Umar Azmeh was appointed Registrar in October 2022, and oversees the management of cases before the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre. He is also a member of the senior management team and the Judicial Advisory Board.
 
Umar qualified both as a barrister and a solicitor. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2009 by Middle Temple, and practised as a barrister, gaining experience in criminal and civil law, latterly conducting civil litigation on behalf of various United Kingdom government departments. He qualified as a solicitor at Hogan Lovells International LLP in 2017, where he gained experience of commercial law, including high value commercial litigation. He subsequently worked at the Court of Appeal of England and Wales (Criminal Division) which entailed advising the senior judiciary on some of the most serious and significant cases in the jurisdiction including, among others, the Lord Chief Justice, President of the Queen’s Bench Division, and the Vice-President of the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).
 
He most recently practised at BCL Solicitors LLP in London, a leading law firm where he specialised in advising and representing high net-worth individuals and corporates in regulatory investigations brought by domestic and international regulators. Umar is also an expert in UK sanctions law, and has worked on some of the most high-profile sanctions cases in the United Kingdom.
 
Umar holds an LL.B. degree from King’s College, University of London, and an M.Sc. degree from the University of Oxford (Worcester College), where he graduated first in his year. He is currently a DPhil in Law Candidate at the University of Oxford (St Anne’s College), and is a regular contributor to academic and practitioner publications. Umar is also a Visiting Lecturer at The City Law Schools (City, University of London), and is a Trustee of the Sentencing Academy, a research and engagement charitable incorporated organisation dedicated to developing expert and public understanding of sentencing in England and Wales.

As managing partner of Crowell & Moring’s Middle East headquarters and a prominent individual within Qatar’s legal circle, Charbel M. Maakaron has a deep-rooted understanding of Qatari legislation and adaptive problem resolution skills that his clients rely on. Renowned for his astute approach when working with clients, Charbel represents and assists local and international entities in areas including corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, hospitality, and regulatory matters. He also has extensive experience advising clients on commercial transactions, corporate structuring, finance and securities, commercial litigation, and capital markets.
Charbel is highly sought after by Qatari and international clients alike, who trust his forward-thinking and creative manner when resolving legal issues. When business growth leads to hurdles, clients trust that Charbel will provide a timely and pragmatic response to issues faced no matter the complexity while simultaneously ensuring that their business interests remain at the forefront.
Charbel is also frequently called upon to share his extensive knowledge of Qatari legal issues, both domestically and internationally. He also advises government clients on legislative projects and has contributed toward the development of numerous laws and regulations across sectors in Qatar and in neighboring countries.
Prior to joining Crowell, Charbel was the managing partner at an international law firm’s Doha office. Previously, he worked for one of Beirut’s top law firms, where he handled complex litigation matters in civil and commercial law and gained considerable experience in corporate and business matters.
 

Lemoushmi is an Assistant Director at Deloitte with 15+ years of experience supporting businesses facing distress and special situations. With experience across Asia and the GCC, she understands the nuances of managing distressed businesses in the Middle East—where speed, trust, and stakeholder alignment are critical. She works closely with leadership teams to stabilise cash flow, optimise costs, and support restructuring initiatives, helping organisations make confident decisions under pressure. Lemoushmi is a Chartered Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and also mother to two young children.

Rupert is the Founder and Managing Director of bespoke multi-faceted consultancy MENA Consultants, a bespoke organisation whose competences span defense delivery of FMS, procurement and operations, as well as regional and global macro-economic and geopolitical intelligence of factual data, intelligence gathering, audit tracing, tracking and securing assets for government bodies and agencies, and the concierge setting up of new private entities in Qatar, working alongside Invest Qatar, the QFC, as well as QIA. 
 

Ex-military, Ex-police, former Qatar country manager in financial services and most recently a UBS Director in Wealth Management for the MENA region, Rupert also acts as the Vice Chair for the British Chamber of Commerce in Qatar (BCCQ). His considerable network in Qatar and the region ensures he commands a superior knowledge and a considerable regional client network base at a high level