Dr. Saud Al-Ammari is the Managing Partner of our offices in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Region. Over the past two decades, he has built a prominent and impressive legal career, as well as an extensive network of business and professional contacts throughout the Gulf Region, Europe and North America.
With experience in a wide variety of corporate and commercial legal matters both inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saud served for 10 years as special counsel and later general attorney for Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, the world's largest oil producer. At various times, he has advised the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a number of capacities, including as legal adviser to the Minister of Petroleum, general counsel to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, as a member of the Kingdom's negotiation team for the implementation of the Kingdom's Natural Gas Initiative, and as chief legal officer for the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in the United Kingdom. His practice included major litigation and arbitration matters. Notably, Saud served as chairman of OPEC's legal defence team, which successfully handled two U.S. antitrust class action cases brought against OPEC and its member countries. He also participated as legal counsel and a member of the team negotiating the Kingdom's accession to the World Trade Organization.
Until recently, Saud was the Minister Plenipotentiary at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in London, U.K., where he dealt with sovereign legal matters on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He also served as a member of the Kingdom's High Authority-appointed Legal Translation Council at the Council of Ministers and serves as a member of the board of directors of Sharqiya Development Company and Saudi Arabian Cooperative Insurance Company, both publicly listed Saudi companies.
Very familiar with the Western-style practise of law, Saud worked early in his career for a large and prominent New York City law firm and a well-known Houston law firm before embarking on a career with Saudi Aramco.
Saud studied law in the United States and received his juris doctor from South Texas College of Law and a master in law from Harvard Law School. He later completed the Harvard Business School's executive program for management development. Saud is licensed to practise law in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Professional Associations
Saud is a member of the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre and the London Court of International Arbitration. He is also active in community work including education, especially in Saudi Arabia. For the past three years, he has served as a member of the board of trustees of King Fahad Academy in London. He is a past adjunct professor at King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals where he taught commercial law and contracts. He is currently a member of the Harvard Law School Worldwide Alumni Association. In addition, Saud is vice-president of Harvard Alumni for Saudi Arabia, was a commodore of the Dhahran Yacht Club Association and is a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators and the American Bar Association.
Awards and Recognition
In 2001, Saud was honoured to receive the King Abdulaziz Medal (First Order) for his achievements and national contributions. In 1991, he was awarded the Gulf War Medal for his volunteer work.
