GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference, 8 – 9 September 2026, Riyadh, KSA
GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference, 8 – 9 September 2026, Riyadh, KSA
With new export controls, sanctions, and anti-corruption rules from the US, UK, EU, China, and local authorities in the Kingdom, compliance is more complex than ever. The GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is designed for compliance professionals working directly in the field, providing practical advice and real-world insights from both global experts and respected local leaders.
The US, UK, EU and now China have far reaching export controls, sanctions and anti-corruption initiatives, match this with developing local regulations within the Kingdom and you have a perfect storm of compliance to navigate through. GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is the one place where you, as a local compliance specialist, can find a way through.
‘Culture beats Compliance’ is well known maxim but carries no weight with Regulators. So how do you not only build leading compliance programs but also ensure their take up and the buy in of the workforce ?To quote ‘Tomell Da Silva of The Middle East and Africa Compliance Association ”you may have the right ‘Tone from the top’ but what about the ‘Mood in the middle’ and the ‘Groove on the ground” ?
Best Practice is commonly called for but does one size fit all ? How can you ensure you are compliant with conflicting international regulations at the same time as ensuring local regulations are adhered too?
This conference has been produced with you the compliance specialist ‘on the ground’ in mind. It is designed specifically for those in industry to allow you to learn from your peers and benchmark your program with not only the global leaders but also with local prominent companies from within the Kingdom. This is the must attend conference in the region where you will interact in an intimate, open and candid setting with eminent speakers from The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well as other GCC and leading global specialists, we look forward to meeting you.
- Mr. Fahad Al-Ali, Senior Counsel; Labour Law, Ethics and Compliance, BAE Systems Saudi Arabia
- Mr. Yasser Aboismail, Regional General and Counsel and Compliance Officer, Thales Arabia
- Dr. Saleh M. Alshunaif, Director Legal, Contracts, & Global Trade Compliance, Alsalam Aerospace
- Dr. Christopher Wolters, Partner, BLOMSTEIN
- Mr. Muhammad Javed, Governance, Risk and Compliance Head, Fourth Milling Company
- Mr. Rayan Balool, Corporate Governance and Compliance Executive Director, Jedco KSA
- Mr. Imad Aldhfiri, Vice President of Governance, Risk and Compliance, aramco digital
- Mr. Mahdi Saifi, Compliance Director, DaVita Kidney Care
- Ms. Amal AlHaniah, Director of Compliance, Confidential Government Authority
- Mr. Jared Hollet, Senior Counsel, International Trade Lead, Saudi Aramco
- Mr. Naif Alarfaj, Director General of Governance, Risk & Compliance, Ministry of Sport
- Mr. Ebrahem Alhoqel, Chief Legal Officer, TASNEE
- Mr. Mohamed Elsaadany, Chief Governance Officer, BOD and Committees Secretary, Mowah
- Dr. Majed Alowaidi, Cybersecurity Professor, Majmaah University
Should you wish to join our esteemed speaker panel at this event, please contact If you are interested in speaking at this conference, please contact Mr. Henderson Huang on henderson.huang@nielsonsmith.com.
The agenda for the GRC and Export Controls in the Middle East Conference is prepared by and for industry professionals, and includes the most interesting topics, currently pertinent to the field.
Please contact your NielsonSmith representative to discuss the programme in more depth.
Day One
09:15 – 10:00 Registration opens with early morning refreshments
10:00 – 10:10 Chairman’s welcome and opening address
10:10 – 11:00 GRC and National Transformation Programmes
11:00 – 11:50 Doing Business in the EU: Trade Controls, Investment Screening and Strategic Autonomy
11:50 – 12:15 Prayer Break & Morning refreshments
12:15 – 13:00 Third-Party Risk Governance in GCC Supply Chains
13:00 – 13:45 Integrated GRC Systems Implementation
13:45 – 15:00 Prayer Break and Networking Lunch
15:00 – 16:00 Cyber Governance in Critical Infrastructure
16:00 – 17:00 Panel Discussion: Ethics and Conduct Programmes in GCC State-Linked Firms
17:00 – 17:30 Prayer Break & Afternoon refreshments networking
17:30 – 17:35 Chairman’s closing remarks
Day Two
09:15 – 10:00 Early morning refreshments and networking
10:00 – 10:05 Chairman’s opening remarks
10:05 – 10:45 Post-Grace Period Enforcement of the Saudi PDPL
10:45 – 11:30 Compliance Programme Design for Export-Controlled Operations
11:30 – 12:00 Prayer Break & Morning refreshment
12:00 – 13:00 Panel Discussion: GRC for the Next Phase of Growth
13:00 – 13:45 Risk Intelligence: Compliance Takeaways for Leadership
13:45 – 15:00 Prayer Break and Networking Lunch
15:00 – 16:00 Governance and Oversight of Modern Compliance Programmes
16:00 – 16:50 GRC Operating Models for Middle East 2030
16:50 – 17:00 Chairman’s remarks
End of Conference
If you are interested in speaking at this conference, please contact Mr. Henderson Huang on henderson.huang@nielsonsmith.com
The Middle East & Africa Compliance Association (MEACA) is a non-profit, volunteer-driven professional body committed to advancing transparency, accountability, and ethical governance across both public and private sectors in the Middle East and Africa. Established to address the growing need for structured compliance frameworks in the region, MEACA serves as a central hub for compliance professionals, offering resources, networking opportunities, and advocacy to promote integrity in business practices.
Mission and Vision:
- Vision: To be the leading professional association in the Middle East and Africa, promoting transparency, accountability, and a culture of integrity in both private and public sectors.
- Mission: To empower compliance professionals with the skills, resources, and knowledge to be effective ambassadors of goodwill within their respective companies and communities. MEACA seeks to foster and nurture a business context where good governance, adherence to laws, ethics, and transparency are the international norm, not the exception.
Core Activities:
- Professional Development: MEACA offers training programs, workshops, and seminars aimed at enhancing the competencies of compliance professionals.
- Networking Opportunities: The association organizes events and conferences to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices among professionals in the field.
- Advocacy and Thought Leadership: MEACA engages with policymakers and industry leaders to advocate for robust compliance standards and ethical business practices.
- Mentorship Programs: Committed to nurturing the next generation of compliance professionals, MEACA provides mentorship opportunities to guide and support emerging talent in the industry
Through these initiatives, MEACA aims to build a resilient compliance culture that supports sustainable economic growth and enhances the global reputation of the Middle East and Africa as regions committed to ethical business conduct.
Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq: DSGX, TSX: DSG) is a global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions designed to enhance the productivity, performance, and security of logistics-intensive businesses. The company’s solutions make it easier for organizations to access and analyze global trade data, offering insights that help businesses improve trade compliance, reduce duties paid, minimize transactions with sanctioned parties, and identify potential customers and supply chain resources.
As the world’s largest collaborative multimodal logistics community, Descartes serves a broad range of industries. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Descartes operates with a global network of offices and partners. More details are available on their website at www.descartes.com.
BLOMSTEIN is a leading boutique for international trade, antitrust, and public procurement law based in Berlin, Germany. Founded as a spin-off of a leading international law firm in 2016, BLOMSTEIN “has positioned itself at the top of the market within a few years”, according to clients and peers. The experienced team advises high-profile international clients in a broad range of sectors. Owing their specific international trade law know-how, BLOMSTEIN was already awarded as “Law Firm of the Year / Foreign Trade Law” (JUVE Awards 2021). Alongside their expertise in export control, sanctions and customs law, the team is particularly active in foreign direct investment control, assisting well-known clients with complex filings at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). BLOMSTEIN’s lawyers are well connected internationally. For seamless support worldwide, the firm cooperates with an excellent network of leading specialist firms in Germany and abroad.
Should you wish to become our Partner at this event, please contact Mr. Reyhan Perera on reyhan.perera@nielsonsmith.com
1 physical 2-Day pass and the Company-wide Post-Event Microsite license for 1 year – 999 USD
*15% off price for MEACA members
The in-person event includes sessions, lunch, refreshments and available documentation. Please contact us for Groups. Please note: “Vendor” companies may attend as sponsors only.
Conference Venue
Area, Business Gate, Qurtubah,
Riyadh 11552, Saudi Arabia
Accommodation Allotment
TBC
Information
Delegate tickets are for in-house participants only. Compliance vendors may only attend by becoming a sponsor, please request a prospectus via the button below. Vendors purchasing tickets will not gain access to the event and will receive only a 70% refund.
