Preventing and Managing Conflict in Family Businesses – Jeddah

Faizal is a UK qualified lawyer and for many years has worked and advised, and is a trusted advisor to institutions, corporates and families across the Middle East, Africa and India. Faizal specialises in banking and finance and has advised corporates, family offices and families including on their international investment and holding structures.

Hassan manages the private wealth practice at Alzawawi Law Firm. He trained at an international law firm in London and worked for two leading Saudi law firms in Jeddah and Riyadh prior to joining Alzawawi Law Firm. He has a particular focus on providing corporate and regulatory advice to private wealth clients and their businesses. He also focuses on providing legal advice in relation to acquisition transactions, corporate restructurings and advising multinational clients on setting up their businesses in the Kingdom and in relation to contentious matters. Hassan has a wide experience across various sectors including food and beverage, hospitality and hotels, casual dining, pharmaceuticals and healthcare. As well as being a qualified lawyer in Saudi Arabia, who represents clients before the Saudi courts in various disputes, he is also a qualified solicitor in England & Wales.

Dr. Sohale Altamimi, Ph.D. in Finance, CFA® Charterholder, and associate member of Taqeem in business valuation, is a highly experienced professional with over 14 years of expertise in the investment and academic communities. He currently serves as the Deputy CEO of the National Business Center of Family Business (NCFB), supporting the growth and sustainability of family businesses in the kingdom. He has previously served as head of the finance department at Imam University, achieving significant milestones. His deep understanding of behavioral finance and assets pricing is evident through his numerous published peer-reviewed papers. Additionally, he applies his knowledge and expertise as the founding partner of Ajras, a financial technology company, Hupple, a data analysis company, and his service as board of directors in multiple funds.

Walid S. Chiniara, Esq., is an M&A and project finance lawyer, a family business advisor, and a thought leader in the field of governance, its history, and philosophical foundation, with over 40 years of experience. As the author of Dynastic Planning: A 7-Step Approach to Family Business Succession Planning and Related Conflict Management, Walid shares insights drawn from his extensive experience working alongside over 170 prominent families. His innovative 7-Step Methodology™ has earned him a reputation as the go-to expert for 'mission impossible' family business succession planning. He serves as a 'personne de confiance' to many of the families he advises, leveraging his extensive legal and business background and years of experience working with families in the Middle East, Europe, and North America. In July 2024, Family Capital recognized Walid as the leading advisor to family enterprises in the GCC, ranking him among the top five advisors globally in his field.

Basma Al Zamil hails from a well-renowned family enterprise, the Zamil Group based in Saudi Arabia. She is one of the first female family members to work in the family enterprise, and through her various accomplishments, has risen to become one of the new generation of leaders within the group. She is regarded both in her family and the country as an expert in family enterprise transitions through governance, succession planning, and leadership development. Today, she advises leading families in the region working in LGA Global, supporting families to navigate complex issues while maintaining a harmonious family dynamic. Basma is an active member of several government and nonprofit organizations, serving on their boards and committees. She is a prolific speaker and contributor to all areas of family enterprise. Basma holds a Doctorate degree in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. Her dissertation focused on Conflict Dynamics and Opportunities for Second-Generation Family Business Women.

Stephen regularly represents Middle Eastern clients in commercial and family disputes including succession. He is presently retained by clients from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and UAE. He has particular experience where there is tension between common law and Sharia principles. He is a highly experienced courtroom lawyer and specializes in disputes involving complex offshore structures. He is regularly entrusted in the most serious multi-jurisdictional cases and is lead counsel to the liquidator in the 1 MDB Malaysian sovereign wealth matter.
He is an English barrister and Jersey, Channel Islands advocate. He is called to the bar of BVI. He is Senior Partner at Baker & Partners, which has offices in London, Jersey, BVI and Cayman and is a specialist disputes resolution firm. He is Vice-Chairman of the International Bar Association Asset Recovery Sub-Committee and will become Chairman with effect from 2025.

Yasmine is a family business advisor based in Dubai and has spent more than a decade dedicated to working with family businesses, family offices and business owning families on supporting them through generational change. Yasmine’s practice focuses primarily on devising multi–generational succession plans and governance systems using region specific tools designed to propagate harmony, fairness and transparency within a family business context. In parallel, Yasmine assists family-owned businesses in creating comprehensive tax strategies that maximize financial benefits, mitigate tax liabilities, and align with the unique goals of each family member and the overall business vision.

Rozana ALTayyar is an Independent Arbitrator and Mediator with extensive experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). With over a decade in the field, she has emerged as a prominent expert in managing complex and high-value commercial disputes. She serves as a court member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and holds the position of Chair of the ICC Arbitration & ADR Committee in Saudi Arabia. Rozana is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and is actively involved in the CIArb-KSA steering committee. Additionally, she is a member of the advisory board at Princess Nora University, College of Law, and serves on the board of Sunbulah Group, as well as being a member of the GCC BDI Advisory Board in the Jeddah Chapter. Rozana earned her master’s degree in law, focusing on "International Dispute Resolution." She was also featured in the LexisNexis Middle East publication on "Women in Law in the Arab World" on August 23, 2022.

Alzawawi Law firm is a Saudi boutique firm specializing in corporate, commercial, dispute resolution, and private wealth. The partners have experience in corporate transactions, advisory work, and various types of commercial disputes. We are further aware of the complex legal issues which affect high net worth individuals and their families. As such, the firm advises family businesses on various key topics such succession planning, governance, restructuring and including shareholders’ disputes. The firm further advises multinationals on a regular basis in relation to foreign direct investment taking them from the initial stages of understanding the regulatory landscape, planning, structuring and implementation.