ME. Dr. Ali Zbeeb

Me. Dr. Ali ZBEEB LLB (Leb), LLM (Lon), MPhil (Lon), PhD (Lon)

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Ali ZBEEB is an International Lawyer and University Professor, a Project Legal Expert and Consultant with United Nations, Int’l Legal Expert at the Union of Arab Banks and former IP Legal Trainer with Interpol. He is a specialist in international banking & finance regulations, corporate & commercial laws compliance, economic sanctions, economic integration, financial inclusion, Fintech, legal project management/strategy and Arbitration.

He has been a university professor in law and business for 20 years, and he is currently lecturing in Int’l Business and Law & Ethics at Lebanese University (MBA course).

Ali is currently the Managing Partner at “ZBEEB Law & Associates” (regional law firm founded in 1980 with global affiliations in over 30 cities), and the Founding President of “Development Association for Nurturing Arab Leadership & Innovation”(DANALI), an Arab NGO targeting community development through innovation and financial inclusion, were he found and initiated the “ADAM Initiative for Autism” dedicated to support individuals of the autism spectrum during the war.

At Beirut Bar Association, he is currently President of the Banking Affairs & Depositors Rights Committee; FVP of Justice Journal Committee, Advisor Anti-Money Laundering /CFT Committee; and Senior Member of BBA Admission Oral Examination Committee.

Ali was previously the Director of International Legal Affairs at Union of Arab Banks for half a decade, and Adviser on International Legal Affairs to Lebanese Minister of Labor, and Legal Adviser to Lebanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

In addition to being a professional training expert who provides technical assistance and advocacy to a wide range of entities in the MENA Region, and his pro-bono work on financial inclusion with the Higher Council of Childhood, Ali serves as legal adviser and counsel to over 50 multinational entities worldwide including regional banks academic institutions, NGOs and commercial entities in the fields of banking & finance /construction/ insurance/ logistics/ healthcare/ pharmaceutical / real estate and other fields, mainly in USA, UK, EU, West Africa, South America, Malaysia, Turkey, GCC and the MENA Region.

He represented Lebanon (Ministry of Youth/ Ministry of Justice/ Beirut Bar Association) worldwide including but not limited to IMF/WB Annual Meetings in DC, Int’l Tribunal in Hague and many more, gaining a wide network of global connections.

He has publications in int’l journals and awaits publication of 2 books “Handbook on Islamic Finance” & “New Business Law”.  

Ali regularly appears on local, regional & global media to raise awareness on int’l compliance, regulatory and economic matters.

As an experienced public speaker, he continues to travel around the world to actively participate in high level events in fields of banking regulations, corporate laws, economic integration & financial inclusion, to lecture and present in various related topics. In addition, he is a regular writer for prominent Arab newspapers in MENA region on economic, banking and legal matters.

In 2018, he co-drafted the ‘BBA Lawyers Handbook on Combating Money Laundering & Terrorism Financing’, and in 2016 he drafted for MoSA the ‘Guidance Handbook for Financial Institutions to offer Youth Specific Financial Products & Services’.

His achievements include the 2016 feature in Thomson Reuters’ “10 years of Evolving Regulations” (a distinct publication issued once a decade), and the 2017 announcement as Winner of the UK based ‘2017 International Advisory Experts Award’, followed by his selection as the Winner of “2018 International Arbitration Advisory Experts Award – Lebanon”. Most recently, he was also chosen as the Winner of the “2019 International Advisory Experts Award” organized by Int’l Advisory Experts.

Ali, who has excellent command in Arabic and English, holds a Bachelor of Law from Lebanese University, Master in Banking & Finance Laws (LLM), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and a PhD in Law (in Regulation of Economic Integration), from Queen Mary -University of London. He is based in Beirut and rotates regularly between UK, US & GCC along his continuous travels.