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Conference programme - Wednesday 18 May 2011
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08.30 Registration
09.00 Chairman's welcome
Jamie Nelson, general counsel and managing director, Dubai International Capital
09.10 Assessing the routes to business growth at the dawn of a new economic era
With levels of optimism rising in Dubai and surrounding GCC states it is critical to understand the big picture when it comes to future growth in the region. As sectors such as infrastructure, telecoms and retail start to see healthy growth again now is an excellent time to be briefed by one of the leading lights in the Dubai economy. This opening keynote presentation will explore what has changed in the business world and how the region can come out stronger in the global economy?
Dr Kenneth Wilson, professor and director, National Research Foundation
09.45 Panel debate: Managing legal risk without killing the deal
In today's risk averse business landscape, increasing amounts of pressure are being placed on the in-house legal team to act as a legal guardian. However, in many organisations there is a balance to strike between risk and commercial vision. The role of in-house counsel is to understand the pressure points, strategy and objectives of the business to develop an acceptable legal risk profile that doesn't hold up business growth. Join this panel as they explore progressive methods of achieving an equilibrium whilst also considering the most effective methods of entrenching legal privilege.
Moderator
Douglas Smith, partner, corporate & commercial, Habib Al Mulla
Panellists
Adam Malouf, chief operating officer and general counsel, Areit Management
Inam Siddiqui, senior legal counsel, General Electric
Refki El-Mujtahed, general counsel, Arabtec Holding
Khalid Khan, general counsel, Gulf Investment Corporation
Elias Hayek, president, DCCG & vice president, legal, EAME Division Starwood Hotels and Resorts
10.30 Inspiring and leading organisational change
As a legal department leader you are at the forefront of business change as market dynamics evolve and your role develops past the legal department and on to central business decision making. This session will take knowledge from leading change in major law firms, other professional service firms and government to draw applications back to the role of Corporate Counsel. Andrew Jackson, one of the preeminent consultants in this field will provide a thorough briefing on the ways in which in house counsel can bring their influence and skills to bear on wider corporate change.
Andrew Jackson, founding partner, Stanton Marris
11.10 Morning coffee break
11.30 Interactive focus groups
(Based on a boardroom-style format, the interactive sessions will allow delegates to actively participate in the discussion)
A) The challenges and key issues to developing and implementing a legal strategy that is aligned to a cross-jurisdictional online business model
Most laws are jurisdiction specific. Some have an exterritorial effect and in some instances, this extraterritoriality conflicts with local realities and raise some interesting challenges. When doing business online, or using o line promotions tools as part of a business strategy, boundaries and borders become less clear and the challenge even greater. This session aims at identifying some of the issues that are triggered by an on-line business strategy or model and how to best support it, raising the question of what is an "applicable law" and what is an "extraterritorial" law in a world which may seem without borders.
Nassib Abou-Khalil, general counsel - Middle East, Yahoo!
B) Evaluating the options for fast and cost-effective dispute resolution in the Middle East
There are a host of different platforms available in which to take up dispute proceedings in the region, however, it remains unclear as to which offers the greatest effectiveness. So should you litigate, arbitrate or mediate? Should you use federal or international processes? This insightful session will provide you with a deeper understanding of how you can choose the right process to ensure speed of decision and quality of justice.
H.E. Justice Ali Shamis, DIFC Courts and member of the Joint Committee of the Dubai Courts and the DIFC Courts
C) Legal process outsourcing: Exploring the challenges and benefits of alternative sourcing models of legal processes
In an attempt to curb the cost of external counsel, companies are increasingly looking to expand their offshore legal function in countries such as India and Latin America. How do you know if offshoring is right for your business? What work is suitable for contracting out? And, how do you get the most from an offshore legal strategy? Gain answers to these questions and more in this topical and interactive session.
Nigel Murray, managing director, Huron Consulting
Deepak Malhotra, senior vice president and general counsel, Constellation Europe
12.40 Networking lunch
13.40 Interactive focus groups
(Based on a boardroom-style format, the interactive sessions will allow delegates to actively participate in the discussion)
A) Assessing the changing relationship between in-house and external counsel
Relationships between external lawyers and in-house counsel are becoming increasingly important. The successful appointment of a panel of preferred legal advisors and the development of close working relationship with those firms can be a significant opportunity for in-house legal teams and can help save both time and money. This panel will look at how the past two years has affected the relationship between in-house and external counsel and what the relationship will be like in the future.
Amit Kapur, senior legal advisor, HSBC Bank Middle East
Clint Steyn, former general counsel, International Power
B) Preparing for the second wave of corporate governance and compliance
A recent OECD study suggests that the MENA region is about to experience a second wave of governance and compliance related regulation. The first wave succeeded in raising awareness of governance and compliance structures but now is the time to focus on implementation. This interactive focus group will examine the following:
• What impact does CG have on your risk profile and bottom line?
• Do family businesses need CG?
• Practice vs theory: How ready is the MENA region for CG?
• What can UAE legislators do to propel the shift?
Fadi Hammadeh, group general counsel, Al Futtaim Group
Philippe Vogeleer, company secretary, Nawras (Qatar Telecom Group - Sultanate of Oman)
Scott Lane, chief executive officer, The Red Flag Group
14.50 Panel debate: Breaking into the emerging economies of the Middle East and North Africa
As the emerging MENA economies open up to foreign investments, there is an increasingly large interest from United Arab Emirates (UAE) in trying to understand more about how best to conduct business in such regions. Join our regional experts as they take you on a trip through some of the most unexplored business markets in the region.
In the spotlight:
• Saudi Arabia
• Iraq
Charles Laubach, partner, Afridi & Angell
Richard Marrin, general counsel, Enany Group of Companies
Liam McCollum, general counsel MEA, General Electric
15.50 Afternoon coffee
16.10 Measuring your performance to justify your role
Pressure is mounting on general counsel to demonstrate how effective the in-house legal team is. GCs can add specific value by encouraging a greater understanding of risk. They should be able to provide context to every legal decision made through their knowledge of the company objectives. Join this expert led focus group as they identify best practice and highlight the key metrics that can help you to demonstrate the value of your legal team.
Rees Morrison, president, Rees Morrison Associates
16.40 Panel debate: Managing legal workload when handling more work in-house
Over the past two year's more legal work has been brought in-house in an attempt to cut down on costs. Now that business is picking up, general counsel are finding it difficult to reverse the tide of work being handled in-house. This insightful panel debate will assess how best to manage your board expectations, when to make the call of using external counsel and how to improve overall efficiency of work handling in your legal department.
Moderator
Jamie Nelson, general counsel and managing director, Dubai International Capital
Panellists
Erik Sturm, head of legal and compliance - Middle East & Africa, Nokia Siemens Networks
Dean Stelfox, senior legal advisor, Dubai Aviation City Corporation
Mann El Aydi, general counsel & board secretary, Abu Dhabi National Hotels
17.25 Closing remarks from chairman
17.50 Networking drinks reception
HOW TO BOOK
To reserve your place at the Corporate Counsel Forum Middle East, click here to download the booking form (PDF), call Steve Hands on +44 (0)20 7004 7460 or email legalweekconference@incisivemedia.com
