, the UAE-headquartered International Cricket Council (ICC) is the international body through which the cricket is governed, regulated and staged. A team of four lawyers...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD)

| Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD)

As the investment branch of the Government of Dubai with a mandate to manage the state’s assets, the Investment Corporation of Dubai calls on its legal team to work with...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Ithmaar Bank

| Ithmaar Bank

Financials

Ithmaar Bank is an Islamic retail bank, licensed under the Central Bank of Bahrain, which provides retail, commercial, treasury and financial institutions and other banking services in a Sharia-compliant manner....

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Jumeirah

| Jumeirah

Jumeirah owns and operates a string of resorts and high-end hotels from its headquarters in Dubai. Included among these are some of the most internationally recognizable luxury hotels, including the...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Kuwait Energy

| Kuwait Energy

Energy and utilities

Kuwait Energy, a company prominent in the MENA region and experts in oil and gas exploration, appraisal, development and production of hydrocarbons, has a strong legal team led by group...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Landmark Group

| Landmark Group

The Landmark Group is a multinational conglomerate with many consumer-facing holdings which operates throughout the Middle East, India and Europe. With the diverse operations supported by a team of 25...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
M1 Group

| M1 Group

The M1 Group conducts its business in diversified investment opportunities in new sectors and countries across the globe. The legal department at the M1 Group arise accustomed to providing legal...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Ma’aden

| Ma'aden

Founded in 1997 as a joint-stock enterprise aimed at establishing and progressing Saudi natural mineral production, Ma’aden is now the largest mining company in Saudi Arabia. The business, 50% of...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mars

| Mars

Led by regional general counsel Hassan Basil Hassan, the Mars legal team covering Middle East, Turkey, Africa, India, Russia and CIS is responsible for monitoring some of the most difficult...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Marubeni Middle East & Africa Power Limited (MAMEA)

| Marubeni Middle East & Africa Power Limited (MAMEA)

Energy and utilities

Marubeni Middle East & Africa Power (MAMEA) was set up by the Marubeni Corporation, based in Japan, to assist with the development of all major independent projects in the Middle...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
MH Alshaya

| MH Alshaya

MH Alshaya is a leading international retail franchise operator with a portfolio of over 70 leading brands, including Mothercare, Starbucks, H&M and The Cheesecake Factory. Its general counsel, David Bligh-Smith...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Ministry of Social Development of Jordan

| Ministry of Social Development of Jordan

Playing a critical role in providing social security services and improving the lives of its citizens, the Ministry of Social Development has been at the forefront of efforts to promote...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Mubadala

| Mubadala

Mubadala was formed in 2002 by the Government of Abu Dhabi to help implement its development and diversification strategy. With a mandate deemed essential to the future of the wider...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nakheel

| Nakheel

Dubai’s transformation from a pearl-diving village to an international financial centre home to some of the world’s most recognisable buildings has been accompanied by a reconstruction of the physical landscape...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
National Bank of Kuwait

| National Bank of Kuwait

Financials

Incorporated in 1952, the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) occupies a particularly important place in the economic history of the Gulf, as it was the very first indigenous bank and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
National Commercial Bank

| National Commercial Bank

Financials

Saudi Arabia’s National Commercial Bank (NCB) is a regional banking giant, a status it has achieved on the back of its innovative financial products. These have seen it rise to...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Nestlé Nutrition

| Nestlé Nutrition

The challenges of doing business in an emerging market – political instability, bribery and corruption, fluctuating currencies – are well known to any multinational corporation. As one of the largest...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Oman Insurance Company (OIC)

| Oman Insurance Company (OIC)

Insurance

Oman Insurance Company (OIC), majority owned by Mashreq Bank, has recently won the award of Commercial Lines Insurer of the Year and the Most Innovative Insurer- Pension Product by the...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Oman LNG

| Oman LNG

Oman LNG LLC is the name for the joint venture embarked upon in 1994 between the government of Oman and other stakeholders to establish and maintain liquefied natural gas (LNG)...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production (OOCEP)

| Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production (OOCEP)

The legal team at Oman Oil Company Exploration & Production has taken the initiative to make a range of efficiency improvements in the past few years, improving internal processes and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Oman Power and Water Procurement Company

| Oman Power and Water Procurement Company

Energy and utilities

Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) is responsible for organising all procurement of water and electricity needs throughout the Sultanate of Oman. Given this broad and extremely important remit,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Orpic

| Orpic

Orpic, Oman’s national petrochemical company and refinery, is supported by a four strong legal team headed by Lorenzo Bruttomesso. Despite being small in number the team has delivered in numerous...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
OSN

| OSN

With around 150 channels and distribution rights in over 20 countries, UAE-based Orbit Showtime Network (OSN) is the leading pay television network in the Middle East and North Africa. A...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Patchi

| Patchi

Known as the couture of chocolate, Patchi is a distributer of ultimate chocolate boxes and gift arrangements established in 1974. They operate through more than 175 boutique stores located in...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
PepsiCo

| PepsiCo

Food, beverages and tobacco

PepsiCo’s 20 lawyer in-house legal department based in UAE oversees all legal and compliance issues in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The specialist legal team is led...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Petro Rabigh

| Petro Rabigh

Petro Rabigh is the product of a joint venture between Saudi oil giant Aramco and Japanese company Sumitomo Chemical. Both companies own a 37.5% stake each, with the remaining 25%...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC)

| Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC)

Founded in 1963, Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) was the first chemical fertiliser complex in the region and has now grown to manufacture chemicals used in diversified markets across the world....

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Petroleum Development Oman

| Petroleum Development Oman

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) is a hugely important company, both for Oman and the wider Middle East’s oil production. Accounting for around 70% of Oman’s oil production and the vast...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatar Airways

| Qatar Airways

One of the marquee names in the highly competitive international airline market, Qatar Airways has recently received plaudits from the airline press for its reliability and quality of service, seen...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatar Investment Authority

| Qatar Investment Authority

With control of around $250bn worth of assets, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) ranks as one of the ten largest sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) in the world. Established in 2005...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatar National Bank

| Qatar National Bank

Financials

Qatar National Bank has 128 people in its overall group legal team with 42 based in Egypt and 53 in Turkey. The head office in Qatar has a 17 strong...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatar Petroleum

| Qatar Petroleum

Qatar’s state owned oil and gas champion operates all exploration, production, transport, and storage activities in the Gulf state, with subsidiaries manufacturing vinyl, fertilisers and other petrochemical-derived products. Qatar petroleum...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatar Railways Company

| Qatar Railways Company

Over the last two years the legal department at the Qatar Railways Company has expanded to include specialised lawyers in the maintenance and operations of railway systems. Qatar Rail was...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatargas

| Qatargas

During a period of global oversupply in the oil and gas sector, the pressure on exporters to find new markets and more efficient ways of operating has never been greater,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC)

| Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC)

Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC) was established in 2007 as a joint venture between Qatari Diar, a real-estate development company and Vinci Construction, a civil engineering and design company currently...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
SABIC

| SABIC

Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) has been highly active over the past year, signing deals that will shore up the company’s existing business and open up new markets. The...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Samena Capital

| Samena Capital

Established in 2008, Samena Capital is an investment group focusing on the so-called “SAMENA region” (Subcontinent, Asia, Middle East and North Africa). Based in the Dubai International Finance Centre and...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Samsung C&T

| Samsung C&T

Samsung C&T, the construction and trading division of the wider Samsung Group, has been operating in the Middle East for nearly 20 years, dealing in building, civil infrastructure and power...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Samsung Electronics Levant

| Samsung Electronics Levant

Based in Jordan, Samsung Electronics’ Levant office has operations in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Managing the legal affairs in such a diverse and, Jordan aside, geopolitically unstable group...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Sanabil Investments

| Sanabil Investments

In the crisis year of 2008, many sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) in the Gulf region were taking a wait-and-see approach to investment. The Saudi Arabian government, however, announced it would...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi Airlines Catering

| Saudi Airlines Catering

The product of efforts to privatise the business units of Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Saudia Airlines Catering has now carved out an impressive niche in its own...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabian Oil Company)

| Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabian Oil Company)

As the state-owned oil company of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fully integrated global petroleum and chemicals enterprise Saudi Aramco has a nation’s future resting on its actions. A recent...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi Chevron Phillips Company (SCP)

| Saudi Chevron Phillips Company (SCP)

Saudi Chevron Phillips Company (SCP), is the first private sector investment in the petrochemical industry of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. SCP began operations in December 1999 and produces benzene,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi Electricity Company

| Saudi Electricity Company

With 45 power generation plants and a near monopoly on the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) enjoys advantages few power...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem)

| Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem)

Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) has recently taken proactive steps to reinvigorate its operations in the wake of falling profits caused by low commodity prices. A major part of this...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Saudi Telecom

| Saudi Telecom

Founded less than 20 years ago, in 1998, Saudi Telecom has seen a rapid and precipitous rise in business. It now finds itself as the largest telecom company in the...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
SEDCO Holding

| SEDCO Holding

SEDCO Holding (Saudi Economic and Development Company) is one of the country’s largest conglomerates specialising in Sharia-complaint private wealth management for operating companies, real estate, private and public equity. The...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Shelf Drilling

| Shelf Drilling

Financials

Dubai-headquartered Shelf Drilling is one of the world’s largest contractors for shallow water drilling jack-up rigs. The company’s operations are overseen by a multinational and multilingual in-house legal team of...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Sidra Medical and Research Center

| Sidra Medical and Research Center

Sidra Medical and Research Centre opened its outpatient clinic in May 2016 with more clinics and services planned to be rolled out over the year. In addition to the practical...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Siemens

| Siemens

For more than 75 years, Siemens has been active in Saudi Arabia, where it holds leading positions in the industrial, energy and healthcare sectors. The Siemens Saudi Arabia legal team,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Takamul Investment Company

| Takamul Investment Company

Formed in 2006, Takamul Investment Company acts as a catalyst for developing a sustainable downstream value chain to extend Oman’s chemicals, metals and minerals sectors while placing a special emphasis...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Taqa

| Taqa

With stakes in many of Abu Dhabi’s power generating facilities and oil and gas production facilities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and North America, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company,...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Tasnee

| Tasnee

Tasnee, or National Industrialization Company, was originally founded in 1985 as a joint-stock company when the Saudi Arabian government’s aim was to increase the competency base of the Saudi economy...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Tatweer Petroleum

| Tatweer Petroleum

The past year has been a particularly fruitful one for oil and gas producer Tatweer Petroleum, despite the challenges faced by many energy companies in their current economic climate. A...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
The First Investor

| The First Investor

The First Investor is the investment banking arm of the Barwa Bank Group. Its legal has been recognised through external accolades both on a team and individual basis. The team’s...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Visa

| Visa

Global payments technology giant Visa operates off one of the most advanced payments processing platforms in the world. The technical infrastructure that runs this platform – capable of processing over...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Vodafone Qatar

| Vodafone Qatar

Telecommunication services

Described as an ‘engaging team that deliver with speed-simplicity and trust’, Vodafone Qatar’s legal team is highly regarded in the region. Director of legal and regulatory, Matthew Osborne, is emphatic...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Weatherford

| Weatherford

Driven by the ‘volatility and atrocity of the oil markets’, the Weatherford legal teams for the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa merged to form a 23-strong team for...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Whitbread Hotels And Restaurants International

| Whitbread Hotels And Restaurants International

Whitbread, the UK’s largest hotel and coffee shop owner, has expanded rapidly in the Middle East over the past two years. Whitbread’s Costa Coffee franchise (operating under the Americana Group...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
YIACO Medical Company

| YIACO Medical Company

Founded in 1953, YIACO Medical Company is a medical equipment and services organisation that has built on its historical successes by remaining innovative and diversifying into new areas. The recent...

GC Powerlist logo as placeholder
Zain

| Zain

Zain Group, headquartered in Kuwait City, is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the Middle East and possesses a growing service in Africa to boot. The company provides services...

For 29 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world. The GC Powerlist is the latest publication from The Legal 500, turning its attention to the in-house function, and recognising those corporate counsel who are driving the legal business forward. The latest edition is the GC Powerlist: Middle East Teams, which identifies an array of the most influential and innovative in-house teams working across the Middle East.

The GC Powerlist is a series of publications, highlighting the most influential in-house lawyers and teams in business today.

To put together the list, we canvassed opinions from law firm partners and in-house counsel across the Middle East, to identify corporate counsel that have been instrumental in changing or forming opinions within their company or industry; developing brilliant technical solutions to complex issues; creating innovative structures to ensure that the in-house function is driving the business forward; or providing a business working model that other corporate counsel should follow. Our team of experienced researchers assessed the nominations, speaking both to general counsel and nominating lawyers to finalise each jurisdictional list. The GC Powerlist: Middle East Teams features not just information on teams that have made the list, but also practical tips for fellow in-house counsel to follow to maximise their interaction with their businesses.

David Burgess
Publishing Director

Al Tamimi & Co

Al Tamimi & Co logo

The more challenging market conditions that started to emerge in 2014 in the Middle East continued during last year and into 2016. The oil price has steadfastly refused to return to its previous highs, nor has resolution of the conflicts taking place at both ends of the Arabian Peninsula yet been achieved, although progress has undoubtedly been made. These factors clearly had an impact on the GCC economies in 2015 and have caused forecasts for this year to be downgraded.

Against such a backdrop, one might be tempted to think that governments, business leaders and consumers would be worried about the future. Nothing could be further from the truth: consumer confidence and demand for real estate remains high; governments across the region are proceeding with ambitious investment and development plans; and well run businesses with good products and services continue to thrive. Whilst there is a need to be more conscious of costs, with such need comes opportunity.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the UAE, whose economy grew by 3.8% in 2015, a higher rate than the 3.1% experienced in 2014. While growth may not be as strong in the current year, forecasters believe the longer term prognosis is considerably more favourable, as the fiscal consolidation proactively implemented by the UAE government will leave the country better placed than others to cope with a continuing low oil-price environment.

What is even more encouraging is that long term plans put in place some years back are coming closer to fruition. The UAE will soon be the only country in the region generating nuclear produced electricity. The country’s standing as a major player in global aviation will be boosted by the expansion of Al Maktoum Airport and by the opening of the
Midfield Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport. Abu Dhabi’s efforts to diversify have been further boosted by the opening of the Cleveland Clinic and by the rapid growth of Abu Dhabi Global Market, which is registering new members on an almost
daily basis.

Meanwhile, in Dubai, Expo 2020 looms ever closer. Building the infrastructure needed to support it has started and will ramp up further. Dubai’s leadership is determined to make the event an unforgettable one: it is an opportunity to showcase the dynamism and innovation that drives the UAE’s economy and underpins its long-term growth. Two years later,
in 2022, the FIFA World Cup finals will take place.
While the matches themselves will be played in Qatar, the host nation, the whole region stands to benefit, with upwards of half a million supporters likely to visit the region, and a global TV audience
of more than one billion. There will be a need for
stadia, sponsorship, marketing, ticketing, accommodation, communications, transport and F&B, and work in all these areas starts now, if it has not already done so.

In Saudi Arabia, Vision 2030 has been launched amidst great fanfare, with the Kingdom’s Deputy Crown Prince driving forward a whole series of reforms aimed at diversifying and growing the country’s economy. The privatisation of Aramco,
the world’s largest oil company, is under consideration, as is a restructuring of the power industry. New company laws have been promulgated and a host of other initiatives are being introduced to create a more dynamic economy driven by commerce and entrepreneurialism.

All of these factors create the need for expert legal advice, across a range of sectors and practices.
Every business with a commercial interest or involvement in such opportunities needs to ensure they exploit them to the maximum advantage. The in-house counsel have a significant role to play in
this regard, not only in terms of negotiating the
best terms and understanding new regulatory and legal regimes, but also in their business’ broader strategic approach. Most large organisations in the region require their GCs to attend every board meeting, not to take notes, but to contribute
actively and add value.

We at Al Tamimi enjoy strong relationships with many leading in-house legal teams across the region, and we are fully aware of their importance to their businesses. We view the future with great confidence, in the knowledge that the success such businesses will enjoy and the contribution they will make to the region’s long-term prosperity will be in no small part down to the expertise and commercial acumen of the in-house counsel.

I am therefore delighted to congratulate those who have been included in this year’s GC Powerlist. It is further recognition of your efforts and of your importance to the regions continued growth.

Jones Day Hong Kong Roundtable 2024

The Legal 500 was thrilled to join a selection of top Jones Day partners and a hand-picked group of 15 the most prominent GCs in Hong Kong for a freewheeling and no-holds-barred discussion on geopolitical risk management at a time of global transition. Steve Brogan, managing partner of Jones Day from 2002-2022 flew over to lend his considerable expertise to the discussion, as did Partner-in-Charge Hong Kong Joelle Lau. Joining them to give expert briefings on the topics of the day were partners Peter Wang, Dr Qiang Xue, James Fidler, Samuel Ngo and Charles Chau. The conversation moved from sanctions and counter sanctions, to the increasing pre-eminence of the Asian economy, to the philosophy of the rule of law in times of crisis.