5 min 35 sec
of GCC central banks have now issued digital banking frameworks.
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Eyes on 2026
Reflections from the Chairman
As we look to 2026, our region is at an inflection point. Regulatory reform is accelerating, technology is scaling, and the focus on sustainability, resilience, and compliance is sharpening. Across the Middle East, governments and businesses alike are navigating profound transformation.This transformation brings equal parts complexity and opportunity and makes understanding what lies ahead as important as responding to what is happening today. Eyes on 2026 brings together insights from our jurisdictions to examine the legal, regulatory, and commercial developments that will shape 2026 and beyond.
Across MENA, legal and regulatory systems are evolving to support innovation, investment, and cross-border trade. We see clearer rules, more predictable enforcement, and a stronger focus on governance, data protection, and accountability. These shifts matter because they turn policy into practical certainty for businesses that need to deploy capital, scale technology, and resolve disputes efficiently.
Progress is not uniform and risk has not disappeared. Geopolitical developments, financial crime oversight, and fast-moving regulation call for cross-functional compliance and resilient operating models. Our outlook is optimistic and grounded. We help clients grow with agility while building durable governance, digital resilience, and dispute readiness across MENA’s evolving markets.
As the largest law firm in MENA, our values remain unchanged: excellence, collaboration, and accountability. Our contributors have distilled lessons from boardrooms, courtrooms, and regulatory consultations into analysis that is forward-looking and actionable. Thank you to our clients for their trust, and to our teams for their commitment. We hope Eyes on 2026 serves as an authoritative, practical compass as you plan for the year ahead.
Essam Al Tamimi
Chairman
Chairman
Legal Updates
Metrics that Matter
67%
8%
of MENA jurisdictions are implementing or consulting on UNCITRAL Model Law-aligned arbitration frameworks.
Sonya Syan
Director of Knowledge
Dina Assar
Senior Knowledge Lawyer
Sabeeha Moolla
Senior Knowledge Lawyer
Anna Robinson
Senior Knowledge Lawyer
Kirsty De Sousa
Senior Knowledge Lawyer
Kamarya El Yaagoubi
Knowledge Lawyer
Laith Alkayyali
Knowledge & Innovation Advisor (KSA)
Vincent Percival
Senior Knowledge Translator
Zane Anani
Senior Knowledge Lawyer
Zeina Ayad
Senior Knowledge Specialist
Explore Previous Editions
2025 Legal Highlights
In 2025, the MENA region continues its transformation, building on the legal and regulatory changes introduced in 2024. Across banking, finance, corporate structuring, and dispute resolution, countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Iraq are modernising frameworks and enabling reforms that drive integration with global markets.
2024 Legal Highlights
In 2024, our team of legal experts prepared this publication to deliver clear insights into the evolving legal landscape across the MENA region. It provided a comprehensive overview, highlighting the key developments that shaped legal practice and commercial activity throughout the year.
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