Career Biography

I currently serve as Group Head of Legal and Company Secretary at Axiom, a leading tech, distribution and logistics group with operations across the Middle East. In this role, I lead the company’s legal, compliance, and governance functions, with responsibility for supporting the group’s strategic growth while safeguarding its risk and regulatory obligations. My work spans corporate structuring, M&A, commercial negotiations, employment law, dispute resolution, and governance. I see my role not only as managing legal risk, but also as enabling business teams to operate with confidence and agility in a highly competitive market.

My career began at law firms, where I developed a strong foundation in corporate and commercial law before transitioning in-house. Moving into the corporate world gave me a broader perspective on how legal strategy is embedded into business decision-making and shaped the way I practice today — always balancing legal precision with practical business outcomes. Over more than a decade, I have gained hands-on experience across multiple jurisdictions, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with exposure to both local regulations and cross-border matters requiring nuanced judgment.

Key Achievements

Over the years, I have led a number of significant projects of which I am proud. These include managing complex carve-out and acquisition processes, guiding the transfer and novation of contracts across jurisdictions, and ensuring that all regulatory approvals were secured without delaying commercial timelines. I have also overseen workforce transitions and secondments, where my priority was ensuring compliance with labor laws while protecting employee rights and business continuity. In addition, I have implemented governance and compliance frameworks that improved transparency, accountability, and efficiency across the group. I have also successfully resolved and won complex litigation in favor of the group, achieving outcomes that safeguarded both our financial interests and reputation.

Leadership and development

I am equally passionate about mentoring and developing junior legal counsel. For me, training goes beyond technical legal knowledge — it is about shaping the lawyer’s personality, strengthening judgment, and building the confidence to act as a trusted advisor. I encourage young lawyers to develop their tools not only in legal drafting and analysis, but also in communication, negotiation, and strategic thinking. I emphasise the use of modern legal solutions and tools to maintain high standards of quality and efficiency, preparing them to thrive in fast-changing business environments and ensuring the sustainability of the in-house legal profession.

Philosophy

My philosophy is simple: a modern in-house counsel should be more than a legal gatekeeper. I see the role as that of a business partner, helping the company grow while ensuring that risks are identified and managed in a way that protects long-term value. I believe this can only be achieved by embracing modern legal solutions and tools that enhance both quality and efficiency, allowing the legal function to deliver faster, smarter, and more effective support to the business.

Being selected for the Legal 500 GC Powerlist: Middle East 2025 is a humbling recognition of my journey so far. I see it as a reflection not only of my work, but also of the teams and leaders I have been fortunate to work alongside.