LIF Financial Services Compliance Symposiums

NORTH AMERICA

New York City

2026

EUROPE

LONDON

2026

OVERVIEW

This high-impact, half-day forum series will bring together senior legal, compliance, and finance professionals from leading financial institutions to tackle one of the most urgent challenges facing the sector today: How do you build a compliance framework that keeps pace with accelerating regulatory change and the business?

Participants in New York and London will engage in straight-talk panel discussions and a collaborative workshopping session designed to unpack the realities of today’s compliance landscape and uncover valuable peer-driven insights. Together, we’ll explore what’s working, where firms are struggling, and how leaders can design compliance programs that both protect and enable their organizations in an environment defined by scrutiny, transparency, and speed.

Who's attending

This series is designed for senior professionals from across the financial services ecosystem who are leading on compliance, including:

Chief Compliance Officers + compliance leaders
In-house counsel at financial institutions
Finance and operations executives
Leaders responsible for fund governance, reporting, and cross-border structuring
Professional advisors supporting alternative funds and institutional investors

Attendance is capped to ensure meaningful interaction and peer-to-peer learning.

structure + audience

A half-day, senior-level forum crafted for compliance-focused leaders, featuring:

Opening Executive Panel
A candid conversation with industry leaders on building proactive, business-aligned compliance frameworks.
People, Process + Technology Conversation
Exploring the interplay between culture, governance, and emerging technologies — including where automation and AI genuinely reduce risk.
Group Workshopping Session
Collaborative discussions designed to surface practical solutions and common approaches across firms.
Networking Reception
Curated introductions and informal peer exchange among senior compliance, legal, finance, and advisory leaders.

KEY THEMES

Compliance as a competitive advantage
How proactive frameworks accelerate deals, support faster fundraising, and strengthen investor trust.
Regulatory reality check
Understanding the true priorities behind SEC and CFTC enforcement — and the emerging issues firms must prepare for.
Keeping deals moving
Practical ways to embed compliance into diligence and monitoring without creating bottlenecks.
Cross-border complications
Strategies for managing fund formation, disclosure, and tax obligations across multiple jurisdictions.
Technology that delivers
A grounded look at automation, analytics, and AI — where they reduce risk, and where expectations outpace reality.
Culture + accountability
How to build firm-wide ownership so compliance becomes intuitive, not imposed.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

COMING SOON

OUR PARTNERS

Host SPONSOR

For Sponsorship opportunities, please contact jacquie@adbinsights.com. Or visit our SPONSORSHIP page.

The Critical Minerals Innovation Forum 2026

NORTH AMERICA

NEW YORK CITY

JUNE 2026

TORONTO

FALL 2026

EUROPE

LONDON

MAY 2026

OVERVIEW

Turning geopolitical tides have highlighted the essential nature of critical minerals and materials for national security and global energy demands. At this crucial juncture, collaboration among like-minded nations is essential to building secure, value-added supply chains. Great strides are being made, but much remains to be done to bolster the Western world’s mining and processing capabilities and mitigate the risks of over-reliance on China.

The Critical Minerals Innovation Forum 2026 is a series of high-level events bringing together senior leaders from government, industry, and financial services to discuss the latest developments in the critical minerals space. This independent series examines the technologies, capital flows, and policy frameworks shaping the Western world’s efforts to build secure, value-added supply chains for national security and the world’s energy future.

Join us for engaging presentations and robust discussions on the work being done to enable a robust critical minerals supply chain as part of an integrated energy security strategy. Forum discussions focus on how emerging technologies, private capital, government policies, and international alliances are shaping the ecosystem.

purpose

The forum aims to facilitate candid dialogue on leading strategies—from price floors and government equity stakes to stockpiling and sovereign wealth funds—by bringing key stakeholders together. The multi-city format allows regional perspectives to inform a holistic view of global opportunities and challenges.

DATES + LOCATION:

For 2026, four forum sessions are planned in major financial and policy hubs (dates to be confirmed):

London – May 2026
New York City – June 2026
Toronto – Fall 2026

DISCUSSION THEMES:

The forum’s content will be organized around key themes reflecting the emerging issues in critical minerals and the energy transition for 2026.

Themes for 2026 could include:

The Evolving Geopolitical and Policy Landscape
Securing a Strategically Aligned Supply Chain
Innovations in Mining + Processing
Mobilizing Capital for Critical Mineral’s Leap Forward
AI and Automation: Catalysts for Innovation + Resilience

structure + audience

Format: Each forum will be a half- or full-day event followed by a networking reception.

Sessions: The agenda will feature a mix of panel discussions, fireside chats, and keynote presentations focused on key themes related to the evolving critical minerals and materials space.

Attendees: Expect ~100+ senior attendees per session from across the ecosystem: policymakers and government officials, mining and mining processing company executives, battery technology and manufacturing leaders, investors and financial services professionals, and partners from law and consulting firms. This diverse audience of critical minerals stakeholders ensures a rich exchange of insights across the value chain.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

COMING SOON

For Sponsorship opportunities, please contact jacquie@adbinsights.com. Or visit our SPONSORSHIP page.

The Legal Innovation Summit Dubai 2026

KEMPINSKI THE BOULEVARD DUBAI

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd – Burj Khalifa – Downtown Dubai – Dubai – United Arab Emirates

FULL-DAY SUMMIT: April 15, 2026 | 8:15 AM - 5:45 PM GST

OVERVIEW

As the UAE presses towards 2031 with its vision for greater prosperity, organizations in the GCC and around the world must navigate increasingly complex operating environments characterized by growing geopolitical tension, increasing regulatory scrutiny, rapidly evolving technologies, and heightened expectations for both growth and resilience. Legal departments—and their advisors across law firms and third-party service providers—are being asked to mitigate risk at a time of unprecedented volatility while enabling business innovation and supporting bold strategic decision-making.

Join us to explore these challenges in one of the world’s most dynamic business, technology, and legal ecosystems. Through candid discussions, peer exchange, and a series of interactive, solution-oriented workshops, attendees will unpack today’s most urgent issues and discover actionable strategies to help shape the future of legal leadership in an era of transformation within the GCC and beyond.

PURPOSE OF THE FORUM

Equip legal leaders in the GCC with strategic insights to navigate rising regulatory complexity, geopolitical uncertainty, and accelerating technological change
Explore how innovation, legal operations, and AI-enabled tools can strengthen organizational resilience while enabling growth and transformation
Foster collaboration among leaders from across the legal ecosystem to share practical solutions and develop forward-looking approaches aligned with the UAE’s We the UAE 2031 vision
Create a platform for real-world problem-solving, enabling attendees to network with peers, exchange best practices, and shape the future of legal leadership in a rapidly evolving global economy

STRUCTURE

Format: A full-day event followed by a networking reception and curated roundtable dinners.
Sessions: The agenda will feature a panel discussion, a fireside chats, and presentations on a variety of themes, as well as a keynote address by a thought leader focused on innovation from the GCC.
Interactive Workshops: Innovative thought leadership and engagement sessions focused on key themes for the legal ecosystem.
Valuable Networking Opportunities: The day will close with a networking reception, followed by exclusive roundtable dinners.

Who’s attending

200+ senior-level attendees from legal departments, legal operations teams, law firms, and third-party service providers from across the GCC and beyond

THEMES + AGENDA

8:15 – 8:45 AM | REGISTRATION

8:45 – 9:00 AM | OPENING REMARKS

9:00 – 9:30 AM | Keynote Address

9:30 – 10:20 AM | Panel: Navigating risk, leveraging opportunities and innovating in a risk-on world

As global markets grow more volatile and regulatory frameworks become increasingly complex, legal leaders are tasked with balancing proactive risk management with the strategic imperative to enable growth, enter new markets, adopt emerging technologies, and support organizational transformation through innovation.

Drawing on the UAE’s forward-focused We the UAE 2031 vision, this panel will highlight how legal teams can position themselves as strategic partners in a world where agility, insight, and innovation are key competitive advantages.

Building resilient legal frameworks that anticipate geopolitical, regulatory, and economic uncertainty while supporting business expansion and innovation
Turning risk into opportunity by applying legal operations, data insights, and AI tools to improve decision-making and unlock strategic advantages
Evolving the role of legal leadership: Developing mindsets, structures, and capabilities that position legal teams as drivers of value
Operationalizing innovation through modern workflows, automation, cross-functional collaboration, and scalable governance models

10:25 – 10:55 AM | Fireside chat: The GCC as a fulcrum for legal innovation

As the GCC strengthens its role as a global economic and technology hub, the country has become a pivotal fulcrum for legal innovation.

This fireside chat will examine how the GCC’s regulatory agility, digital-first infrastructure, and pro-innovation environment are enabling legal teams, firms, and service providers to reimagine how legal services are delivered and shape the next frontier of legal transformation across the region.

A global innovation hub: The GCC as a connector between East and West, attracting talent, investment, and cross-border collaboration
Technology-enabled transformation: How AI, automation, and enterprise-wide digital initiatives are reshaping legal workflows and expanding the strategic capabilities of legal teams
Regulatory agility and vision: How the GCC’s approach to policymaking enables rapid experimentation, digital transformation, and new legal service models

10:55 – 11:15 AM | Networking Break

11:15 – 12:15 PM | Workshop 1: Controlling Your Data Journey

Through guided exercises and real-world examples, attendees will learn how to reduce data chaos, strengthen compliance, and turn legal data into a strategic asset that drives efficiency, transparency, and measurable impact. This workshop will equip attendees with practical strategies to take control of the data lifecycle.

12:15 – 1:15 PM | Networking Lunch

1:15 – 2:15 PM | Workshop 2: Agentic AI

This workshop will demystify agentic AI and show legal leaders how autonomous, goal-driven AI systems can transform end-to-end workflows across contracting, compliance, and operations. Through hands-on exercises, attendees will explore how agentic AI can streamline complex processes and free legal talent to focus on higher-impact work.

2:20 – 3:20 PM | Workshop 3: Digital Risk: Compliance + Regulation

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore how GCC and global regulations intersect with fast-evolving digital business models, and how legal teams can build agile, future-ready compliance programs that enable innovation while mitigating risk.

3:20 – 3:40 PM | Networking Break

3:40 – 4:40 PM | Workshop 4: Leadership

Participants will learn how to lead high-performing teams through transformation, cultivate innovation-ready cultures, and balance accountability with empowerment. Through hands-on exercises, attendees will uncover actionable strategies to elevate their leadership impact and guide organizations confidently into the next decade.

4:40 – 4:45 PM | Closing Remarks

4:45 – 5:45 PM | Networking Reception

6:30 – 9:30 PM | Exclusive Roundtable Dinners (by invitation only)

FEATURED PARTNERS COMING SOON

For Sponsorship opportunities, please contact jacquie@adbinsights.com or visit our SPONSORSHIP page.

The Legal Innovation Forum Middle East Symposium Series

Roundtables

ABU DhABI:

APRIL 23RD

RIYADH:

APRIL 27TH

Symposium

DUBAI

APRIL 24TH

OVERVIEW

The Legal Innovation Forum is hosting a series of live events focused on leadership in the UAE and Saudi Arabia from April 23 to 27th, 2025.

The forums gather leaders from specific industries, specific roles and sectors from the region. The content and the audience of each roundtable is focused on convening leaders focused on navigating risk from legal, compliance, and risk departments in organizations, law firms, consultants, and third-party partners.

The purpose is to discuss key topics related to navigating the business of risk and how it relates to the broader business innovation story at play across in the Middle East.

STRUCTURE + Format

Locations + Dates: Abu Dhabi (April 23rd), Dubai (April 24th) + Riyadh (April 27th).

Theme: Leading through a risk-on era: Enabling the GCC’s economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities.

DUBAI SYMPOSIUM

Venue + date: Dubai Symposium will be hosted from 4-8 pm, on April 24th at SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences
50 risk-focused leaders attending (compliance, risk and legal departments, consultants + law firms)
Highly targeted audience of leaders focused on risk as participants: General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Risk Officers, Associate General Counsel, Legal Operations Leaders, Consulting + Law Firm Partners, Chief Innovation Officers, COOs, CIOs.

Format

45 minute fireside chat on the symposium’s theme, “Leading through a risk-on era” between four thought leaders.
Elevator pitch of 5-7 minutes on key value propositions of each sponsor to the audience.
75-minute facilitated discussion amongst small groups on the symposium’s theme.
Focused networking opportunities at champagne reception before the dinner as well as the post-event dinner.

ABU DHABI + RIYADH ROUNDTABLES

Venues + dates: The Abu Dhabi Roundtable will be hosted from 5-9pm at the Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi on April 23rd. The Riyadh Roundtable will be hosted from 5-9pm at the Mandarin Oriental in Riyadh on April 27th.
Roundtable theme: Leading through a risk-on era: Enabling the GCC’s economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities.
Guests: 25 – 30 highly targeted risk-focused leaders will attend (including compliance, risk and legal departments, law firms, consultants + third-party partners).

Format

Networking receptions before + and after the roundtable.
Facilitated discussion amongst the group, led by facilitators on the roundtable’s theme.
Roundtable discussion will be accompanied by dinner.

Meet our speakers

Leading Tech Advisor

Partner + Head of Global Legal Services, KPMG

Global Legal Services Leader, KPMG

Regional Legal Manager for Smart Infrastructure, Siemens Middle East

Group GC for Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai

SVP, AI Programs, ContractPodAi

Head of Legal Affairs MEA, International SOS

Board Member ACC MENA + Former GC, Aon

Principal | US Head of Legal Managed Services | Global Clients & Markets Leader (GLTMS)

Management Consultancies + Former GC, Schindler

DUBAI SYMPOSIUM: THEMES + AGENDA

4:00 TO 4:30PM | pre-symposium networking reception

4:30 TO 4:40PM | intro to forum

4:40 to 5:25pm | leading through a risk-on era: enabling the GCC's economic innovation story through navigating risks and seizing opportunities

Embedding resilience in legal strategy: How legal departments are preparing for complex threats – from geopolitical volatility to regulatory change – by aligning risk, regulatory, and contractual data
Data-driven risk management: The growing need for an advanced data infrastructure that enables proactive compliance and risk mitigation strategies
Responding to black swan events: Navigating unpredictable disruptions like tariffs through scenario planning and contractual foresight
Dubai as a risk leadership hub: Exploring how the region’s innovation mindset and investor appeal position it as a global leader in forward-thinking, risk-informed growth strategies

Regional Legal Manager for Smart Infrastructure, Siemens Middle East, Siemens

Founder, ECG Management Consultancies + Former GC, Schindler

Partner + Head of Global Legal Services, KPMG

CHAIR

Founder + CEO, The Legal Innovation Forum

5:25 to 6:10pm | Roundtable Discussions + Group Discussion

6:10 to 6:40pm | Elevator Pitches Session 1

6:40 to 7:30pm | Transforming the Legal Landscape: navigating innovation and change in a rapidly evolving business ecosystem

Challenges + opportunities for legal tech adoption in the GCC: Overcoming barriers and taking advantage of the UAE’s unique environment as an innovation sandbox
The evolving role of legal departments in business innovation: Enabling business growth through risk-aware legal-tech adoption
Navigating regulatory uncertainty and market volatility: Driving innovation to avoid regulatory, financial, and reputational risk
Maximizing impact with external advisors: Leveraging external expertise to bring strategic value in transformation initiatives.