Team size: 7

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

Over the past 12 months, I have led and been the principal drafter on eleven M&A asset transactions, including several cross-border deals. I was also involved in two joint venture transitions, overseeing complexities related to cross-border structures, post-deal integration, and regulatory policy.

In addition, I have managed the negotiation and finalisation of multiple loan agreements and partnership contracts. I also held the pen on our Sukuk programme and played a key role in ensuring alignment between commercial and legal objectives across all initiatives.

How do you approach managing legal aspects during periods of instability or crises, and how does your legal strategy align with the broader business strategy to ensure the organisation’s resilience?

Resilience is key to overcoming any crisis. Our legal strategy is closely aligned with the evolving needs of the business and is designed to be both proactive and responsive.

The core of our approach lies in meticulous attention to detail – whether in transactional work or litigation. We ensure that every aspect of a deal or dispute is thoroughly reviewed, with potential risks assessed and mitigated early on. This discipline allows us to support the business with speed and confidence, even during challenging periods.

By embedding legal considerations into strategic decision-making, we ensure the legal function contributes directly to business continuity and long-term resilience.

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

A modern in-house counsel must be flexible, commercially minded, and deeply involved in driving the business forward. Legal teams should not operate in silos; instead, they must understand the operations, objectives, and challenges of the business at every level.

Ownership is critical — legal professionals should take responsibility not just for legal outcomes, but also for enabling business success. Process automation and the reduction of unnecessary bureaucratic layers are also essential in ensuring agility and efficiency.

Importantly, general counsel today should possess the capability to execute the vast majority of legal work internally. At Burjeel, for example, we do not outsource any corporate work except for legal due diligence exercises. This model strengthens internal capabilities and ensures full alignment with the organisation’s goals.

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

Diversity is essential to the success of any department, including legal. In our team of seven, five members are Arabic-speaking lawyers. This multilingual and multicultural makeup enables us to bring a broader range of perspectives to the table, which ultimately adds significant value.

I strongly believe that different minds bring different ways of thinking, and that inclusive teams are better equipped to handle complex challenges and deliver more innovative solutions.