Leading Legal plus reports from Government Affairs, Risk & Compliance and Corporate Governance functions. Leading Audit functions. Tamkeen plans, develops, and delivers projects on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi.

Organised the Legal and Compliance functions across the whole group. This included a Bank of England regulated bank in the UK (the European Islamic Investment Bank PLC) as well as DIFC-regulated investment banking operations in the GCC (Rasmala).

May 2010 - Nov 2012Structured transactions and products for clients in banking and finance, financial regulation and Islamic finance at Pinsent Masons LLP, which has over 1,000 lawyers globally. Provided clients with commercial advice in order to tap GCC investors while complying with all applicable regulations. Structured new products.Jan 2005 - Oct 2006Established Pinsent Mason's financial services regulatory practice. Advised on a wide variety of UK and EU banking and financial services matters. Liaised with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to obtain authorisations for clients for new projects.

Based in the London office and, prior to that, the Dubai office, assisted financial institutions and governments on Islamic finance, UK and Gulf financial regulation and financial sector M&A. Advised on Islamic finance matters for both UK and Gulf clients. Advised on UK FSA and Gulf regulatory issues. Worked on anti-corruption investigations. Drafted legislation including on foreign investment law and on anti-corruption law. Obtained financial services licences for clients.

Was the sole subject matter specialist responsible for the UK financial regulatory practice. Advised banks and investment firms on transactions, financial regulation and M&A. Assisted global financial institutions on the UK and European aspects of their businesses. Ran local counsel in numerous jurisdictions; international securities offerings and other cross-border activities; conducting multi-jurisdictional reviews.

Member of the financial markets special projects team. Projects included work around the introduction of the Euro single currency, e-financial services as well as a 1 year secondment to run an investment banking trade association, the European Securities Forum, involving lobbying work across Europe. Worked abroad on secondments for clients, including for Credit Suisse in Zurich and for the Government of Abu Dhabi. Advised financial institutions on requirements applicable to proposed new or extended financial services activities globally. Liaised with regulators on behalf of clients.