Perspectives: Women in Leadership, Riyadh

Raya Alkhatib is a Corporate partner and will be heading the Corporate practice in Bird & Bird’s Riyadh office. Her experience includes advising international and local clients on various corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, general corporate advice, formation of companies, initial public offering transactions, rights issue and real estate investment funds. Before joining Bird & Bird, Raya worked as General Counsel, Governance Officer and Board Secretary at American Express Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. Her three roles included advising on day-to-day legal affairs, such as general corporate matters, debt collection, employment legal issues, finance and payment services, co-brand agreements, on-boarding Amex cards as a form of payment on multinational and local websites and advising on partnerships with local banks. She was also in charge of supervising, ensuring and enforcing compliance with the corporate governance regulations.

Lynda has been in Dubai for over 20 years and has developed a very strong sense of cultural differences, regional sensitivities and the importance of long-standing relationships built on trust in these markets. During her time in the region Lynda has worked with clients and intermediaries in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, and Egypt. As Commercial Development Director, Lynda is responsible for maintaining and enhancing Ocorian’ s existing relationships and client base in the Gulf and identifying new business opportunities – with particular focus on delivering wealth structuring and governance solutions to UHNW families and Family Offices around the region. Lynda has a 1st class Honors Degree in Business Studies and holds an Islamic Finance Qualification and Investment Advice Certificate.

Kim has over 15 years’ experience advising families and the owners of multi generational family businesses across all industries and geographies in the Middle East and worldwide. She specialises in understanding the specific challenges families face and supports ultra high net worth private clients, private businesses and family offices in navigating the increasingly complex global tax landscape. Kim is experienced in designing bespoke asset ownership solutions to achieve families’ long term objectives (such as asset protection, wealth preservation, succession planning and tax optimisation) and in the creation and optimisation of global ownership structures and family offices, including the use of corporate entities, trusts and foundations across multiple jurisdictions. Kim graduated with first class honours from the University of Durham (UK) and has completed the Northwestern University Kellogg Family Business Advanced Education Program (US).

Katarzyna Lupa-Nowicka is the Head of Operations - Middle East, Private Markets at SS&C Technologies. With a wealth of experience acquired from her tenure in Luxembourg, Kasia has honed her expertise in team building, governance, and client relations within the realms of mutual, hedge, and private equity funds. Her impressive career includes pivotal roles in esteemed global financial institutions in Poland and Luxembourg, such as BNY Mellon, State Street, and Credit Suisse.

Louise started her career with Thomas Eggar (now Irwin Mitchell) before spending four years in the international private client team at Gateley Legal. In July 2023, Louise joined Trowers & Hamlins LLP's private wealth department to further pursue her international interests, with a particular focus on the Middle East. Louise is based in London (but often spends time in the Gulf and the Channel Islands) and provides a wide range of UK private client services to HNW and UHNW UK-tax resident and non-UK tax resident clients and their fiduciaries (trust companies, banks, family offices etc.). Louise is STEP qualified and has been recognised in the "top 35 under 35" UK private client practitioners.