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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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

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