MELA-2018_Winners-19April2018-45-General-Counsel-of-the-Year---Large-Team_EVERSHEDS

Finalists: Dr Yasser Aboismail, Schindler Group; Nizamuddin E Abubekker, UAE Exchange Group; Mansoor Al Malik, Twofour54 Abu Dhabi; Kiran Scarr, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) (Highly Commended).

SEDCO Holding's Dr Zaid Mahayni received the General Counsel of the Year (Large Team) award for his exemplary leadership skills and various initiatives that have improved satisfaction with his department's work among SEDCO's many business units.

As well as providing continuous training sessions to the group, Dr Mahayni also ensures his department shares knowhow to promote better work coordination, and that they regularly meet with business counterparts (and attend meetings with third parties) so that his team has a thorough understanding of relevant projects being planned and executed.

To further support that goal, the team also sits in on strategy meetings to provide input and feedback. Dr Mahayni oversees a staff of 14 and in addition to his broader legal duties, he is also secretary of the board of directors and sits on various committees, including the risk management committee.

His expertise is regularly sought after by outside organisations, contributing to online business briefing platform Mondaq and chairing last year's Corporate Legal Excellence conference in Riyadh.

"Dr Mahayni has worked very hard since he joined SEDCO to ensure that all work processes are smoothly conducted. The sacrifices that he has made are clear to his peers, to whom he sets a very good example," said a SEDCO executive.