2025 Programme

Achieving Qatar National Vision 2030

8:15 – 9:00 AM
Badge Pick-up, Breakfast and Networking
9:00-9:30 AM
Welcome and Opening Remarks

  • LexisNexis Middle East

  • His Excellency Ibrahim bin Ali bin Issa Al Hassan Al Mohannadi – Minister of Justice

  • Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al-Thani – Chairman, Qatar Chamber

  • Faisal Al-Sahouti – CEO, Qatar International Court & Dispute Resolution Centre

  • Mubarak Al-Sulaiti – President, Qatar Lawyers Association

  • Nasser Al-Taweel – Legal Affairs Director, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

  • Hilal Al Khulaifi – Chief Legal, Regulatory & Corporate Governance Officer, Ooredoo Group

9:30-10:30 AM
Panel Discussion 1: The Evolving Business Law Framework under Qatar National Vision 2030

  • The evolution and future of Foreign Investment Law in Qatar

  • The evolving role of Qatar’s special zones

  • Modernising Qatar’s dispute resolution framework (arbitration law, evolution and growth of QICCA, the creation of the Trade & Investment Court)

  • Practising law in Qatar: developments in the Advocacy Law, LegalTech

Moderator: AlAnoud M Al-Mosleh – Head of Economic Research & Policy Advocacy, Invest Qatar

Panelists:

  • Dr. Abdulla Al Khaldi – Director of the Legal & Judicial Studies Center (LJSC), Ministry of Justice

  • Nasser Al-Taweel – Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Legal Officer at Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority

  • Monita Barghachie – General Counsel & Board Secretary, Marafeq Qatar

  • Matthew Walker – Partner, K&L Gates

An Investor-Friendly Destination
10:45-11:00 AM
Panel 2: Pioneering Corporate Governance in the GCC

  • Back to Basics: Role and composition of board of directors, minority shareholder rights, and filing obligations

  • QFMA Corporate Governance + Case Study

  • Corporate governance in the QFC and harmonisation of QFC and special zones

  • Governance obligations of LLCs

  • Legislative developments for corporate governance: What’s in the pipeline?

Moderator: Georges Abi Saab – General Counsel, Ooredoo Group

Panelists:

  • Michelle Ancona Reynolds – Head of Legal, Rheinmetall Barzan Advanced Technologies QSTP-LLC 

  • Roopak Seghal – Senior Legal Counsel, Sharaka Holdings 

  • Dr. Zain Sharer – Senior Legal Counsel to the CEO, QICDRC 

  • Ahmed Al-Emadi – Director-Competition & Regulatory Economics, Ooredoo Group

12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch - Please Join Us!
1:00-2:00 PM
Panel 3: Bringing Investor Confidence to the Financial Sector

  • The Big Picture: Legislative milestones in Qatar’s banking & finance sector + where the law is headed

  • QFC’s new distinct regulatory zone for digital assets

  • QFCRA Investment Token Rules

  • The new regulatory framework for digital banking

  • Protecting investor data

Moderator: Roscoe Banks – Associate General Counsel, Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Authority 

Panelists:

  • Jabor Al-Muraikhi – Assistant Director of Legal Affairs, National Cyber Security Agency 

  • Maha Al Saadi – Head of Regulatory Affairs, Qatar Financial Centre  

  • Simon Chan – Partner, K&L Gates 

  • Rita ElHelou – Chief Legal & Compliance Officer & Board Secretary, Lesha Bank

Faster, Smarter, Better: Modernising Qatar’s Justice System
2:00-3:00 PM
Panel 4: Real Estate & Construction Disputes
  • The new dedicated Enforcement Court one year on
    • How the Court has been applying the Enforcement Law
    • Practical tips for in-house practice to enforce cheques, leases and other documents

  • QICCA Developments in Construction Dispute Resolution

  • The new committees for the resolution of real estate development disputes (Decisions No. 26/2025 and 27/2025)

  • Rethinking Performance Bonds: Legal Developments and Practical Consequences

Moderator: Muna AlKaabi – Case Officer, Qatar International Court 

Panelists:

  • Andrew Johnson – General Counsel, Msheireb Properties 

  • Gabriel Olufemi – Doha Office Managing Partner, Dentons 

  • Amr Hossam El-Din – Senior Counsel and Head of Arbitration and ADR, Al Sulaiti Law Firm 

  • Farah Haider – Senior Associate, DWF

3:10-4:20 PM
Panel 5: Choice of Forum for an Expeditious, Predictable and Judicious Resolution of Disputes

  • Pros and cons of the Trade & Investment Court

  • When can parties opt for the Qatar International Court

  • Updated Rules for the Qatar International Court: What has changed?

  • QIC Case Update

  • Avoiding pitfalls in drafting your arbitration clause

  • AI’s Impact on Dispute Resolution in Qatar

Moderator: Professor Hilary Bell – Assistant Professor of Law and Juris Doctor Director, HBKU 

Panelists:

  • Umar Azmeh – Registrar, Qatar International Court 

  • Dr. Hazem Hussein – Partner, Al Majd Law Firm 

  • Nour El Khoury – Lawyer, Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm 

  • Khalid Al-Harami – Chairman, West Bay Law

Note: * Topics and times are subject to change. Q&A will follow each presentation, time permitting.