Symposium
OVERVIEW
The Legal Innovation Forum is hosting a series of live events focused on leadership in the UAE and Saudi Arabia from April 23 to 27th, 2025.
The forums gather leaders from specific industries, specific roles and sectors from the region. The content and the audience of each roundtable is focused on convening leaders focused on navigating risk from legal, compliance, and risk departments in organizations, law firms, consultants, and third-party partners.
The purpose is to discuss key topics related to navigating the business of risk and how it relates to the broader business innovation story at play across in the Middle East.
STRUCTURE + Format
Locations + Dates: Abu Dhabi (April 23rd), Dubai (April 24th) + Riyadh (April 27th).
Theme: Leading through a risk-on era: Enabling the GCC’s economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities.
DUBAI SYMPOSIUM
- Venue + date: Dubai Symposium will be hosted from 4-8 pm, on April 24th at SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences
- 50 risk-focused leaders attending (compliance, risk and legal departments, consultants + law firms)
- Highly targeted audience of leaders focused on risk as participants: General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Risk Officers, Associate General Counsel, Legal Operations Leaders, Consulting + Law Firm Partners, Chief Innovation Officers, COOs, CIOs.
Format
- 45 minute fireside chat on the symposium’s theme, “Leading through a risk-on era” between four thought leaders.
- Elevator pitch of 5-7 minutes on key value propositions of each sponsor to the audience.
- 75-minute facilitated discussion amongst small groups on the symposium’s theme.
- Focused networking opportunities at champagne reception before the dinner as well as the post-event dinner.
ABU DHABI + RIYADH ROUNDTABLES
- Venues + dates: The Abu Dhabi Roundtable will be hosted from 5-9pm at the Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi on April 23rd. The Riyadh Roundtable will be hosted from 5-9pm at the Mandarin Oriental in Riyadh on April 27th.
- Roundtable theme: Leading through a risk-on era: Enabling the GCC’s economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities.
- Guests: 25 – 30 highly targeted risk-focused leaders will attend (including compliance, risk and legal departments, law firms, consultants + third-party partners).
Format
- Networking receptions before + and after the roundtable.
- Facilitated discussion amongst the group, led by facilitators on the roundtable’s theme.
- Roundtable discussion will be accompanied by dinner.
Meet our speakers
DUBAI SYMPOSIUM: THEMES + AGENDA
4:00 TO 4:30PM | pre-symposium networking reception
4:30 TO 4:40PM | intro to forum
4:40 to 5:25pm | leading through a risk-on era: enabling the GCC's economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities
- Embedding resilience in legal strategy: How legal departments are preparing for complex threats – from geopolitical volatility to regulatory change – by aligning risk, regulatory, and contractual data
- Data-driven risk management: The growing need for an advanced data infrastructure that enables proactive compliance and risk mitigation strategies
- Responding to black swan events: Navigating unpredictable disruptions like tariffs through scenario planning and contractual foresight
- Dubai as a risk leadership hub: Exploring how the region’s innovation mindset and investor appeal position it as a global leader in forward-thinking, risk-informed growth strategies
5:25 to 6:10pm | Roundtable Discussions + Group Discussion
6:10 to 6:40pm | Elevator Pitches Session 1
6:40 to 7:30pm | Transforming the Legal Landscape: navigating innovation and change in a rapidly evolving business ecosystem
- Challenges + opportunities for legal tech adoption in the GCC: Overcoming barriers and taking advantage of the UAE’s unique environment as an innovation sandbox
- The evolving role of legal departments in business innovation: Enabling business growth through risk-aware legal-tech adoption
- Navigating regulatory uncertainty and market volatility: Driving innovation to avoid regulatory, financial, and reputational risk
- Maximizing impact with external advisors: Leveraging external expertise to bring strategic value in transformation initiatives.
7:30 to 7:50pm | Elevator Pitches Session 2
7:50PM | SYMPOSIUM CLOSE
8:00 to 9:30PM | DINNER
OUR Sponsors
PRESENTING SPONSORS
GLOBAL STRATEGIC PARTNER
Strategic Partner
Gold PARTNER
For Sponsorship opportunities, please contact martyna@adbinsights.com. Or visit our SPONSORSHIP page.