Saudi Economic and Development Company (Sedco) said its chief legal officer Nicholas Polley was named the chairperson of the Legal Risk and Compliance Conference held recently in Riyadh.

Analysing and mitigating business risk in a fluctuating regulatory environment through systematic compliance methodologies to attain high rewards in a volatile economy has been on major organizations’ agendas in Saudi Arabia.

This is the case for the Sedco Holding Group, a leading Shariah-compliant wealth management group that invests in real estate and other thriving, highly rewarding sectors, whose legal team was named by Legal500 as one of the best 100 in-house legal teams in the Middle East.

In addition to chairing the conference, held at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel, Polley moderated various panel discussions including the spotlight panel discussions on pro-active approaches to be adopted by organisations for implementing pending changes in legislation, and the optimal approaches for organisations in dispute resolution management.

These sessions utilised panels of experts to discuss framework considerations for organisations to make the right decisions, said the statement from Sedco.

Particularly in arbritation strategies, to avoid expensive litigation, on exploring better options to resolve disputes than litigation, on tailoring dispute clauses to suit a given organisation’s needs, and, if and when it becomes unavoidable, making the most out of arbitration and mediation, it stated.

"Just as the Sedco Holding Group takes pride in its status as a major player in the kingdom’s journey towards Vision 2030, I am proud and honored to be chairing this vital conference in an ever evolving regulatory landscape," remarked Polley.

“The Group looks forward to being at the forefront of the national efforts to ensure that the Kingdom’s legal landscape is in full readiness for the Saudi Vision 2030 and it sustains a true culture of compliance.”

Having joined Sedco in 2013, Polley enjoys 18 years of professional experience in international finance, and dispute resolution. At the Saudi firm, he manages and advises on all types of transactions, and supervises local and international legal matters.

He holds a BSc in Developmental Economics and International Politics with honors (including law) from the University of Bristol, UK.

He has been a qualified solicitor since 2000, and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (CIArb). In 2015, he was ranked as one of the top 100 legal counsels in the Middle East by The Legal 500.-TradeArabia News Service