Our Team

Abdul Rahman Al Haroun established the International Counsel Bureau in the State of Kuwait in 1994 and serves as its Chairman. His practice primarily is advising various governmental, semi-governmental entities and state-owned enterprises, as well as public and private companies (both local and international) on all aspects of Kuwaiti Law.

Areas of his expertise include oil and gas, corporate mergers and acquisitions, license agreements, construction contracts, local and international arbitration, and local litigation. He has advised on multinational BOT projects in Kuwait, in addition to acting as counsel on major EPC contracts and for major hotel management companies in the GCC. Mr. Al Haroun also was legal adviser on several strategic projects in Kuwait, such as the establishment of EQUATE Petrochemical Company (K.S.C.C.) and Kuwait Telecom Company.

Mr. Al Haroun began his legal career in the energy sector at Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) beginning in 1976. By 1987, he was appointed KNPC?s General Manager of the Corporate Legal Department and served there till his resignation in 1994 to establish ICB. As an example of Mr. Al Haroun?s recognition for applied expertise, he served as a member from 1996 to 2009 of the State of Kuwait?s Supreme Petroleum Council, the highest governing body of oil and gas matters in Kuwait. He is a well-known lecturer and acknowledged legal expert on Kuwait law. He has taken part in many international conferences, seminars and courses and served as an expert witness in his areas of expertise.

Mr. Al Haroun holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University, and he is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Aisha Al Nesef is the Managing Partner at ICB, where she leads the general corporate practice with a specialization in Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). With over a decade of experience, Aisha has worked across various sectors, including financial services, telecoms, media, and energy. Before joining ICB, she was an attorney at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP’s Dubai office, where she spent over three years handling private and public M&A and joint ventures.

Additionally, Aisha served as a Senior Legal Advisor to the Board of Commissioners of the Kuwait Capital Markets Authority, where she played a key role in revising and restructuring the CMA Executive Bylaws to align with best practices and international standards.
Aisha holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Kuwait University and a Master of Laws degree in Business and Finance Law from George Washington University Law School. She is also a member of the Kuwait Lawyers Association.

Alnesef is recognized by Chambers and Partners for her expertise. She has been involved in several strategic transactions, including advising on the merger between Kuwait Finance House (KFH) and Ahli United Bank (AUB), KAMCO Investment Company’s acquisition of a 70% stake in Global Investment House, Dabdoob Holding Limited’s sale of a 70% majority stake to Jadwa Investment, and Oman Telecommunications Company’s (Omantel) acquisition of a 22% stake in Mobile Telecommunications Company (Zain) valued at approximately $2.2 billion.

Abdullah Alharoun is a partner at ICB. He has a multidisciplinary professional and educational background. Abdullah is a seasoned attorney with a wealth of experience having worked on complex matters with several major local and multinational clients across a range of industries.

Alharoun’s practice focuses primarily on providing strategic counsel. He is an expert in general corporate matters. Furthermore, Alharoun was an integral member of the legal team that advised the Capital Markets Authority on the modernisation of its executive by-laws (the largest regulatory exercise in the history of Kuwait).

Since joining ICB, Alharoun has created and developed the finance practice. He advises borrowers, lenders, and issuers on all Kuwaiti law aspects related to debt and equity transactions (conventional and Islamic).

Alharoun was appointed as strategic counsel to manage several multijurisdictional transactions and assemble legal teams. He has a very close relationship with many of Kuwait’s flagship institutions. He acted as the Secretary to the Board of Directors of EQUATE Petrochemical Company K.S.C.C. (EQUATE) and has been retained to lead and manage the delivery of legal services to the organisation. Alharoun has led every transaction (including day to day corporate matters) and was involved in almost every dispute involving EQUATE. Abdullah dedicates a significant portion of his practice to advising on pro bono matters and nurturing and mentoring young talent.

Alharoun holds a Master of Laws degree from Columbia Law School, a Bachelor of Laws degree from London University (Queen Mary), and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from Dalhousie University. He is a admitted to practice as an attorney in the State of Kuwait, New York, and Massachusetts.

Dr. Abdulwahab Al Fahad is a distinguished partner and the head of the Dispute Resolution practice at our firm. Renowned as a leading litigator in Kuwait, Dr. Al Fahad is an authority on the theoretical and practical aspects of 5Kuwaiti dispute resolution, representing clients from various sectors in complex disputes. His expertise spans across commercial, corporate, and civil litigation, making him a sought-after legal advisor.

Dr. Al Fahad holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Applied Science University in Jordan, a Master’s degree in Private Law from the Applied Science University in Bahrain, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from the College of Law, University of Bahrain. His extensive academic background underpins his profound understanding of legal principles and practices.

As a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association, Dr. Al Fahad is licensed to appear before the Constitutional and Cassation Courts in the State of Kuwait. His professional credentials and dedication to his clients have earned him a reputation for excellence and reliability in the legal community. Dr. Al Fahad’s commitment to providing top-tier legal services ensures that his clients receive the highest standard of representation and counsel.

William J. Brown is a partner at ICB. His experience includes advising on strategic planning, governance, risk management, claims management, and management of complex projects and cases (especially dispute resolution). His practice spans sectors such as oil and gas, power, aerospace, construction, asset management and investment banking.

For 16 years Mr. Brown practiced general corporate/securities law with Sullivan & Cromwell in their New York and Washington, DC offices. Additionally, he has spent considerable time working across the Gulf region, living in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

Following S&C, in 2000 Mr. Brown joined Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) as Senior Legal Adviser. During this time he was involved in a number of ?special projects? for ADIA and the UAE, including: (i) case management of investigations and dispute resolution; (ii) designing templates for contracts which rebalanced risk from an investor perspective such as Investment Management Agreements and Custodian Agreements; (iii) advising the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund with respect to design and implementation of its ?Master Plan? (iv) serving as a member of UAE?s Free Trade Agreements negotiation team, which included Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, negotiating the investment, financial services and dispute resolution chapters; and (v) being one of UAE?s representatives to the Sovereign Wealth Funds International Working Group that developed the ?Santiago Principles?.

Mr. Brown holds a Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the New York, District of Columbia and South Carolina Bar Associations.

Dr. Robert E. B. Peake is ICB?s tax expert and leads the Tax practice. For thirty years, he has advised clients doing business in the region and regional investors globalizing their activities. Dr. Peake assists in the development of tax policies and strategies, management of tax risks and maximizing return by reducing tax liabilities. He is an expert witness on hydrocarbon taxation in the Arabian Gulf.

Dr. Peake is a former Tax Partner of Ernst Young, where he established the first international tax group in Arabia and was Head of Tax and Legal for Arthur Andersen in Kuwait and Lower Gulf. He was a senior tax advisor to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and acted as an adviser to Abu Dhabi and Federal government agencies, including Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Abu Dhabi Investment Council regarding international tax, Free Trade Agreements, investment treaties and tax treaties. He was a member of the Drafting Committee of Sovereign Wealth Funds? International Working Group that concluded the ?Santiago Principles?.

With over thirty years? experience, Dr. Peake is recognized by the Euromoney Guide to the World?s Leading Tax Advisers and is a past Chairman of the UAE Branch of the International Fiscal Association.

Dr. Peake holds a Master of Arts (Hons) degree from Cambridge University (Jesus College), a Doctor of Philosophy degree from London University (School of Oriental and African Studies), and a Diploma in Business Administration from The International Management Centres. He was a fully trained Tax Inspector in the UK.

Prior to joining ICB, in 2009 Mr. Phillips served as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Committee member of the Qatar Financial Centre Authority with a key role to oversee and develop the Centre’s legal environment and regulations working closely with the Minister of Economy and Finance and regulatory authorities. He has extensive corporate and commercial law experience in a number of prominent international law firms in the UK, Europe, Latin America, and Gulf region including Pinsent Masons and Clyde & Co., as well as acting as in-house counsel for publicly listed international groups in financial services, including the Lloyds Banking Group and Old Mutual plc.

Mr. Roger Phillips holds a Master of Laws from Cambridge University (Pembroke College).

Roger Phillips is the Partner of the General Corporate practice. He has specialist sector knowledge and experience in all areas of financial services, insurance, and healthcare industries.

Mohamed El Gharably is a Legal Director at the Litigation team. He acts on dispute resolution matters, provides legal consultations, and attends hearings before the arbitral and expert sessions. He has extensive experience in the dispute resolutions field and its alternatives (ADR’s) with particular focus on capital markets law and regulations, competition law, corporate law, commercial law, civil law, administrative law, and white-collar crimes.

Before joining ICB in 2019, El Gharably worked as a Senior Associate at one of the most prestigious Law firms in Egypt, where he handled and represented highly reputed entities in their disputes before different courts and provided their legal inquires in connection to capital markets sectors, competition, corporate, commercial and arbitration law matters.

El Gharably is a registered member of Egyptian Bar Association. He holds his Bachelor of law Degree (L.L.B) from the Faculty of law (English Section), Alexanderia University, Egypt.

Mustafa Zaiki Shalaby acts on dispute resolution matters, provides legal opinions, and attends hearings before the arbitral and expert sessions.

Since 2000, Mr. Shalaby has assisted local and international companies in successfully implementing their projects and closing deals critical to their business in various fields including medical, IT, construction, and industry. He most recently served as Legal Counsel and Contracts Manager for Horizon for Medical Appliance, where he was responsible for all legal aspects of commercial, contractual, and regulatory matters in the medical, logistics, and constructions sectors.

Mr. Shalaby holds a Bachelor of Law from Ain Shams University, Egypt. He is a registered member of the Egyptian Bar Association.

Khaled Zarad handles dispute resolution matters, provides legal opinions, and attends hearings before the arbitral and expert sessions.

Working in both Kuwait and Egypt, Mr. Zarad served as a lawyer and legal advisor for several law firms spanning 22 years.

Zarad holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Ayn Al Shams University, Egypt. Mr. Zarad is a registered member of the Egyptian Bar Association.

Mr. Ali Abdelazim works on dispute resolution matters, provides legal opinions and attends pre-arbitration and expert hearings.

Ali has over 25 years of experience acting as counsel and litigator, resolving major disputes with a primary focus on public offences and criminal acts. His tenure in the State of Kuwait included his work as a legal advisor for about three years in the advisory office of the Minister of State for Housing Affairs.

Ali holds a bachelor?s degree in Law from Cairo University and is a registered member of the Egyptian Bar Association.

Dr. Sharaf Khaled Alsharaf acts on dispute resolution matters, provides legal opinions, and attends hearings before the court, arbitral and expert sessions. Dr. Alsharaf previously worked as a Public Prosecutor.

Dr. Alsharaf holds Bachelor and Master law degrees from Kuwait University. He also holds a Master of Law from the University of Florida and is a Doctor of Juridical Science from Indiana University. He was a Visiting Researcher at Georgetown Law School.

Al-Anjeri?s practice involves legal counsel and advice on several aspects of corporate law and dispute resolution to local and international clients, particularly matters relating to international arbitration, incorporation and marketing of local and foreign funds, insurance, and regulatory related matters.

Mr. Al-Anjeri holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University. He is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association and former president of Kuwait?s International Law Society.

Yousef Al Shereedah is a Senior Associate in the General Corporate practice. Yousef is a bilingual Kuwaiti national and possesses diverse expertise in the corporate commercial practice, M&A, capital markets, banking and finance, venture capital, and tech.

Throughout his career, Yousef worked with sovereign wealth funds, multinational corporations, international financial institutions, regional start-ups, and leading local businesses.

Yousef was the Legal Affairs Manager of a local venture building and private equity group with operations spanning the Middle East, Portugal, and the Cayman Islands with interests in key sectors such as Fintech, construction, logistics, healthcare, online commerce, and Food and beverage. Prior to that, Yousef served as an in-house counsel to the Kuwait Investment Authority and received his training at the International Counsel Bureau.

Throughout his career, Yousef gained extensive experience working on multiple Kuwaiti Public Private Partnerships in the energy and infrastructure sectors where he represented public authorities, sponsors, project companies, and lenders. Yousef holds a Bachelor of Law and LLM from City University in London. He is admitted at Kuwait Bar Association and an SQE candidate currently.

Bashayer is a Senior Associate at ICB with a strong background in both Corporate Transactions and Litigation matters. She is a trusted advisor to clients in taxation, healthcare, electronic transactions and navigating complex legal challenges both domestically and internationally.

With a keen understanding of Kuwait’s regulatory landscape, Bashayer provides strategic counsel on taxation including income-tax, Zakat, KFAS, and NLST. She has successfully argued before Kuwait’s highest courts on complex matters relating to the interpretation of double taxation treaties (DTTs).

Bashayer has also extreme experience in the healthcare sector including, offering expert guidance on compliance, regulatory issues and medical malpractice cases. Additionally, she advises on cybersecurity, data privacy, and e-commerce, safeguarding digital assets and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations in the data privacy and E-commerce sector. Her in-depth knowledge of electronic transactions, informed by her Master’s thesis, makes her a valuable asset to tech companies worldwide.

Bashayer is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association and holds a Bachelor and Master of Laws from Kuwait University, both with honors.

Rashid Al-Ibrahim is an Associate supporting the dispute resolution team. Rashid specializes in commercial dispute resolution and advises on corporate governance and capital markets issues.

Rashid holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University and is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Abdulrahman Alroumi is a Management Associate at the Corporate team. He helps businesses in Kuwait, the GCC, and internationally navigate complex corporate transactions and disputes. He brings extensive experience and skill to a wide range of legal issues, including entity selection, contract drafting, data privacy, intellectual property, construction, regulatory compliance, and contentious international commercial litigation.
Alroumi holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin and is a member of the Kuwait Bar Association. He is also a member of the Wisconsin State Bar and is pending admission to the New York State Bar.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, a Project Management Professional (PMP) certificate, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

Before pursuing law, Alroumi honed his skills as a project manager and mechanical engineer for several years. His experience spans the construction, manufacturing, and petrochemical industries in the US, Mexico, and Brazil. Fluent in both Arabic and English, Mr. Alroumi has worked extensively in Kuwait, the United States, and Europe.

Danah Albuloushi acts on dispute resolution matters, provides legal opinions, and attends hearings before the court, arbitral and expert sessions.

Ms. Albuloushi holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University, graduating with Honors. During her time at university, she was active in participating and received several awards in the Open Debate Forum and was nominated to represent the women?s team at Qatar University?s Debate Competition in 2018.

Lulwah Marafi is an Associate at ICB, with a focus on corporate and commercial law. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from City, University of London.

Ms. Marafi offers comprehensive legal counsel to both foreign and local clients, particularly in areas such as agency and distribution agreements, the establishment of local entities in Kuwait, and the negotiation of commercial agreements. Her practice is characterized by a deep understanding of the regulatory and operational challenges that businesses face in the region.

In addition to her corporate and commercial work, Ms. Marafi assists on Fintech, and data protection matters, advising clients on navigating these rapidly evolving fields. She also plays a key role in assisting with mergers and acquisitions, providing strategic guidance that aligns with her clients’ business objectives.
Ms. Marafi is a member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Nouf Al Mutairi is a Trainee Associate at Corporate and Litigation team. She has established a strong foundation in civil, commercial, and employment law, handling a broad spectrum of complex cases.

Beyond her litigation work, Nouf is a key member of the corporate team. She advises businesses on complex issues such as contract negotiations, corporate governance, and regulatory compliance, electronic transactions, data privacy, and fintech regulations.

Nouf holds an Bachelor of Laws with honors from Kuwait University and is a member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Zeinab Al Rawahi is an Associate in the Litigation team.

Zeinab Al Rawahi holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University and is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association and Omani Lawyers Association.

She is also a member of the juvenile protection center in the Kuwait Bar Association and a member of the Kuwait Institute of law and legal studies.

Dana Hasan is a Trainee Associate at ICB, leverages her academic foundation with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from City, University of London.

Actively participating across diverse practice areas, Ms. Hasan extends valuable support to both local and international clients, assisting them in navigating the complexities of corporate and commercial affairs.

Her responsibilities encompass providing comprehensive guidance and advice on a wide array of issues, including but not limited to healthcare, agency, distribution, data privacy, intellectual property, establishment of local presence in Kuwait, and skilful negotiation of general commercial agreements.

Ms. Hasan is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Aryaf Al Ajmi is a Trainee Associate in the Corporate and Litigation team. Practice involved construction dispute, corporate and tax disputes. She also works closely with corporate team in various commercial and corporate matters.

Aryaf’s role in negotiating and executing high-stakes legal agreements was developed through an intensive and selective training program at the Government Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where she gained in-depth knowledge of governmental procedures and legal frameworks.

Aryaf earned her Bachelor’s degree in Law with honors from King Faisal University, achieving 4th place in her class within the College of Law.

During her studies, Aryaf was a key member of the King Faisal University team that secured 6th place in the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration International Arabic Moot.

Yousef Al Mehri is a Trainee Associate in the Corporate and Litigation team. His practice involves providing advice on several aspects of corporate law and dispute resolution to local and international clients, particularly matters relating to antitrust and competition, as well as capital markets and general corporate.

Yousef holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Kuwait University. He is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Abdulaziz Al Anjeri is a Trainee Associate who plays an integral role in the Dispute Resolution team. His work involves drafting complaints across a broad spectrum of misdemeanors and criminal offenses, including media-related crimes, electronic offenses, commercial fraud, intellectual property violations, and defamation. His expertise also extends to providing strategic support to clients during investigations, guiding them through the complexities of legal inquiries and ensuring their interests are protected.

Abdulaziz holds a Bachelor of Laws degree with highest honors from Kuwait International Law School and is a registered member of the Kuwait Bar Association.

Majdy AtaAllah is responsible for following up on cases before the court and all relevant judicial departments, as well as attending hearings before the expert sessions.

Mr. AtaAllah holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from South Valley University, Egypt. He is a registered member of the Egyptian Bar Association.

Mr. Adel Esmat is responsible for following up on cases before the Kuwaiti courts and all relevant judicial departments as well as attending expert hearings and drafting certain case memorandums.

Adel holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Zagazig University, Egypt. He is a registered member of the Bar Association in Egypt.

Mohamed Ahmed Tawfik is responsible for overseeing corporate activities, particularly in facilitating the establishment of companies and branches through Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority. He is also responsible for guiding the procedural aspects of setting up such entities with relevant ministries and authorities. Mr. Tawfik brings a strong foundation in banking and finance, having served as a legal researcher at one of the leading banks in Kuwait for 9 years.

Tawfik holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Assiut University, Egypt. He is a registered member of the Egyptian Bar Association.