An interview with Roopak Sehgal, Senior Legal Counsel at Sharaka Holdings in Qatar.
How would you describe the state of the GC Community in your region? How has it changed since you first moved in-house?
When I first moved in-house in Qatar, the General Counsel community was relatively small and somewhat siloed. Many GCs operated independently within their organisations, and there were limited structured opportunities for networking or knowledge sharing. The focus was largely on local compliance, contract management, and navigating regulatory frameworks, particularly in sectors like oil & gas, construction, and finance.
Over the years, however, the GC community in Qatar has matured significantly. We’ve seen more professionals with international experience entering the market, and there’s been a strong push toward aligning legal departments with business strategy. Forums, legal roundtables, and increased engagement from entities like the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) and international law firms operating locally have contributed to a more collaborative and open GC network.
There’s also a greater emphasis now on areas like ESG, data privacy (especially post-GDPR influence), corporate governance, and compliance in cross-border operations, especially as Qatar expands its global economic relationships. Overall, the GC role in Qatar is becoming more dynamic and business-critical, and the community is more connected and forward-thinking than ever before.
Why is expanding your network important to you?
Expanding my network is important to me because the role of General Counsel is no longer just about legal risk mitigation – it’s about being a strategic advisor who understands the broader business, regulatory, and geopolitical environment.
By connecting with other GCs, legal leaders, and industry experts, I gain insights into how others are navigating challenges like regulatory reform, ESG reporting, digital transformation, and cross-border compliance.
In a rapidly evolving legal and business landscape – particularly in a region like Qatar where international standards are increasingly influencing local practices – these connections help me stay ahead of the curve and ensure that my legal team adds strategic value, not just technical support.
What kinds of connections or discussions would be most valuable to you?
The most valuable discussions for me are those that go beyond legal theory – conversations about governance innovation, leading through crisis, building agile legal teams, managing external counsel effectively, and balancing compliance with commercial agility. I’m especially interested in exchanging ideas on how GCs can influence C-suite decision-making and lead transformation within our respective organisations.
What do you want to achieve by collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers?
In Qatar’s rapidly evolving legal and regulatory environment, collaborating with other GCs and senior in-house lawyers is essential for staying aligned with best practices, anticipating change, and strengthening the strategic impact of legal departments across industries. My goal is to build a trusted peer network where we can share both successes and challenges openly – especially as Qatar continues to attract international investment and align with global standards.
Are there specific topics, challenges, or experiences you’d like to share or learn more about?
I’m particularly interested in discussing how legal teams are approaching topics like compliance with international regulations (e.g., anti-bribery, sanctions), ESG reporting expectations in the region, data privacy law enforcement, and the integration of legal tech and AI tools in day-to-day operations. There’s also a growing need to address localisation of legal talent, succession planning, and effective regulatory engagement, which are unique to the Gulf context.
By sharing experiences in areas like navigating government relations, leading during rapid regulatory change, and supporting ambitious national projects like those under Qatar National Vision 2030, we can help raise the collective capability of the GC community and better support the evolving needs of our businesses and stakeholders.
