MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance

Location: Dubai

WHO WE ARE

Freshfields LLP is one of the most dynamic and prestigious law firms in the world. Tracing its roots back to 1743 in England, Freshfields provides superior business law advice, and is the firm that clients turn to when it matters most – delivering seamless service across borders, culture, and languages. Today, Freshfields has more than 2,800 lawyers, 32 global offices, and reported more than $3 billion in revenue for 2025.

Freshfields provides business law advice of the highest quality, and is the firm that clients turn to, wherever in the world, that may be. For nearly 300 years, Freshfields has been at the forefront of change – partnering with industry leaders to adapt, innovate, and lead with confidence. From advising on the foundations of global finance to shaping the modern business landscape, the firm’s legacy is built on innovation, adaptability, and deep client trust.

As industries evolve and challenges grow more complex, Freshfields continues to redefine what’s possible – bringing fresh thinking, strategic insight, and a global perspective to help its clients lead with confidence in an ever-changing world.

Freshfields in MENA is the go-to destination for clients seeking sophisticated counsel on a broad range of domestic and cross-border matters. With a team of approximately 110 employees including 60 lawyers, Freshfields is a leading firm in MENA for corporate, litigation, and regulatory matters. Clients repeatedly entrust Freshfields with their most critical mandates due to the firm’s strategic, pragmatic, and client-centric approach. With a deep bench of top-tier lawyers, Freshfields brings clients an integrated approach that seamlessly spans practice areas and geographies, with firm offices in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, and Riyadh.

Freshfields is a true “people business,” and has created a welcoming and supportive environment where all can flourish. Freshfields professionals enjoy their work, are determined to do an outstanding job, and deliver best when working in teams. They add value to everything they do and are passionate about helping clients succeed. Freshfields professionals use their experience and creativity to help clients make judgements, and achieve their goals, while seeking to make a real difference to the communities in which they operate.

THE POSITION

Dubai

The MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance will be a key strategic operational and financial leader for the firm’s MENA region, and will be responsible for driving business performance, financial results, transformative initiatives, and optimization of business and legal services. They will serve as a trusted business partner and advisor to the MENA Managing Partner, providing key decision support and guidance to ensure the success of the firm’s MENA region, in alignment with the firm’s global strategies and objectives.

The MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance will report to the MENA Managing Partner and Global Chief Financial Officer, working closely with the office partner leadership, other partners, global finance leadership, business services leaders and other key stakeholders.

The MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance will provide strategic and operational leadership across the MENA region, directly managing a range of business operations and administrative functions, ensuring alignment and coordination across the firm’s finance and information technology and other operational areas. The role will work closely with the Head of HR and the MENA Leadership team to support the development and execution of the firm’s regional strategy, ensuring the region is appropriately structured and resourced to deliver its strategic objectives.

The MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance will lead the region’s business continuity and crisis management framework, working with the Legal Department and Operations teams to ensure robust contingency planning, crisis response and recovery arrangements are in place and effectively implemented to address operational regulatory and people related risks.

The MENA Chief Operating Officer & Director of Finance will:

Develop a broad and deep understanding of the MENA region’s practices, operations, market, and competitive position; work closely with the firm’s MENA Managing Partner, and other partners and members of leadership regarding business planning; identification and maximization of financial, profitability, and revenue growth opportunities; and ensure operational excellence.

In conjunction with existing business services leads, drive business transformation and innovation efforts for the firm in the MENA region, and related organizational, operational, and cultural change management efforts; monitor trends and best practices in professional services and legal business management approaches and solutions and appropriately incorporate new methodologies.

In conjunction with the global financial leadership, deliver actionable, succinct, and impactful financial analysis and reporting for the MENA region, and develop and implement capabilities to provide for augmented, data-driven, decision-making.

Lead the firm’s regulatory, governance and operational risk agenda across MENA. Working in partnership with the Legal Department and Operations teams, ensure the effective implementation and oversight of governance, compliance and risk management frameworks across all offices, supporting the firm’s regulatory obligations and protecting its reputation. Act as Deputy MLRO for MENA, providing leadership and oversight of anti-money laundering, financial crime prevention and related regulatory compliance matters.

In conjunction with existing business services leads, develop and establish operating policies, and direct the firm’s MENA office operations, ensuring services are delivered within set budgets, and comply with local regulations; regularly assess and report on the effectiveness of operations and shared services, providing insights and guidance on continuous improvement.

Play a key role in connecting the dots across the MENA partnership and business service leadership, fostering effective communication, collaboration and alignment across the region helping to build lines of communication.

Serve as a key representative for the MENA region across the global firm, and with external and internal constituencies; collaborate on overall global strategies and objectives and drive corresponding MENA initiatives and programs to achieve those goals.

Work with existing operational colleagues to manage the firm’s MENA real estate portfolio and help drive real estate strategy, including space utilization initiatives.

Oversee and implement cost control strategies to optimize operational efficiency and ensure financial sustainability across all MENA offices, including monitoring expenditures, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and driving initiatives to reduce overhead without compromising service quality.

With the support of existing Business services leads, manage the firm’s local business services teams, ensuring they meet strategic objectives and operational targets, including optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing service delivery to support the firm's global operations and client needs.

Working closely with the MENA Head of HR to champion a positive people experience by fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment, including developing and implementing policies that support employee well-being, professional growth, and engagement, ensuring that all team members feel valued and motivated to contribute to the firm's success.

Foster a culture that is team-oriented, committed to professional excellence, and the highest levels of client service; cultivate strong cross-functional collaboration; manage, mentor, develop, and ensure that all functional resources are in alignment with the firm’s vision.

A minimum of 10 to 15 years of broad-based business operations leadership experience, which includes a proven record with major law firms.

Demonstrated record coordinating the range of business functions and capabilities; and managing, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams committed to superior levels of client service, team-orientation, and professional excellence.

Proven success leading enterprise change management, on institutional, functional, and behavioral levels, and associated communications and operational deployments.

Strong business, financial, and commercial acumen; the ability to develop comprehensive short- and long-term strategic plans from broadly stated objectives, anticipating and exceeding business needs, and managing conflicting priorities when necessary.

Outstanding interpersonal and relationship-building skills, the ability to lead through influence rather than direct control, and to create consensus-based support for business strategies and decisions in complex, multinational organizations.

Strong drive, “can do” attitude, entrepreneurial spirit, and results-orientation; willingness to “roll up one’s sleeves” when necessary and lead by example.

Superior presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills; capacity to interact credibly and diplomatically with all levels in an organization – including at the senior partner level – and in the outside community, tailoring communications effectively for different groups and stakeholders.

An undergraduate degree is required; MBA or other advanced degrees preferred.