10th Annual MENA Legal 4.0 Conference

The 10th Annual MENA Legal 4.0 Conference, held on February 11-12, 2019, in Dubai, UAE, was organized by Marcus Evans. This event aimed to explore the evolving roles of in-house counsel as business enablers in a dynamic global economy, focusing on moving towards a future-ready legal function and accelerating digital transformation.

Key topics covered during the conference included recent and upcoming regulatory and legal developments across key sectors in the GCC, provisions of data protection and regulation, skills and knowledge of the new arbitration law, reassessing business structures to avoid unnecessary VAT costs, leveraging new technologies to enhance productivity in the legal function, developing comprehensive legal frameworks to combat cyber crimes, mitigating and managing risk to protect organizational reputation, and managing staff transition to establish a strong in-house team.

The conference featured an esteemed lineup of speakers, panelists, and moderators, including Nour Hineidi Kirk, Deputy Registrar at DIFC Courts, UAE; Shahab Ahmed, Head Counsel at Etihad Aviation Group, UAE; Dr. Zaid Mahayni, Group Chief Legal Officer at SEDCO Holding, KSA; and Judge Dr. Mostafa Abdel Ghaffar, Head of ADR at the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, KSA. Additionally, an international workshop on best practices in arbitration and dispute resolution was conducted by Paul Rose, a mediator and arbitrator from ArbDB Chambers, United Kingdom.

This conference was particularly beneficial for in-house counsel, legal professionals, and compliance officers seeking to stay abreast of the latest legal developments, enhance their skills in arbitration and dispute resolution, and network with peers and industry leaders to share insights and best practices.