Our Leadership Team
Visionary Leaders Driving Innovation and Growth at LexDesk360
The Leadership Team are the pioneers of LexDesk360—leaders who believed in our mission from day one and made sacrifices to turn vision into reality. Their resilience, dedication, and adaptability have shaped our company’s foundation.
Beyond legal expertise, our Pathfinders drive change—stepping beyond roles to shape strategy and innovation. Their commitment fuels our success. We started strong and are growing bigger. Our elite international team leads the way, pioneering the future of legal services. We continue to attract top talent by offering innovative work models that foster flexibility, growth, and global opportunities.
Meet the Experts Behind Our Success
Walid Sowaidan
Founder & CEO LexDesk360
Walid Sowaidan is a seasoned cross-border legal leader with nearly 30 years of experience spanning in-house, private practice, and strategic advisory roles across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. He is the Founder and CEO of LexDesk360, a modern legal services platform designed to deliver flexible, cross-jurisdictional legal solutions to businesses and in-house legal teams. He also serves as Managing Partner of Sowaidan — Advocates & Legal Consultants, the first LexDesk360-branded law firm in Cairo, Egypt. Walid has served as General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at prominent organizations including G42, 3M, Pfizer, Citigroup, and Al-Kharafi, leading International and Regional legal and compliance functions across complex and highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, technology, finance, and infrastructure. He has directed regional and global legal teams, structured multi-jurisdictional M&A deals, designed world-class compliance programs, and resolved high-value disputes, including successfully defending multibillion-dollar litigation claims. His track record includes spearheading landmark initiatives—such as securing one of the first 100% foreign ownership trading licenses in Saudi Arabia—and playing key roles in regulatory negotiations, cross-border restructurings, and major public advocacy efforts. Walid is trilingual in Arabic, English, and French, and holds a law degree from Ain Shams University, as well as executive legal training from NYU Stern. Operating between Dubai and Cairo, he continues to advise businesses and law firms on legal strategy, regulatory risk, and market entry across the EMEA region and beyond.
Amal Fatima Parekh
Managing Counsel LexDesk360
Amal Fatima Parekh is an accomplished legal strategist with extensive experience in cross-border advisory, corporate governance, and high-value legal transactions. As Managing Counsel at LexDesk360, she leads the firm’s global counsel network, managing complex, multi-jurisdictional projects and ensuring seamless client service delivery across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Amal’s expertise spans mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, insurance, and the legal implications of emerging technologies. She has advised on high-value commercial transactions, regulatory compliance matters, and cross-border restructurings, bringing a pragmatic, business-aligned approach to every engagement. Her career combines both in-house and advisory roles, having served as a legal advisor and editor for regional law firms and consultancies, as well as holding senior in-house positions within technology and smart solutions companies. Her sector experience covers digital infrastructure, government services, corporate restructuring, and risk management in regulated industries. A graduate of Middlesex University, UK, with First-Class Honors in Law, Amal is also a LexDesk360 Pathfinder—an internal leadership designation recognizing her contributions to legal innovation and operational excellence. Fluent in English and Arabic, she is currently based in the USA after years of residence in the UAE, continuing to advise clients on strategic legal matters and market entry across emerging markets.
Antigone Papangelopoulou
Chief Counsel, EU LexDesk360
Antigone Papangelopoulou is a seasoned EU-qualified lawyer with 20 years of cross-border legal experience, advising leading multinational corporations, global law firms, and international organizations. Based in the European Union, she brings deep expertise in international commercial law, contract negotiation, law & Tech, legal operations, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance across various sectors. Antigone has held senior legal roles in both private practice and in-house settings, including with Big Law firms and EU-funded projects. She has a strong track record in managing complex transactions and high-stakes negotiations, often acting as the bridge between legal strategy and business execution across multiple jurisdictions. Fluent in English, French, Italian and Greek, and adept at navigating multicultural environments, Antigone is known for her precise, pragmatic, and client-centric approach. Her involvement with LexDesk360 strengthens our capabilities in the European market and ensures that clients operating across the EU benefit from top-tier legal insight and strategic counsel.
Valentin Povarchuk
Chief Counsel, Global Trade Compliance & International Trade LexDesk360
Valentin Povarchuk is a U.S.-qualified international trade compliance lawyer with over 19 years of experience advising multinational companies across a wide range of industries. Based in the United States, he serves as Senior Counsel, Global Trade Compliance & International Trade at LexDesk360, where he supports clients on cross-border regulatory strategy, risk management, and global supply chain compliance. Valentin’s practice focuses on U.S. and international export controls, sanctions, customs compliance, and anti-corruption. He has held senior in-house roles at leading global companies, including Seagate Technology and 3M, and previously practiced at top law firms in Washington DC. In addition to his role at LexDesk360, he is the Principal of Midwest Trade Law, a boutique practice dedicated to international trade regulation. He currently serves as Legal Counsel to the Board of the Midwest Global Trade Association and a Council Member the International Business Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Valentin holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Washington School of Law and a B.A. from Cornell University, where he studied Government, International Relations, and French Studies.
Shazil Ibrahim
Chief Counsel, GCC & South Asia LexDesk360
Shazil Ibrahim is Chief Counsel – Corporate and M&A, Middle East at LexDesk360, where he brings nearly two decades of cross-border transactional experience to support clients navigating corporate, regulatory, and investment matters across the region. He also continues to serve as Partner and Head of New Projects & Technology at Chima & Ibrahim, a leading South Asian law firm. Shazil’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, projects, private equity, competition law, and capital markets. He has advised across various industries (Tech, FMCG, Finance, Energy etc.) acting for multinational clients including Pepsi, Nestlé, VEON, Toyota, Saudi Aramco, e&, Cargill and ABN Amro. He was a key advisor on VEON’s $273 million acquisition of a 15% stake in Jazz and e&’s $400 million acquisition of a controlling stake in Careem Technologies, and is currently advising on a $2.8 billion fertilizer project in Indiana. Recognized by Legal 500 as “a truly exceptional commercial lawyer,” Shazil is known for his clarity, commercial acumen, and calm, solutions-oriented approach. He is an Advocate of the High Court, holds an LL.M. from the University of Buckingham, and an LL.B. from the University of London. He also holds a specialization in Negotiation, Mediation & Conflict Resolution from ESSEC Business School. At LexDesk360, Shazil serves as both Pathfinder and Chief Counsel, helping shape our corporate offering in Asia and the Middle East through collaborative engagement with clients and network firms alike.
Kareem Sallam
Managing Partner - LexDesk360 - Sowaidan & Partners
Kareem Sallam is a distinguished legal professional with over 15 years of experience spanning corporate advisory, dispute resolution, and judicial service. He currently serves as Head of Legal Advisory and Dispute Resolution Management for Egypt’s operations at one of the World’s key telecom corporations where he leads a high-performing legal team handling multi-million-dollar litigation portfolios, regulatory compliance, and contract negotiation for complex mega projects. Before joining the corporate sector, Kareem served as a judge in Egypt and earlier as a public prosecutor, specializing in economic, monetary, and communications-related offenses. This background provides him with rare insight into both public and private legal systems in the region. Kareem holds two Master of Laws (LL.M) degrees—from Uppsala University in Sweden and Indiana University in the United States—and has undertaken specialized studies in contract law, fintech, and compliance through programs at Harvard, Duke, Penn, and Illinois. He is admitted before Egypt’s Supreme Courts and advises LexDesk360 clients across the MENA region on high-stakes disputes, regulatory strategy, and litigation risk mitigation
Ashraf Erfan
Chief Operating Officer
Ashraf Erfan is the Chief Operating Officer of LexDesk360 Egypt and a LexDesk360 Pathfinder, bringing a rare blend of operational leadership, public sector insight, and private enterprise acumen to the role. With over 25 years of professional experience—including a distinguished career in law enforcement—Ashraf is known for his ability to lead high- performance teams, manage complex regulatory landscapes, and deliver business- aligned legal and operational solutions. Ashraf began his career as an officer in the Egyptian police, gaining hands-on experience in enforcement, compliance, and governmental processes. Following his public service, he transitioned into leadership roles across various sectors including legal services, HR, and business operations, where he developed a strong reputation for driving transformation, managing risk, and building cross-functional capabilities. At LexDesk360, Ashraf oversees our Egypt operations and supports the regional expansion of services. His role involves managing local partnerships, team development, and operational execution aligned with LexDesk360’s commitment to where lawyers mean business. ASHRAF ERFAN Ashraf’s unique perspective, shaped by both public and private sector experience, positions him as a key enabler of our mission to bridge law and business in the Middle East and beyond.
Mahmoud Nassef
Chief Financial Officer
Mahmoud Nassef is the Founder and Owner of Nassef & Partners International (NPI), a leading Egyptian accounting, auditing, and tax consultancy firm, and currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of LexDesk360. With over 11 years of experience, he has advised domestic and multinational enterprises on complex tax, accounting, and compliance matters. Mahmoud’s expertise spans direct and indirect taxation, VAT advisory for resident and non- resident entities, and the application of double taxation agreements and OECD guidelines. He has led numerous corporate tax restructuring and planning projects, identified and mitigated tax risk areas, and advised on transfer pricing across multiple industries. Throughout his career, he has delivered strategic tax and financial solutions to global companies such as Deezer SA, Italgen SPA, and CAF SA, as well as a wide range of clients in sectors including hospitality, manufacturing, finance, oil and gas, contracting, and food and beverage. His experience also includes tax due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and IPOs, as well as designing and evaluating internal control systems for large enterprises. A member of the Egyptian Record of Chartered Accountants and the Egyptian Society of Taxation (MEST), Mahmoud holds a B.Sc. in Accounting from Ain Shams University. He regularly participates in national and international accounting and tax conferences, seminars, and training programs, and continues to bring strategic financial insight to support LexDesk360’s cross-border legal and business operations.