Team Size: 20

Career Biography

Dr. Amal Rakibi is an international corporate counsel with over 25 years of experience leading legal teams in complex jurisdictions and regulatory environments, providing strategic counsel and cross-functional collaboration across diverse industries and global regions.

Dr. Rakibi currently serves as the General Counsel and Company Secretary at Borouge, a publicly listed company on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. In this role, she provides support to C-suite Executives, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee.

Previously, Dr. Rakibi held the position of Chief Legal Officer at AirAsia, where she spearheaded organizational restructuring, corporate finance initiatives, M&A and IPOs. She also held various leadership roles during her 15-years at Schlumberger, including General Counsel positions for the MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.

In these capacities, Dr. Rakibi led legal operations, provided strategic guidance, and ensured compliance across complex regulatory environments spanning multiple countries. Evolving in a culturally diverse environment, Dr. Rakibi’ s expertise lies in executive leadership, legal operations management, corporate governance, and international law.

Dr. Rakibi has PhD in International Law from Paris-Sud University and George Washington University. During her PhD journey, Dr. Rakibi collaborated closely with the Elliot School of International Affairs at The George Washington University as a Visiting Researcher, conducting in-depth research on international cooperation and space policy.

Dr. Rakibi is also a French qualified lawyer (Paris Bar School – CAPA), owns a Master’s Degree in Aeronautics, Space and Telecommunications Law (Paris-Sud University), a Master’s Degree in International and European law (Sorbonne University), and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Space Science from the University of South Australia.

Drawing upon her diverse academic and technical background, this multidisciplinary approach not only shaped her perspective as a lawyer but also instilled her with the agility to adapt to evolving challenges in today’s dynamic international landscape.

What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months?

The most defining project I have been involved in the past year is the legal execution of a $60bn cross-border merger that will form Borouge Group International, combining Borouge, Borealis, and Nova Chemicals into the world’s fourth-largest polyolefins producer. Once completed in Q1 2026, the new entity will become the world’s fourth-largest polyolefins producer by capacity, with a truly global footprint across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and North America.

As General Counsel, I have been supporting the legal aspects of the transaction: from regulatory approvals, legal and governance design, and integration frameworks to market disclosures. The merger has required deep coordination with public regulators, stakeholders, and partners, positioning the legal department as a strategic enabler at every stage.

Alongside the transaction, this year I’ve focused on building a more agile legal function: we introduced AI tools, enhancing contract automation, and shifting our culture from reactive support to proactive legal partnership.

How do you prioritise diversity and inclusion within your legal department, and what initiatives have you implemented to foster a more inclusive work environment?

As a female General Counsel in a region undergoing rapid transformation, I feel a personal responsibility to shape an environment where every voice is heard and every background respected. In our department, diversity starts with active Emirati representation, but extends to gender balance, generational perspectives, and varied legal backgrounds.

I’ve launched initiatives such as legal and compliance roadshows, open-door Q&A sessions with leadership. These are not symbolic; they are embedded into how we work. We also have clear developmental roadmaps tailored to individual career paths, and we celebrate team wins as collective achievements. Mentoring junior Emirati lawyers and developing a succession plan to ensure the next generation of in-house leaders.

Based on your experiences in the past year, are there any trends in the legal or business world that you are keeping an eye on, of which you think other in-house lawyers should be mindful?

Two trends stand out. The first, AI is transforming both how we work and who we hire. AI supports automation, but it also raises the bar. We now look for lawyers with strategic insight, operational understanding, and digital fluency. Contract drafting alone is no longer enough; we value those who can translate complexity into business-aligned advice.

The second is the integration of ESG into core legal frameworks. This is no longer about reporting obligations; it’s about redefining governance considering long-term sustainability. Whether it’s anti-greenwashing scrutiny, supply chain accountability, or climate-linked disclosures, legal teams must lead, not follow, these conversations. From Borouge side, by the nature of our activities and with our global expansion, we will face regulatory expectations not only in the UAE, but also in Europe and North America. Legal teams must lead on climate disclosure, supply chain ethics, and sustainability compliance, embedding them across governance and contracts.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

Business fluency. Strategic thinking. Risk clarity. In-house counsel must move beyond legal precision into value-based judgment. Our role is not just to protect, but also to enable the business to move forward confidently, responsibly, and at pace. in-house counsel must step into a broader leadership role, connecting risk, regulation, and commercial reality. We are expected to be clear, calm, and constructive. Not to block decisions, but to shape them responsibly. I believe in-house legal teams can influence culture, develop future leaders, and bring long-term thinking to the table.