UPDATE ON UAE Labor Law and Visas - FOR CBC DUBAI MEMBERS ONLY

Rekha Simpson Keynote Speaker/Moderator Senior Manager - Immigration PWC at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (Dubai Branch)

Rekha is a UK-qualified lawyer and has specialised in Immigration for over 13 years. She has worked in London, Singapore, and Dubai, and her corporate Immigration experience spans these jurisdictions. Rekha has worked closely with senior HR stakeholders in managing the end-to-end Immigration process, strategising international employee moves, consulting and advising on projects from an Immigration compliance perspective. She has liaised with Government officials and bodies throughout her career, consulting on Immigration changes and complex client scenarios to ensure the best possible outcomes. Rekha is responsible for a range of client projects in the UAE, and formulates practical but legally compliant solutions for HR professionals.

Charles Laubach Partner at Afridi & Angell

Charles has been practicing as a legal consultant in the UAE since 1986. He advises on general corporate matters, contracts and government procurements, project finance, employment, and international trade controls. Charles has been involved in numerous high-monetary value financing and re-financing transactions. In addition, he provides specialised expertise regarding the US, UN and other sanctions, boycotts, and controls affecting exports to, investments in and transactions with certain designated countries and with regard to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other bribery prohibitions. Charles has an active project and project finance practice, dating back to the beginnings of the privatization of Abu Dhabi’s power and water sector in the 1990s, with the Taweelah A-1 and Taweelah A-2 projects, and including the first Sharia-compliant asset-backed securitization in the UAE. He also advises international defense contractors on legal matters in the UAE involving negotiation and performance of contracts with the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces, compliance with the “Khalifa Directive” and other integrity obligations, the establishment of local offices for the support of programs with the GHQ and other customers, and assistance with offset programs, relying on experience gained since the creation of the UAE’s offset program in 1990. Since the late 1990s, Charles has been the author of the standard industry UAE law opinions on the various financial agreements used by the ICMA and the ISLA, enabling ICMA and ISLA members to enter into complex financial transactions with counterparties in the UAE. Charles is well versed in all aspects of UAE and DIFC employment matters and assists clients in preparing employment documentation and advises on compensation schemes, incentive schemes, confidentiality and non-compete clauses, and workforce reduction programmes. He assists with the employment aspects of mergers, acquisitions and other corporate restructurings, and handles contentious matters. Admissions and Affiliations • Pennsylvania Bar • District of Columbia Bar Education • M.A., Islamic Studies, University of Pennsylvania, 1985 • J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1984 • M.A., University of London, School of African and Oriental Studies, 1981 • B.A., Dartmouth College, 1979 Languages • English • French • Arabic • Urdu

Joanna Matthews Taylor Partner - Head of Employment Practice at Baker McKenzie Dubai (Habib Al Mulla & Partners)

Joanna Matthews-Taylor is a partner in the Dubai office of Baker McKenzie and head of the employment practice. Joanna advises on employment law and immigration matters, working with clients based in the UAE and the wider Middle East region. Prior to joining the Firm, she worked as a senior legal consultant for an international law firm’s Middle East office, and as a qualified assistant for a leading Scottish law firm. From 2016 – 2020 Joanna has been recognised by Legal 500 as a "Next Generation Lawyer" and as an "Associate to watch" by Chambers Global with clients and peers commenting "client service is her strength" and that she is "technically excellent" and "has been in the region a long time and has the local knowledge." Joanna is experienced in the full spectrum of employment law issues, including recruitment, employment contracts, benefits and termination. She has also advised clients on the employment aspects of corporate transactions, cross-border secondments and the mobility of employees in the Middle East. She has worked with international clients in a variety of sectors including technology, life sciences, hospitality, and insurance.