One thread.
Every role has come back to one job: getting regulated products to market, lawfully, quickly and across borders, and building the legal teams that make that possible.
2018–19
Chapter 01 / 06
UAS International Trip Support
In-house lawyer
Where I learned the craft.
- Drafted and vetted 1,800+ agreements: aviation fuel, catering, leasing, software, real estate, employment, data privacy.
- Standardised jet-fuel and aviation-services contracts and ran contract management.
- Supervised the voluntary winding-up of an Indian subsidiary under insolvency law.
2019–24
Chapter 02 / 06
Augmented Era
General Counsel
From a team of one to a team of eleven.
- Joined as sole counsel, promoted to General Counsel, built a team of eleven. Outstanding Leadership Award, 2022.
- Secured equity financing in Dubai and the Cayman Islands; set up regulated investment funds; launched an open-loop prepaid card subsidiary.
- Led five international regulatory hearings, each closed without a penalty.
- Rolled out contract automation, KYC/AML and e-signature, cutting outside-counsel costs by 40% in 2023–24.
2023
Chapter 03 / 06
Astra Tech
Group Legal Counsel
Payments at super-app scale.
- Led the commercial contracts function for PayBy (SVF and RPS licences from the CBUAE), BOTIM and Rizek.
- Merchant, prepaid-card, gateway, open-banking and money-transfer agreements, including card-scheme and digital-wallet negotiations.
- Compliance policies under CBUAE and TRA oversight; IP registration and brand protection.
2023–24
Chapter 04 / 06
Node.Law
Founder & Managing Partner
Running my own practice.
- Led defence strategy, with external counsel and King’s Counsel, against a worldwide freezing order in the English courts.
- Advised a holding company on investment-fund licences in two offshore financial centres.
- Advised on digital assets, crypto-exchange operations and a licensed trading platform; M&A and due diligence for a crypto-trading licensee.
2024–26
Chapter 05 / 06
Avrioc Technologies
Group General Counsel & Board Secretary
Regulated fintech, at group level.
- General counsel to multiple brands and CBUAE-licensed entities; board secretary.
- Licensing with the CBUAE and SCA; renewals under the SVF, RPSCS and EBR regulations for remittance, wallet and P2P services.
- Deals across remittance, wallets, acquiring, gateways, IP licensing, joint ventures and supply-chain finance; M&A in and outside the UAE.
- Led a legal team of four; member of the five-person Operating Council.
2026 — now
Chapter 06 / 06
Mastercard
Director & Senior Counsel
Money that moves across 81 countries.
- Transfer Solutions legal team for EEMEA: domestic and cross-border payment solutions.
- Complex commercial, payments and technology agreements; regulatory engagement and product counselling in 81 jurisdictions.
- Leading the team’s adoption of AI and the creation of AI agents.
CredentialsEducation, certifications, awards
The groundwork.
Education
- MSc, Blockchain & Digital CurrencyUniversity of Nicosia · 2022–2024
- B.A., LL.B (Hons.)Jindal Global Law School · 2013–2018 · Savitri Jindal Merit-cum-Fellowship
- SAI Crossroad Summer ProgramHarvard University · scholarship · 2017
Certifications
- CAMSACAMS · 2025
- CIPP/EIAPP · 2025
- LegalQuants ResidencyCohort 3
- Certified Tribunal SecretaryHKIAC (Asia) · 2021
- International ArbitrationWolters Kluwer · one-year course · 2019
- AlsoFinTech Law & Policy (Duke) · FinTech Innovation (PwC & Persontyle) · IFC Regulations (Swiss Academy) · Contract Drafting, distinction (Thomson Reuters) · WIPO Arbitration & Mediation · UAE VAT
Awards
- Outstanding Leadership AwardAugmented Era · 2022
- Distinguished Alumni AwardJindal Global Law School · academic excellence
- Winner, INBA–Novartis Patent Debate2016 · finalist 2015
- Second Best MediatorLex Infinitum International Commercial Mediation · 2016
- Semi-finalist, two ADR competitionsCityU Hong Kong (2016) · Ram Jethmalani Symbiosis (2017)