Further speakers have been announced for the inaugural Law Middle East M&A Summit 2025, taking place in less than a week on the afternoon of September 23 at the St. Regis Downtown Dubai. Secure your place.
The speakers include:
• Ibrahim Kamalmaz, founder and CEO, Titanium Escrow, Abu Dhabi
• Anwar El Khatib, chief legal counsel, Salik, Dubai
• Joanna Maria El Khoury, partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Dubai
• Michael Kortbawi, senior partner and co-founder, BSA Law, Dubai
• Mohammed Majid, general counsel, Dubizzle, Dubai
• Chadi Salloum, shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, UAE/KSA
They join a stellar line-up of speakers which so far includes:
• Mazen Baddar, counsel, Akin, Abu Dhabi
• Hussein Baxter, counsel, Sidley Austin, Dubai
• Osama Lone, partner, Kirkland & Ellis, Riyadh
Date: Tuesday September 23, 2025
Time: 2:30pm until 6:30pm, followed by a networking drinks & canapés reception until 8pm
Venue: The St. Regis Downtown Dubai
Access the full agenda
During panel discussions, hosted by Law Middle East editor Aishah Hussain, they will delve into the latest trends, opportunities, and challenges driving corporate activity across the region. The speakers will also explore how M&A and corporate activity will fare in the years ahead.
Kortbawi and Majid will join Baddar, Baxter, and Lone for a panel discussion focused on M&A trends and market dynamics. They will explore which sectors are seeing heightened activity across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the reasons for this. The panel will also discuss the increase in outbound deals, as major companies like Emaar seek larger markets beyond the UAE. They will also consider how global factors—including geopolitical tensions and economic conditions—are impacting deal appetite. Sovereign wealth funds wield increasing influence in the GCC, and the speakers will share how these are changing the nature of transactions as well as insights into their investment strategies. Finally, the panellists will touch on how artificial intelligence (AI) is being leveraged to expedite the deal process.
Khatib, El Khoury, and Salloum, meanwhile, will come together for a discussion focused on navigating hurdles to ensure deals run smoothly. They will explore challenges that businesses might encounter after the execution of a deal, both regionally and globally. The trio will also share their experiences on how legal teams can effectively manage post-M&A disputes and liabilities.
The speakers will all share standout deal highlights, offer careers advice, and discuss how to build a successful corporate practice in the region.
During a fireside chat, Kamalmaz will discuss the growing importance of escrow services during the deal process and the benefits they offer legal teams. As the founder and CEO of Titanium Escrow, the first and only regulated escrow agency in the Middle East and Africa, his team has helped law firms and related institutions facilitate over $5 billion in transactions. Kamalmaz will also highlight innovations in escrow and reveal new areas the agency is expanding into, such as litigation and arbitration.
A final batch of speakers will be announced in the coming days.
Register to attend; please note that places are limited and subject to confirmation.
The Law Middle East M&A Summit is brought to you by our partners BSA Law, Greenberg Traurig, Morgan Lewis & Bockius, Titanium Escrow, and White & Case, technology partner Datasite, and education partner the University of Birmingham.
