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Zahir Qayum

Legal Director
Al Khobar
About

Zahir Qayum is an employment lawyer advising clients based in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on all aspects of the employment relationship across a range of sector, including contentious and non-contentious matters. He has gained particular experience in advising clients in the technology, financial services, pharmaceutical, energy and natural resources sectors, transport, and retail and consumer goods sectors.  

Zahir regularly advises clients on restructuring and change management processes, employee benefits, secondments, atypical workers, workplace investigations, data protection and privacy issues, non-compete restrictions, disposals, mergers and acquisitions, contracting and employment document drafting, dual jurisdiction employment, and senior executive appointments and terminations. He has acted for multinationals, pharmaceuticals, offshore drilling companies, mining companies, IT companies, financial institutions, and investment banks across the full life cycle of employment to serve as trusted adviser.

Areas of FocusEmployment

EXPERIENCE

  • Acting as local employment counsel on muti-jurisdictional M&A transactions.
  • Providing employment advice and support to a regional banking corporation on the expansion of its operations into Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising multinational corporations on secondment arrnagements in relation to giga projects in Saudi Arabia.
  • Advising employers on the Saudisation of roles and professions in various sectors, including retail, IT, construction and marketing.
  • Advising a multinational retail company on an investigation into harassment allegations and supporting on subsequent disciplinary proceedings.
  • Advising multinationals on Foreign Investment Law requirements and the Anti-Concealment Law regime.
  • Advising CMA and SAMA regulated entities on their reporting obligations arising from senior executive remuneration and terminations.
  • Advising employers on setting up multi-jurisdictional employments in the GCC and managing concurrent employment rights and liabilities.
  • Advising employers on flexible and remote working arrangements in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
  • Supporting multinational employers in MHRSD labour office mediation and labour court proceedings regarding various matters, including disciplinary terminations, harassment and discrimination complaints, health and safety breaches, and labour law violations.
  • Advising employers on employee share option plans, LTIPS and phantom share schemes.
  • Supporting a large company in the energy sector on employment litigation matters, including a high value claim in relation to bonus, unpaid overtime and salary deductions, and claims resulting from workplace fatalities.
Education
  • University of Huddersfield, Diploma in Legal Practice, 2005
  • Brunel University, LLB, 1996

Publications and media

  • Amendments to the KSA Labour Law, 15 August 2024
  • 'Ready to Retire: Changes to retirement rules by the new KSA Social Security Law', October 2024

Seminars

  • Navigating employment: An overview of recent developments and upcoming changes in KSA, 1 October 2024

Prior Experience

  • 2019 – 2021, Senior Counsel, regional law firm based in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
  • 2016 – 2019, Senior Associate, regional law firm based in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
  • 2015 – 2016, Associate, regional law firm in Saudi Arabia
  • 2012 – 2014, Associate, law firm based in UK

My latest insights

Events
Abstract building

Saudi Arabia: Employment law training

4 December 2025 .1 minute read

Events
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Legal Risk, Reform & Opportunities in KSA: Counsel Priorities for 2026 and Beyond

10 November 2025

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Phone

+966 53 332 3709
(Work, Al Khobar)