INDIVIDUAL PROFILE
Karim Fawaz

Karim Fawaz

FinTech 2026

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Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by AX Law

Practice Areas

Karim specialises in Corporate and Commercial transactions, Banking & Finance, and Technology, Media and Telecommunications.

Career

Karim Fawaz is the Managing Partner at AX Law where he leads the Corporate Technology Transactions practice. Karim is one of the leading fintech lawyers in the Middle East, as ranked by Chambers & Partners. He is highly sought after for his work on telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT) transactions. He was awarded by the In-House Community as the In-House Counsel of the Year award in 2017 for his various contributions including but not limited to his work on the Saudi Arabia Digital Transformation Acceleration Project and works with clients in creating modern, digital solutions to age-old problems. Karim is a leader in technology transactions in Saudi Arabia, UAE and beyond.

Prior to joining AX Law, Karim led the Saudi-focused practice group of one of the world’s five largest law firms. Before that, Karim worked at the largest foreign law firm in the Middle East, where he established and grew the firm’s corporate technology practice. Karim has also held legal roles inside the technology industry, namely as corporate counsel at Cisco Systems and Cisco Capital, where he led the MEA legal team in major projects in technology transactions and technology finance.

Professional Memberships

Beirut Bar Association

Publications

Law update article: Action Required - A Practical View on the New KSA Companies Law, published in 2022

Handbook on Asset Securitisation and Sukuk (Arabic version), published in 2008

Article on Cybersecurity Regulatory Framework in Saudi Arabia, published in 2020

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Professional Advisers: FinTech

FinTech Legal - United Arab Emirates

Band 2
Band 2

Individual Editorial

Karim Fawaz is a well-regarded corporate and commercial TMT lawyer. He advises on FinTech mandates in the UAE and the wider Middle East. He frequently acts for startups and innovative payments and e-money companies in the region.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Karim has a combination of technical precision, clear communication and commercial awareness. Karim delivered guidance that was both tailored to our business model and practical in its application.

    FinTech LegalProfessional Advisers: FinTech
  • Karim Fawaz is one of the few people who sincerely understands our business dynamics.

    FinTech LegalProfessional Advisers: FinTech

Ranked Individuals at AX Law (2)

United Arab Emirates

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