Legal Director

About the role

The Legal Director will serve as the principal legal advisor to the CEO, Board and senior management, shaping the company’s legal strategy and ensuring compliance with UAE and international regulations. This senior position leads the in‑house legal team and coordinates with external counsel on high‑value EPC and oil‑&‑gas projects.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement a legal strategy aligned with business objectives and corporate governance frameworks.
• Oversee corporate structuring, joint ventures, M&A, shareholder agreements and regulatory licensing.
• Lead legal support for EPC/EPCM contracts, sub‑contracts, consortium and framework agreements, ensuring compliance with FIDIC standards.
• Design and manage claims, dispute resolution and arbitration processes (ICC, LCIA, DIAC, ADCCAC).
• Establish anti‑corruption, anti‑bribery and ethics compliance programs; monitor regulatory changes in the UAE and GCC.
• Provide proactive advice to project, commercial and finance teams on risk allocation, insurance, indemnities and liability clauses.
• Supervise external counsel, manage legal budgets and train business units on contract awareness.

Required profile

• LLB (mandatory) and preferably LLM; admission to practice law in a recognized jurisdiction.
• 15+ years of legal experience, with at least 7–10 years in EPC/Oil & Gas in the Middle East.
• Proven track record handling large‑scale EPC projects and complex arbitration cases.

Required skills

• FIDIC contract standards
• EPC contract drafting and negotiation
• International arbitration (ICC, LCIA, DIAC, ADCCAC)
• Corporate governance and compliance program development
• Claims management and dispute resolution