2020 Speakers - Qatar Business Law Forum

FAISAL AL-SAHOUTI

Chief Executive Officer, Qatar International Court & Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC)

Mr. Al Sahouti is currently the CEO of the QICDRC since April 2014. He is also a member of the Court's Advisory Board. He is responsible for the administrative, financial and legal affairs of Court under the supervision of the President of the QICDRC. During his tenure, the QICDRC has witnessed a remarkable development, as he has led the administrative development of the court, particularly advancing the QICDRC electronic services that are provided to litigants and lawyers.

In addition, Mr. Al Sahouti has contributed extensively in development of the human resources at the QICDRC, by employing talented and highly qualified Qataris, in order to work at the QICDRC registry, and other administrative departments of the Court.

DR. NOORA RASHID AL-SAHLAWI

Qatar University

Dr. Noora Rashid Al-Sahlawi is an Assistant Professor at Qatar University College of Law. She has been teaching law since 2014 and specialises in criminal law, international criminal law, cyberlaw and policy, economic crimes, national security and counter-terrorism.

Dr. Noora is one of the first Qatari women to teach criminal law. She lectures on cybercrimes, economic crimes and criminal law. She has participated in various important international conferences including the United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and has participated in several workshops and training programmes on Counter-Terrorism Financing both in the United States and in Qatar.

Dr. Noora has an LL.M from the College of William and Mary (Virginia) and an SJD (PhD) Case Western Reserve University.

Areas of interest:

Criminal law
International criminal law
Cyberlaw and policy
Economic crimes
National Security Law; Counter terrorism.

ORIANE BARAT-GINIES

ORIANE BARAT-GINIES is a French lawyer with 14 years’ experience in IT and legal sectors. She holds a Ph.D in International Law and Cybersecurity and a Master’s Degree in IT and Cyber-Criminality. She has worked in several countries assisting governments and private companies with legal reforms, legislative drafting, and developing cybersecurity doctrine. She has been in Qatar for more than seven years, as a cybersecurity business developer for Thales and a legal consultant to the Ofﬁce of the Minister of Transport and Communications (MOTC). She is now Senior legal Counsel at beIN Sports in charge of anti-piracy issues and contract negotiation in the MENA region. She is a certified Data Privacy specialist, a Navy reserve Officer and Life/Career coach helping managers and leaders to grow.

PAULA BOAST

Charles Russell Speechlys

Paula is Head of Construction Engineering & Projects for the Middle East. Based in-region since 2006, she specialises in construction projects throughout the GCC including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait Oman, and Qatar.

Her extensive experience includes a diverse portfolio including real estate and development, regeneration, infrastructure and utilities, power and water, oil and gas, renewable energy and major infrastructure, hotels, leisure and tourism, residential, industrial and commercial, education and healthcare. Her work spans both in the private and public sectors. She is involved in 360 degree project work that includes front end procurement, through contract negotiations, construction phase claims management and administration as well as project disputes and arbitrations. Paula acts on behalf of government and regulatory clients, project employers and developers, lenders and investors, contractors, subcontractors and consultants as well as specialist supply chain and logistics.

Projects Paula has worked on include Dukhm Road East Qatar, Tanajib Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Petroleum Pipelines Renewal, Hidd Power & Water Plant, Muharraq STP, Tubli STP, Kuwait Airport, Tadamul Tower Stock Exchange Riyadh, Doha Airport, Marassi Al Bahrain, Diyar Al Muharraq, Durrat Al Bahrain, Riffa Views, Victory Heights Dubai, Bahrain Airport, King Abdullah Medical City, Education City Doha, Lusail Doha, Investment Gateway Bahrain. Paula also assisted the Bahrain Ministry of Works in the drafting and publication to market of its first ever Standard Suite of Construction Contracts (2009 Edition) based on FIDIC forms.

HUW DAVIES

Qatar Free Zones Authority

Huw is the Chief Legal Officer (Acting) and Legislation Director of the Qatar Free Zones Authority. QFZA was established in 2018 to oversee and regulate the world- class free zones in Qatar.

Huw is a qualified barrister of England and Wales, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors accredited mediator. Huw joined QFZA in 2019 after previously working in Qatar for eight years, and has extensive experience advising both private and public sector firms in developing and securing commercial contracts and regulatory frameworks, and translating complex legal and compliance requirements into practical solutions.

Prior to working in Qatar, Huw held a number of senior governmental positions in Wales, United Kingdom, working as a legal advisor to the government and latterly as Head of Regulation and Investigations.

LAUREN DJEDID

Senior Legal Counsel, Qatar Financial Centre Authority

Lauren has over 10 years of experience within banking and finance legal practices including both transactional and advisory legal work. Before joining the Qatar Financial Center Authority, Lauren trained and qualified at Clifford Chance LLP where she spent 5 years as an associate within the Banking and Capital Markets practices in London, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Subsequently, Lauren held the position of Senior Legal Counsel within the Global Banking & Markets practice of HSBC Bank Middle East in Dubai and supported a broad range of capital financing products and services including bilateral & syndicated lending, mergers & acquisitions, project finance, export finance and financial advisory work. Lauren currently holds the position of Senior Legal Counsel at the Qatar Financial Center Authority and is responsible for compliance, regulatory and corporate advisory work and implementation. Lauren completed her undergraduate study in Jurisprudence at Oxford University and a postgraduate degree in law at College of Law, London. Lauren won the “Legal Counsel of the Year” award at the QBLF in 2019.

KIRK DURRANT

DWF

Kirk Durrant is a construction law partner in DWF’s Doha office. He has lived and practised full time in Qatar for over 12 years. The range of Kirk's work covers both non-contentious transactional matters and contentious claims/dispute matters.

He has considerable experience advising clients in relation to FIDIC Contracts, international arbitrations and PPP-delivered construction projects. His expertise includes matters relating to major pipeline projects (energy, water, waste), utility projects (district cooling, power, water), process facility projects (solar, desalination, bio-fuels), transportation projects (BRTs, urban transports, airports, sea-ports, railway), infrastructure projects (roadways, bridges, tunnels) and commercial projects (mixed-used developments, hotels, theme parks).

Kirk has worked on matters throughout the Gulf and further afield, including a number of PPP urban transport and renewable energy projects in Pakistan, Tanzania, Rwanda and North Macedonia.

PROFESSOR YASSIN EL SHAZLY

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

Professor Yassin El Shazly is a Professor of Commercial & Maritime Law at Ain Shams University (on leave). He is currently serving as an Assistant professor at College of Law, Qatar University. Professor Shazly has also taught at the American University in Cairo (AUC), Nile University, ESLSCA University, Bordeaux University, Lyon3 University and Qatar University where he served as the Associate Dean for Outreach and Community Engagement.

Professor Shazly holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Ain Shams University and a doctorate in Business Law from Jean Moulin Lyon 3 University, France. He also holds a Master's degree in law from Ain Shams University and Lyon 2-France and a Master's degree in political science from Jean Moulin Lyon 3- France and as well as comparative law Diploma in English and American Law.

Professor Shazly has an extensive practical experience in negotiating and drafting business contracts. He has served as a legal counsel in a number of multi-jurisdictional cases and has drafted legal opinions for complex transactions. He has also been appointed as Arbitrator and Expert in many cases, mainly in the field of construction, corporate law and administrative law disputes. He served as an arbitrator under QICCA and as “Legal Expert” in ICC cases. He also appears in the roaster of the General Authority for Investment (GAFI) dispute resolution center.

Professor Shazly was assigned as Legal Expert for international projects granted by the African Union and the European Union. He also served as Legal Advisor to the chairman of the Financial Supervisory Authority (Egypt) and as a Legal Counsel at the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Egypt).

DR. EHAB MAHER ELSONBATY

Qatar Investment Authority

Dr. Ehab Elsonbaty has been Senior Legal Counsel, Senior Advisor to the General Counsel in Qatar Investment Authority since February 2014. Dr. Elsonbaty served for six years as a Senior Legal Advisor to the Office (Amiri Diwan) of H.R.H. the Emir of the State of Qatar and was a member of the Council of Ministers Permanent Committee for Legislative Affairs and several other legal and policy committees. He has drafted and contributed to several laws and regulations of Qatar the GCC, and the Middle East.

Dr. Elsonbaty holds two master’s degrees and PhD. He speaks Arabic, English, Italian and French. He writes and lectures in various universities and research institutes and has provided consultancy to the ITU, UNODC, UNCITRAL, UNECA, Council of Europe, UNCTAD, UNESCO, Arab League, and ARADO.

MATHIEU FAUPIN

Al Sulaiti Law Firm

MATHIEU R. FAUPIN is a Senior Legal Consultant and Head of the International Department at Al Sulaiti Law Firm in Doha, Qatar. Mathieu’s practice focuses on commercial, corporate, and business law. Prior to joining Al-Sulaiti Law Firm, Mr. Faupin worked in the United States in the fi eld of oil and gas. Mathieu has taught law at the Université Reims- Champagne-Ardenne and international relations in the University of Southern California (USC–Los Angeles). He holds a master’s degree in economic law from the Université de Reims Champagne- Ardenne (France) and a master’s degree in public diplomacy and international relations from the University of Southern California.

CHRISTOPHER GROUT

Registrar, Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC)

Christopher has been the Registrar of the QICDRC since 2012. As Registrar of both the Qatar International Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal, Christopher is in charge of the Registry which is responsible for the case management of cases before the two bodies. As Registrar, he gives procedural guidance to parties to proceedings as well as gives directions in relation to the progression and management of active cases. He will also, where required by the judges, make costs assessments following the conclusion of a case. In addition, Christopher is a member of the QICDRC’s senior management team and of the Judicial Advisory Board. He holds an LL.B degree from Newcastle University and was Called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple in 2007. He is currently studying for his LL.M in Canon Law at Cardiff University.

MUHAMMAD AMEEN HASHIM

Head of Corporate & Contracts Department, Al Sulaiti Law Firm

Muhammad Ameen Hashim earned a Bachelor of Law from Alexandria University in Egypt. He represented numerous entities and individuals in Egypt in various fields of law before joining Al Sulaiti Law Firm in 2010. Muhammad deals with both contentious and non-contentious matters in both English and Arabic.

Muhammad has more than 10 years' experience in corporate and contracts law and is Head of Corporate & Contracts Department at Al Sulaiti Law Firm. He advises clients on corporate, construction, debt recovery, employment, cybercrimes, data privacy, intellectual property, franchise and distribution agreements.

Muhammad has extensive experience in advising investors and franchisors in establishing their business in Qatar and in negotiating their commercial agreements with their local partners. He also has substantial experience of working on complex and high value construction and other litigation cases including: commercial and contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, liquidation, debt recovery, cybercrimes, debt recovery, defamation, and employment.

PAWEL PIOTROWSKI

K&L Gates

Paweł Piotrowski is counsel at K&L Gates in the firm’s Doha office. He is a projects lawyer concentrating in EPC contracts. He assists with public procurement matters as part of his practice and is well-recognised for his knowledge of public-private partnerships (PPPs). He has been involved in negotiating and drafting all forms of project agreements, including procurement regime, contractual documentation, construction and financing in various jurisdictions, including Qatar, Poland, Singapore, Pakistan, Indonesia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia and in the transport sector (motorways, metro, airports, railways, car parks), oil and gas, sport infrastructure (2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2012), waste management (incineration plants), water and sewage, ports (container terminal), healthcare (radiotherapy centres) and energy (construction of new plants, CCS projects).

MATTHEW WALKER

Partner, K&L Gates

Matthew Walker is a partner in the Doha and London offices of K&L Gates. His practice focuses on construction law and dispute resolution. He has acted as advocate and counsel in ICC and QICCA arbitrations in Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India and the United Kingdom, and as co-counsel in cases before the Qatar Court of First Instance. He has litigated in the Qatar International Court, including appearing as an advocate before the Appellate Division of the Qatar International Court, and has also litigated in the Technology & Construction Court and the Court of Appeal in England. He has acted as Sole Arbitrator in a QICCA arbitration in which he issued a Final Award, and has been appointed to QICCA’s panel of arbitrators.

Mr. Walker also provides non-contentious construction advice, particularly in the rail sector. He has undertaken secondments to Qatar Rail, London Underground and the Crossrail Project for a contractor. He has provided tendering advice and contract review for the multi-billion-dollar civil engineering contracts for the new Doha Metro being built by Qatar Rail. He has advised a client in the energy sector on contract drafting and risk management for the provision of hydro-electric equipment to overseas clients. He has carried out the construction drafting on an implementation agreement for a £326 million rail project in London, agreements for lease on a flagship commercial development in East London, and construction contracts (including FIDIC, NEC, JCT, ACE, RIBA and bespoke forms) on construction projects of varying size and complexity.

Mr. Walker holds a Bachelor of Laws from Kings College, University of London and is admitted for practice in England and Wales.

BASEL ZEITOUN

Associate, Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm

Basel Zeitoun received his Bachelor's degree in law from Aleppo University in Syria in 2009, trained, and obtained the title from Damascus Bar Association in 2011. His interest in alternative dispute resolution led him to pursue his Masters in Law in Germany in 2018, where he specialised in Arbitration and International Trade. In addition, he graduated from the Arbitration Academy of Paris in 2019.

Basel has practiced law in various jurisdictions and in various areas of law for ten years. He joined Hamad Al Yafei Law Firm two Years ago, specializing in arbitration and contracts.