Career Biography

Dawn Sanderson is the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer for Al Dahra Group, based in ADGM, UAE. Al Dahra is a leading UAE-based agribusiness, focused on sustainable farming, feed, grain and food production, and innovative agricultural practices globally. Al Dahra operates approximately 400,000 acres of arable land operating globally, employs over 3,500, and runs 16 processing facilities, sourcing from more than 20 countries with an annual product capacity of approximately six million metric tons. Sanderson joined Al Dahra in 2016, as the first in house counsel for the group and has built the function to its present global team in Abu Dhabi, Romania, Serbia & Egypt. The global team looks after over 80 entities in 18 jurisdictions, utilising innovative legal technology such as their very own Alfie bot.

Sanderson moved out to the UAE in 2008, from the UK, to set up the Abu Dhabi office of Eversheds Sutherland LLP.

Sanderson, and her team, won Small Team of the Year (shortlisted for General Counsel of the Year), The Oath TOLA 2024, Woman Leader In House (Legal Era Awards 2024), shortlisted for small in-house team of the year and won Legal Team of the Year, Lexis Nexis 2024.

Sanderson is passionate about diversity and inclusion, supporting graduates on internship programmes, juniors lawyers to undertake their SQE and internally in Al Dahra in relation to gender diversity through the UN Target Gender Equality programme.

Sanderson lives in Abu Dhabi with her husband, two children, two dogs and four cats. Her passions are theatre, good food and wine (it helps that hubby is a chef!) and travel.