Chief legal and compliance officer, Board secretary | Lesha Bank
Rita El Helou
Chief legal and compliance officer, Board secretary | Lesha Bank
Career biography
Rita El Helou is the Chief Legal and Compliance Officer and Board Secretary at Lesha Bank. She has over 18 years of experience in both private and public listed companies in legal and compliance roles, providing guidance in commercial and operational contexts.
Prior to joining Lesha Bank, El Helou worked for eight years with Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. and Infinity Solutions LLC. She has also worked at Jaidah Group and SGBL. El Helou holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris and a master’s degree in law from the Lebanese University – Filiere Francophone de Droit – Faculty of Law and Political Science. She is currently pursuing a PhD in management from ESCP Paris. El Helou also holds a Mini-MBA in Telecommunications from Telecom and Tech Academy United Kingdom (Qatar) and a certificate from INSEAD in Leading Organisations in Disruptive Times.
As Chief Legal Officer, El Helou provides legal support to the CEO, Executive Management, and the Board of Directors, ensuring alignment with the Bank’s business plan and long-term strategy. She is responsible for all legal aspects of acquisitions and corporate transactions, including overseeing due diligence processes, structuring deals, negotiating terms, and closing transactions.
What are the key projects that you have been involved in over the past 12 months? Please clearly mark anything that you do not want us to publish.
Over the past year, the legal team has played a role in expanding the bank’s investments both geographically and across sectors, demonstrating its diversification strategy.
A key milestone was successfully leading the entry into the Irish market in the aviation industry, where we completed the full set-up and operation of the aviation platform in Ireland.
In parallel, we have been active in diversifying the bank’s investment portfolio, moving beyond real estate and private equity into public equity, aviation leasing, and platform-based investment models, while continuing to grow existing products and working on further diversification.
What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?
To me, the role of a modern in-house counsel goes far beyond providing legal advice — it’s about being a proactive business partner who supports growth, ensures sound decision-making, and upholds legal and ethical standards across the organisation.
One key attribute is having a strong commercial mindset. Among other reasons, I pursued my EMBA at HEC Paris and took a specialised course in Aviation Finance at the University of Dublin. Both experiences were driven by a desire to understand the business at a deeper level, anticipate risks from a commercial perspective, and add strategic value in transactions and projects.
Leadership is another important quality. As in-house counsel, you need to ensure the legal team is aligned, engaged, and working collaboratively across functions, managing external advisors efficiently, and keeping the wider business moving forward.
At the same time, a modern in-house counsel must be a custodian of legal governance and compliance. Supporting the business does not mean saying yes to everything; it means finding legally sound and practical ways to achieve goals while ensuring that regulatory, reputational, and compliance risks are properly managed. In summary, the modern in-house counsel must wear multiple hats: legal expert, business advisor, project leader, and compliance officer. Balancing these roles is what makes the position both challenging and rewarding.
What is a cause, business or otherwise, that you are passionate about?
One thing I am truly passionate about is ensuring the smooth and efficient execution of acquisitions and transactions, while building a well-coordinated team environment. We prioritise clear communication, set expectations early, and make sure every team member knows their role and feels included.
Acquisitions often involve tight deadlines, multiple stakeholders, and complex legal and financial elements. I believe the success of any deal depends not only on technical skills but also on how well the team works together. It’s important to create an environment where people feel supported, informed, and empowered to deliver their best work. I strive to ensure communication is ongoing — not just at the start or end of a transaction.
Another area I care deeply about is making sure every team member is involved and understands the “why” behind their tasks, which helps them contribute meaningfully to the process. I encourage the team to be proactive, detail-oriented, and solution-focused.