Obeid & Partners

Obeid & Partners

MENA on the Rise: Bridging Growth, Arbitration Reform, and Regional Complexity

Date: Wednesday 9th April 2025



Paris Arbitration Week from 10:30 to 13:30 at Maison de l’Amérique Latine

As the MENA region continues to experience significant economic growth, legal reform, and investment opportunities, arbitration has become an increasingly critical tool for resolving disputes. This panel will explore the evolving arbitration landscape across the MENA region, from North Africa to the GCC. Speakers will delve into the key challenges and emerging opportunities for dispute resolution, examining both regional complexities and the remarkable strides made in arbitration reform. With a focus on diverse jurisdictions, legal frameworks, and economic transformations, this discussion aims to provide a comprehensive view of the future of arbitration in MENA and its role in shaping international business and investment.

Speakers include:

  • • Professor Dr Nayla Comair Obeid, Founding Partner, Obeid & Partners
  • • Ziad Obeid, Managing Partner, Obeid & Partners
  • • Mohamed Sameh – Head of Disputes at the Suez Canal Economic Zone
  • •Waleid Gamaleldein Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
  • •Aseel Zimmo – Senior commercial arbitrator
  • • Ahmed Khafagy Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs, MOFA, Egypt Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt

To register and for more details please click here: Register Now

Speakers

Ahmed Saad Hassan Ali

Ahmed Saad Hassan Ali

KeyNote Speaker

CEO SC Zone – The General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone

Ziad Obeid

Ziad Obeid

Co-Moderator

Managing Partner, Obeid & Partners

Alexandra Van Der Meulen

Alexandra VAN DER MEULEN

Co-Moderator

Partner
Freshfields

Mohamad Sameh

Mohamed SAMEH

Speaker

Head of Disputes at the Suez Canal Economic Zone

Aseel Zimmo

Aseel Zimmo

Speaker

Senior commercial arbitrator

Ahmed Khafagy’s U

Ahmed KHAFAGY

Speaker

Deputy Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Affairs, MOFA, Egypt Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt

Abduallah Alfarha

Abdullah Alfarha

Speaker

Senior Governance Consultant

 
 

Recent Work Highlights

Our lawyers at Obeid & Partners have extensive experience in complex cross-border matters. Since the establishment of the firm in 1987, we have represented various clients ranging from government and government entities to nationally and internationally renowned investors, corporations and individuals. Our clients are distinguished in their respective fields of expertise.

Our team holds a track record in handling complex local and international cases, of which relevant work highlights include:

Hospitality

Successfully representing multiple owners of shares in an unprecedented class action before the Lebanese courts, involving a landmark resort in Beirut. The matter involved complex proceedings in addition to requiring significant logistical and coordination skills for the various plaintiffs in the context of the class action. This prompted the firm to develop an in-house protocol […]

Educational Services

Successfully representing a dually licensed private university in relation to a criminal lawsuit as well as an administrative claim.

Aviation

Successfully representing a world leading provider of solutions for the travel industry, in relation to a series of complex disputes pending before the Lebanese courts, involving seizure matters, URL geo-blocking, payment claims, action on the merits, and other proceedings. 

States

Successfully representing foreign states before the Lebanese courts in a series of complex court actions involving both private and public international law issues, relating to advance payment claims, real estate and lease agreements. 

Banking and Finance

Successfully representing a major oil trader, in what is still known as the largest litigation in Lebanon involving a claim in excess of one billion dollars against one of the largest local banks.  This was a first-of-kind matter in the banking sector which challenged the amnesty in the current financial crisis in Lebanon and the […]

Oil and Gas

Successfully representing  a group in relation to a complex cross-border action involving worldwide freezing injunctions and document preservation orders with claim amounts exceeding USD 300 million. Our firm secured a first-of-a-kind decision from the Lebanese courts and advised on complex cross-border matters involving mareva injunctions.