JUDGES

Each year, ALB invites an independent judging panel of senior and expert legal industry leaders from various sectors corresponding to the diverse list of award categories. ALB is pleased to list some of the distinguished judges. The rest of the panel will be revealed on the evening of the awards.

Afshan Akhtar
Chief Legal Counsel and Board Secretary, BAPCO Refining

With over 20 years of legal experience, Afshan excels in diverse industries, including oil and gas, banking, and mining. Her unique ability to work at the C-Level and make high-impact contributions sets her apart. Afshan’s leadership, analytical skills, and holistic approach enable her to provide comprehensive legal solutions. Her achievements have been recognized with numerous awards, including the highest civilian award in the Kingdom of Bahrain for her professional excellence.

Dr. Amal Rakibi 
General Counsel and Company Secretary, Borouge

Dr. Amal Rakibi is an international corporate counsel with over 25 years of experience leading legal teams in complex jurisdictions. She currently serves as the General Counsel and Company Secretary at Borouge, supporting C-suite Executives, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee. Previously, Dr. Rakibi was the Chief Legal Officer at AirAsia, where she led organizational restructuring, corporate finance initiatives, M&A, and IPOs. She also held various leadership roles at Schlumberger, including General Counsel for the MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa regions.

Dr. Rakibi holds a PhD in International Law from Paris-Sud University and George Washington University. She is a French qualified lawyer and has multiple degrees, including a Master's in Aeronautics, Space and Telecommunications Law, and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Space Science. Her expertise lies in executive leadership, legal operations management, corporate governance, and international law. Dr. Rakibi's multidisciplinary approach and diverse background enable her to adapt to evolving challenges in today's dynamic international landscape.

Ahmad Al Aseh
Head of Legal - Middle East and Levant, CEVA Logistics

Ahmad Al Aseh (LLM in Business Law) is the Head of Legal for the Middle East and Levant at CEVA Logistics, a subsidiary of the CMA CGM Group, based in Dubai. With over 15 years of legal experience across Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Ahmad oversees legal affairs in 16 jurisdictions, expertly navigating complex legal challenges.

Ahmad began his career in Syria, where he practiced law and established his own boutique law firm before pursuing an LLM in Malaysia. His international journey includes roles in intellectual property and corporate law at Kandiah & Sri in Kuala Lumpur, followed by a position at Christopher & Lee Ong, part of Rajah & Tann Asia (Singapore). He then took on the challenge of building a legal department for a French company in Istanbul. Ahmad joined CEVA Logistics in 2018 in Istanbul and was promoted to Head of Legal in Dubai in 2020.

Combining his experience in both private practice and in-house roles, Ahmad has developed expertise in Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, Intellectual Property, Shipping & Logistics Law, and dispute resolution. His career reflects a commitment to professional growth and adaptability, making him a strategic leader in global logistics law. Ahmad is passionate about mentoring the next generation of legal professionals, guiding them through the complexities of the legal landscape.

Carla Tavares
MEA Legal Lead, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals GmbH

Carla Tavares is a dual-qualified legal counsel with expertise in both civil and common law systems, having worked in the UAE, Singapore, UK, Spain, and Portugal. Currently, she serves as Legal Lead for Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, overseeing legal matters across the Middle East and Africa, including contracting, pricing, strategic transactions, sale and distribution, digital marketing, advertising, promotion, and legal risk management. Carla's career spans leadership roles in various industries such as healthcare, FMCG, IT, and real estate. Before undertaking her in-house roles, she practiced at CMS Cameron McKenna in London and holds an LLM in IT Law from Edinburgh University (2023). Passionate about integrating AI and blockchain into law, Carla aims to leverage her international experience to add value in academia and mento future legal minds.

Courtney Sader
General Counsel, Raytheon Emirates Ltd

Courtney Sader is General Counsel for Raytheon Emirates ltd., Raytheon Saudi Arabia, and Raytheon Doha for Raytheon Company where she serves as a member of the leadership team for and is responsible for managing all legal matters. She also serves as Board Secretary for these entities and a board Director for Raytheon MENA Group. Courtney is the founder and chair for the Raytheon MENA Group women’s network employee resource group. 

Courtney holds two Bachelors and one Masters degrees from the University of Maryland and a Juris Doctorate from Temple Law School. She also has a certificate from the London School of Economics in the Laws of Mergers and Acquisitions and is CCEP-I certified. 

Courtney serves as a board member and prior Vice Chairwoman for the American Chamber of Commerce Abu Dhabi (AmCham Abu Dhabi). There she also serves on the legal affairs and aerospace and defense committees.

Dawn Sanderson
Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, Al Dahra Group

Dawn is the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer for Al Dahra Group, which is a UAE headquartered global agribusiness, supporting food security in the UAE. She started her career with Eversheds Sutherland LLP in the UK, coming out to Abu Dhabi in 2008 to set up their Abu Dhabi office. Dawn moved in house to Al Dahra Group in 2016. Dawn was the first in house counsel for Al Dahra Group, and has built up the function to include legal, governance and compliance functions. The global team is currently in UAE, Egypt, Serbia and Romania. Dawn led the team to secure Team of the Year in 2023 in, both, the Oath Awards and the LexisNexis Women in Law Awards.

Dineli Gowribalan
General Counsel and Company Secretary, GRIP (DIFC) Ltd

Dineli Gowribalan is General Counsel and Company Secretary for the GRIP group of companies which comprise GRIP (DIFC) Ltd, GRIP Horizon SARL, GRIP Investments (Cayman) and Access Capital Funds SPC. She is a member of the Board of Directors of private funds in the BVI and Cayman Islands. Dineli is a dual qualified lawyer, admitted as a Solicitor of England & Wales and an Attorney at Law in Sri Lanka. She is an accredited ADR ODR International Civil/Commercial Mediator. She also holds an Advanced Diploma in Management Accounting from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Colombo. 

Duncan Wood 
Legal Counsel - Assistant Head of the Continuous Legal Professional Development Programme for Legal Consultants - The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department

Duncan Wood has over a decade of experience at the Dubai Legal Affairs Department, where he manages special projects and plays a key role in raising standards across the legal industry. This has led to being a thought leader with the International Legal Regulators Committee. Prior to this, Duncan worked at Thomson Reuters in legal intelligence, where he gained valuable insights into the complexities of legal operations and a deep understanding of the legal markets in the GCC and beyond. His diverse experience enables him to provide a comprehensive understanding of both legal practice and industry trends. Passionate about driving innovation and maintaining excellence within the legal field, Duncan is committed to fostering growth and setting new benchmarks for the legal community in Dubai and beyond.

Hanane Farhane
Senior Counsel, Lenovo META and France

Hanane Farhane, a respected figure in the corporate legal world in the Middle East and a leading woman in technology, has been instrumental in shaping Lenovo's legal strategy across Middle East, Africa and France. As Senior Counsel, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise in navigating complex legal challenges while upholding the highest standards of compliance. Recognized for her exceptional contributions, Hanane has been a prominent figure on the Legal 500 – General Counsel Power List for the Middle East since 2019. Her deep understanding of corporate law has been invaluable in guiding Lenovo through a rapidly evolving legal landscape. Beyond her legal acumen, Hanane is a passionate advocate for women in leadership, particularly within the technology industry. She inspires young girls to pursue their dreams and break down barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. Her commitment to integrity, ethical leadership, and excellence has solidified her reputation as a standout figure in both the legal and IT sectors.

Dr Hussam Al Talhuni
Legal Adviser - Ministry of Finance - UAE

Dr. Hussam Al Talhuni, a Jordanian residing in Dubai, UAE, holds a Ph.D. in Arbitration in International Commercial Law from Edinburgh University. He has been a Legal Adviser to the UAE Minister of Finance since 2011, advising on matters related to commercial, economic, and financial laws, including drafting federal legislation. He served as Director of the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (2003-2010) and has expertise in civil, commercial, corporate, bankruptcy, and financial technology law. Dr. Al Talhuni is a Board member of the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre and has served on various committees, including the Sharjah International Arbitration Centre (2015-2018) and the Financial Reorganization Committee (2018-2023), where he helped resolve high-value debt cases.

Awarded third place as “Best Chairperson of the Arbitral Tribunal” by DIAC in 2018, he is also a member of the UAE Federal Committee for Drafting Tax Laws and the INSOL/World Bank Group Steering Committee.
 

Helen Graham
General Counsel, Dutco Group

Helen Graham is dual qualified in New Zealand and England including as a Solicitor Advocate of the High Court of English & Wales and trained CEDR mediator.  
In 2007 she left practice in dispute resolution in a London partnership to become General Counsel for Dutco Group a UAE conglomerate in construction, industrial manufacturing, freight and logistics, hotel operation and management in UAE, real estate and oil & gas.

Firas OGGAR
Group General Counsel, Zain Group 

Firas Oggar is the Group General Counsel and a member of the executive leadership team at Zain Group, as well as a board member of Zain Iraq. Zain is a leading mobile telecommunications operator listed on Boursa Kuwait, with a market cap of over US$7 billion as of December 31, 2023. The company operates in seven countries across the MENA region, serving over 51.7 million customers.

Mr. Oggar is a Corporate Attorney with over 23 years of experience. He qualified as a Lawyer before the Paris Bar, holds a Master in International Business Law from the University of Paris, and completed an Executive Education Program at Harvard Business School. He is a Board Member of the Harvard Club of Kuwait and a visiting professor at the University of Paris, Pantheon-Assas International Law School Executive Education Program in Dubai.

Irina Kovalchuk – Group General Counsel, ZMI Holdings

Iryna, an accomplished legal professional, transitioned from her role as a lawyer for the Ukrainian government and the Parliament of Ukraine to join ZMI Holdings (an ADNOC Logistics & Services company) in 2017.

In her current capacity as Group General Counsel, Iryna manages legal affairs across ZMI Holdings’ offices in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Iryna holds an LLM from a prominent London university and is an active member of various international professional and women’s organizations. Notably, she is recognized in the Legal 500 GC Powerlist Middle East for 2019, 2022, 2023, solidifying her status as a distinguished figure in the legal field.

James Donald
SVP & Deputy General Counsel, ACCOR

James is SVP & Deputy General Counsel, Premium Midscale and Economy Brands for Accor, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, where he drives global departmental strategy and alignment between regional legal teams. He also leads Accor’s legal operations function, and is based in Dubai, UAE. 

In addition to Dubai, James has previously worked in London and Shanghai for another major hospitality operator. 

James obtained his first degree in economics and finance, before qualifying as a corporate solicitor with a global law firm in London. He is a dad to three very active children and in his spare time he acts as an advisor to various technology start-ups.

Leanne Ball
Deputy General Counsel, The Marcura Group

Leanne Ball currently serves as the Deputy General Counsel at The Marcura Group and has worked for the Group for almost a decade. The Group serves various maritime industry participants and uses its scale to deliver straightforward solutions to seamlessly address customer needs optimise workflows, enhance efficiency, and increase productivity. Leanne has extensive experience in compliance, risk management, and corporate governance. She also is dedicated to supporting the Group with its ESG agenda and is part of the Group’s Data Protection and Specialised Compliance Task Force. She also contributes to various industry initiatives particularly those with the aim of supporting the maritime industry elevating its compliance posture. 

Mark Hultum
Head of Legal MEA, Deutsche Bank

Mark leads Deutsche Bank’s regional legal function as the principal manager of legal risk across all of its activities in the Middle East & Africa region, advising the bank’s Corporate Bank, Investment bank and Private Bank business units, as well as its Regional Management and Infrastructure Functions. With over 15 years’ experience gained in private practice and in-house roles, he is regularly recognised as one of the region’s most influential in-house counsel, including as a member of Legal 500’s GC Powerlist Middle East and as “General Counsel of the Year” at the Middle East Legal Awards 2023. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Mark worked in Clifford Chance’s M&A and Private Equity teams in both London and Hong Kong.

Dr. Mohamed Elmogy 
General Counsel, Siemens Energy UAE 

ACC MENA President, General Counsel, and bilingual business leader currently the General Counsel of Siemens Energy, UAE with an outstanding track record of 27 years of hands-on legal experience across the Middle East & Africa ("MEA") Region with F500 Corporations and major commercial groups. MOGY has made huge impact on the In-house Legal Community of the Middle East by founding the platforms for in-house legal counsel in both UAE and Egypt.

Mohamad AlDarwish
Head of Legal MEA, International SoS

Mohamad is a Lebanese lawyer with over 18 years of experience in Litigation, M&A, IPOs, and commercial law. Mohamad started his career as an attorney in Lebanon, then moved to Saudi Arabia advising clients on major merger and acquisitions, IPOs, and corporate restructuring. Currently, Mohamd is the Head of Legal Affairs for International SOS, and based in Dubai. Besides his LLB, Mohamad holds an EMBA from Hult International Business School and has several publications.

Nadim Elias El Haj
Chief Legal Officer, Abu Dhabi National Hotels

Nadim Elias El Haj has served as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel in major government, semi-government and private real estate development and hospitality groups in the UAE over more than two decades of work on ground-breaking projects. He took on lead roles in negotiating and closing mega transactions in the real estate development and hospitality industries in the UAE including the successful negotiation and closing of AED 2.2 B acquisition of five trophy hotel assets in Downtown Burj Khalifa from Emaar Hospitality Group in 2019. Nadim has served as Head of Legal for MENA region at Millennium Hotels and Resorts.
He was re-hired by ADNH in 2022 on the back of ADNH’s new AED 1B branded hotel resort and residences development project on Al Marjan Island -Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah and ADNH’s announced global expansion plan.
In addition to his current role at ADNH, Nadim serves as secretary to the Board of Directors of ADNH Catering which is the biggest catering and supports services group in the UAE. Such appointment follows the successful buyout/takeover by ADNH in March 2024 of the ADNH Compass UAE JV companies.
Nadim is a passionate of the hospitality industry and had successfully completed in 2020 a “Real Estate Hotel Investments & Asset Management Program” at Cornell University. He was featured as part of The Legal 500 GC Powerlist Middle East for the years 2019, 2022, and 2023.
 

Nova Herlangga Masrie 
Director - Indonesia Investment Promotion Center Abu Dhabi

Nova has been working at BKPM for more than 17 years. From March 2024, he serves as Director of Indonesia Investment Promotion Center (IIPC) Abu Dhabi. He is mandated to promote investment opportunities and facilitate potential investors from the Middle East, South and Central Asia, and Africa Regions; to intermediate meeting between Indonesian project owners and investors; as well as to nurture a relationship with existing investors.
He was Senior Legislative Drafter and coordinate the legal bureau team in handling legal sue to the Minister brought by the investors. In this position, he also gives advice on legal and regulatory issues to the related unit in Ministry of Investment/BKPM and other institutions.

Prior to this position, he was a Head Section in the Investment Cooperation Directorate that has a task in negotiating bilateral and regional investment treaty between Indonesia and dialogue partner. He was a member of Indonesian delegation in some investment treaty/agreement negotiations.

Rima Hadid
General counsel, Emirates Investment Authority

Rima Hadid is an accomplished legal advisor with over 20 years of experience across private practice and corporate legal sectors. As General Counsel at the UAE's Federal Sovereign Wealth Fund, she leads legal, compliance, and corporate governance efforts, focusing on structural reforms for government assets and advising on private equity and liquid investments. Her extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions spans local, regional, and global transactions. Named one of the most influential women in Middle Eastern finance and regularly featured on the Legal 500’s GC Powerlist, Rima is recognized for her strategic thinking, leadership, and commitment to collaboration. She is dedicated to mentoring others, empowerment, and fostering innovation in the legal landscape.

Riswana Gaswan, Director - Legal & Board Secretary Imdaad Group

Riswana Gaswan serves as the Director of Legal & Board Secretary at Imdaad Group, where she oversees all legal aspects of the organization's operations. With a robust background in law and a dedication to compliance and strategic legal planning, Riswana plays a critical role in steering the company through complex legal challenges and opportunities.

In her previous role as Head of Legal at Imdaad, Riswana demonstrated a consistent trajectory of professional growth within the organization. Before joining Imdaad, she accumulated substantial experience in the legal and real estate sectors, refining her expertise in corporate law, contracts, risk mitigation, mergers and acquisitions, litigation management, and governance.
Riswana's strategic corporate advice has been instrumental in Imdaad's successful expansion into new markets, including Oman, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. She collaborates closely with the Board of Directors and executive leadership on the company’s legal strategic initiatives within the GCC region.

As a qualified lawyer admitted to the Bar Association, Riswana is also a Certified Director by the Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance and holds a certified Board Secretary certificate from Hawkamah and the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). Her professional qualifications include specializations in Commercial Law, Governance, Risk, and Compliance from George Washington University (GWU), and certification in Mergers & Acquisitions. Riswana remains committed to staying current with legal developments that impact Imdaad Group’s industry. Beyond her professional commitments, Riswana is a dedicated mother of two, a wife, and a daughter. She is an avid reader and volunteer and has been actively involved in mentoring young legal professionals and engaging with the legal community in the United Arab Emirates since 2007.

Roula Khaled – General Counsel, Khazna Data Centers

Roula Khaled is the General Counsel of Khazna Data Centres, a joint venture between G42 and Etisalat. She has over 20 years of experience leading and advising on cross-border and domestic M&A transactions (including acquisitions of data centres and telecom operators), joint ventures, finance deals, restructuring matters and on a wide variety of corporate, commercial and strategic transactions in several jurisdictions including the Gulf Cooperation Council, Asia and Africa.

Before moving in-house, Roula started her career as a private practice lawyer in Paris, Lebanon and the UAE. Her most recent roles were as a Regional Senior Legal Counsel at IBM, where she worked on technology and consulting deals (including GBS) in the UAE and KSA and as a Regional Senior Counsel at Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, where she handled the corporate, commercial, employment, IP and litigation matters, covering UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon and Egypt. Before that, she spent six years as a Legal Counsel Mergers and Acquisitions at Etisalat working on some of the biggest deals in the region, including the acquisition of Maroc Telecom, the sale of Zantel and Canar, and the merger of Etisalat Lanka with Hutch Lanka.

Roula is a Lebanese-qualified lawyer. She has a Degree in Law from the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, an MA in Internal and International Business Law from the French affiliate of the Lebanese University (Filière Francophone de Droit), and a certificate in the Essentials of Business from the American University of Beirut.

Sandeep Chokshy    
Managing Region Counsel – MENA & ESSA, Expro

Sandeep is a triple qualified lawyer - qualified to practice law in India, UK and US State of Texas. He has worked in private practice for over 12 years with different law firms across UK, Russia, Channel Islands and UAE. His practice areas included banking, finance, corporate and advising on laws in offshore jurisdictions. He switched to in-house practice over 11 years ago into oil and gas sector working with market leaders like Baker Hughes, Frank's International (now, Expro). He is presently Managing Region Counsel for Expro covering Europe, Russia, Africa and Middle East with a lean team based in Aberdeen and Dubai.

Susan L. Karamanian
Dean of the College of Law, Hamad Bin Khalifa University

Susan L. Karamanian is Dean of the College of Law at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha.  Before joining HBKU Law, she was Provost at the American University of Sharjah, Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies and Burnett Family Professorial Lecturer at the George Washington University Law School, and a Partner in Locke Lord LLP in Dallas. Susan is on the board of various institutions, including the American Society of International Law (ASIL).  She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a life fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.  

Professor Tenia Kyriazi PFHEA MCIArb
Deputy Director Teaching and Learning, Law & Social Sciences
Head Law & Politics Programmes, Middlesex University Dubai

Dr Tenia Kyriazi is the Deputy Director at Middlesex University Dubai. She holds a PhD in International Law, an LLM in International Law with International Relations, an LLB, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education. She is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK). Tenia is a member of the Athens Bar Association (Greece) and the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (CIArb).

Tenia’s research interests include International Human Rights Law, International Organisations, International Judicial Organs, and Legal Education. Her work has been published in many peer reviewed journals.

Dr. Yasser Aboismail
General Counsel and Compliance Officer - MENA, Head of Global Human Rights Office, Schindler

Yasser is an inspiring legal counsel and seasoned leader who merges legal expertise with executive influence to propel global business aims. His dynamic career spans Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with significant contributions at Ernst & Young, PepsiCo, Eaton, and currently Schindler.

At Schindler, Yasser oversees all legal, commercial, and compliance matters across MENA and leads the Global Human Rights Office, focusing on the social impact of Schindler’s operations. As a thought leader, he shares insights at prestigious law forums and mentors budding lawyers. His networking prowess, commitment to continuous learning, and vigorous public advocacy establish him as a trailblazer in the legal industry.

Recognized by Legal500, Legal Era Magazine, and Legal Week for his significant influence, Yasser’s academic accolades from Cairo University, Paris IX University, and University Montpellier I further endorse his professional authority. His ability to straddle strategic, legal, educational, and advocacy roles cements his reputation as an influential change-maker shaping the future of the legal industry.

Yosr Hamza 
Director, Legal & Compliance, Gartner

Yosr is a bilingual, multi-award-winning tech legal director overseeing the Middle East region for Gartner. She serves on the Board of Trustees for the LAW, the Advisory Board for the Juris Centre of Excellence for Legal Education and Training at MDX-UAE Campus Law School, the Board of the ACC MENA Chapter, and the leadership teams of the New to In-House Network, International Legal Affairs Network, and Women in the House Network. Yosr is a well-known champion of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), dedicated to creating opportunities for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive in their careers through mentorship, sponsorship, and authentic storytelling.
In addition to her professional achievements, Yosr is a Founding Member of the Yusr App. She is also a devoted parent and caregiver, advocating passionately for her child who battles Lissencephaly and cerebral palsy. Yosr believes that a disability is not an inability, and a diagnosis does not define a person. Her child’s unique strengths continue to inspire and amaze those around him.
 

and many more

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