Joseph Akiki

Key Roles

Responsible for negotiating, writing, reviewing, summarizing, researching and executing a wide variety of agreements for companies and clients, including marketing agreements, entertainment agreements, license agreements, real estate leases, confidentiality agreements, and other general business contracts both domestically and internationally.

• Supervising the corporate team in all matters of incorporation, formation, registration of companies, joint ventures, and following up on a daily basis.
• Providing legal representation, advising on legal matters and performing legal research for the benefit of the corporation. Managing various projects and deadlines.
• Advising executives within the company and its subsidiaries and working alongside employees in Strategic Business Units, Marketing, Brand Communication, Sales, Human Resources, Corporate Alliances and the International Divisions.
• Applying expertise in researching unique legal issues impacting the organization by identifying applicable statutes, judicial decisions, and codes.
• Adhering to organization policies and work rules, including confidentiality and code of ethics. Providing professional training to groups such as law enforcement and other partner agencies.
• Ascertaining appropriate legal policies and practices are in place to manage the legal obligations and legal risks of the department effectively.
• Advising executives on contract status, legal risks and business terms of various deals. Explaining legal language to teams for easy understanding.
• Researching unique legal issues impacting the organization by identifying applicable statutes, judicial decisions, and codes terms and conditions in agreements.
• Keeping abreast of legislative changes that may affect the company and its affiliates; perform pre-litigation work to minimize risks and maximize legal rights.

Key Roles:
• Give accurate and timely counsel to executives in a variety of legal topics (labor law, partnerships, international ventures, corporate finance, construction and contracting etc.)
• Collaborate with management to devise efficient defense strategies; specify internal governance policies and regularly monitor compliance.
• Research and evaluate different risk factors regarding business decisions and operations; apply effective risk management techniques and offer proactive advice on possible legal issues.
• Communicate and negotiate with external parties (regulators, external counsel, public authority etc.), creating relations of trust.
• Implement contract management systems and ensure that the relevant protocols are being followed in relation to issuing and signing contracts.
• Review and providing specialist advice or expertise associated with the contracting processes and commercially acceptable outcomes.
• Draft and solidify agreements, contracts and other legal documents to ensure full legal rights for the company.
• Deal with complex matters with multiple stakeholders and forces; provide clarification on legal language or specifications to everyone in the organization.

Key Roles:
• Lead accountability of advising the client on strategy, implementation and execution of different legal courses for a range of commercial and corporate issues.
• Structuring, drafting & inspecting the legal documents like commercial contracts and form legal documentations on complex subjects.
• Managing and advising on various litigations by and against the client and its affiliates such as Suits, Summary Suits, Company Petitions, Writ Petitions.
• Following up on drafting litigation and dispute resolution memos, summons, statement of claims pertaining to the firm clients. Incorporating companies and conducting related corporate governance requirements.
• Evaluating the impact of evolving legal and statutory regulation on the organization and investments and highlight the same as efforts for contributing to the business planning process.
• Ensuring that appropriate risk analysis is conducted and any identified risks are managed, monitored and addressed.

Key Roles
• Provided support on Structuring and Setting-up Business in Qatar, advising on Policies & Procedures, and regulatory compliance.
• Supervised foreign branch registration, de-registration, migration of companies, transfer and buy-back of shares, etc., ensuring all licenses are operating legally and compliantly.
• Drafted and formulated Policies for the Corporate Services Dept.; laid down procedures; drafted standard agreements/templates for each functions as per the business requirements.
• Carried out the Legal Risk Assessment and Analyzing the assessment observations made during assessment and suggested effective risk mitigation plans and procedures to the management.
• Coordinated with various Statutory Authorities & External Agencies for gathering information / fact for cases in resolving compliance issues.
• Structured, drafted & inspected the legal documents like commercial contracts.
• Visited relevant authorities (Ministry of Business & Trade, Ministry of Justice, Public Revenue and Tax Department, Qatar Financial Centre, Municipality Affairs Department, Civil Defense Department etc.) and got all clarification on any inquiries.
• Led accountability of advising the organization on strategy, implementation and execution of deregistration procedures and contractual obligations with Qatari government.
• Engaged in getting the Commercial Registration struck off from Commercial Licenses Department at Ministry of Business & Trade.
• Advised the company on various legal matters; drafted and prepared all the necessary resolutions, corporate approvals (Shareholders Resolutions, Board of Directors Resolutions, Power of Attorney) resolved critical corporate and legal issues;
• Verified clauses of contracts with Company Policies & highlighted changes required in agreement; convinced the Company to accept suggestions and obtained suitable reasons for the changes.
• Suggesting innovative ideas to clients on setting up business in Qatar; streamline and debottleneck the company registration/deregistration procedure for an improved and faster experience. Industries included
» Aviation services
» Education
» Information technology
» Telecommunication
» Food stuff distribution
» Medical services

Key Roles as in House Legal Advisor - SIIL
• Offered consultancy services by conducting legal research, developing legal document, agreement reviews, etc.
• Led accountability of advising the department on strategy, implementation and execution of contracts, dispute resolution, regulatory, employment and good corporate governance.
• Structured, drafted & inspected the legal documents like commercial contracts related franchise terms, preparation and review of standard documents, intellectual property (particularly brand protection), negotiating the franchise agreement, reviewing the franchise rules and regulations.
• Finalized terms & conditions of contracts, settlement agreements. Provided suggestions related to negotiation and alternative settlement of dispute
• Prepared company resolutions and documentation to support the administration and management of the group and its subsidiaries including e.g. board resolutions, shareholder’s resolutions, MOUs, letters of intent, confidentiality Agreements etc.
• Executed incorporation and registration of: Limited Liability Companies and other legal entities (preparing the Articles of Association drafts, submitting and following up with Ministry of Business and Trade and other relevant authorities up to issuing the commercial registration).
• Assisted in renewal and tracking of commercial registration, trade licenses, municipality and other legal documentation ensuring compliance with Qatari laws and regulations.
• Performed English to Arabic and vice versa translation of legal documents i.e. Commercial Registration Certificates, Articles of Association, press releases for SIIL before being disclosed to Qatar Financial Market Authority and Qatar Exchange.
• Supported the General Counsel for the drafting, reviewing and negotiation of agreements related to Salam International and all its business units, including but not limited to:
» Commercial Agency Agreements
» Franchise Agreements
» Distribution Agreements
» Lease Agreements
» Shareholders Agreements
» Articles of Incorporation
» Sale Shares Agreements
» Joint Venture Agreements
» Memorandum of Understanding
» Non-Disclosure & Confidentiality Agreements
» Consultancy Agreements
» Services Agreements
» Recruitment Agreements
» Labor Agreements
» Memorandum of Understanding
» Letter of Intent
» Plot Sale Agreements
» Memorandum of Agreement

Key Roles as Head of Investor Relations Dept - SBD:
• Handled and maintained the shareholder’s registrar (SBD total shareholders are 1100 shareholder’s majority Qataris).
• Finalized all transactions of shares between shareholders inside and outside Qatar.
• Handled the full process of Salam Bounian’s Raising Capital through private shares subscription.
• Issued original shares certificates upon the finalization of any shares transaction or in case of loss of shares certificate.