Saarah Badr Returns To Bird & Bird, Bringing Extensive Media Expertise To UAE Team

Saarah Badr Returns To Bird & Bird, Bringing Extensive Media Expertise To UAE Team

International law firm Bird & Bird has announced the reappointment of media expert Saarah Badr as Senior Counsel in its UAE team, effective September 2024.

Saarah brings over 16 years of diverse experience in media, entertainment, regulatory affairs, gaming, intellectual property, and commercial law. Her unique expertise has been honed through several senior in-house positions prior to her return to Bird & Bird.

Most recently, she held a senior role as the head of the regulatory team and Companies Registrar at the Creative Media Authority in Abu Dhabi. Before that, she oversaw commercial legal and content compliance at the regional pay-TV platform OSN. Saarah's extensive understanding of local laws and the media landscape significantly enhances Bird & Bird’s Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) practice, solidifying its position as one of the leading teams in the region.

Expressing her excitement about returning to the firm, Saarah remarked, "Returning home is the best way to describe rejoining Bird & Bird after almost a decade. I'm excited to start this new chapter and feel confident the experience I've gained inhouse will help me in my current role on the other end advising clients. This team represents some of the most passionate and driven lawyers I've ever met, with a strong commitment to growing Bird & Bird's market leading position among international firms in the region. I look forward to being part of that again.”

Anders Nilsson, Managing Partner for the Middle East, stated, “We are thrilled to have Saarah rejoin our team, bringing with her invaluable knowledge of the media and entertainment industry regulatory landscape. I am certain that this will be of great benefit to not only local but also international clients, especially in a time where we see both change in regulations and transformation of the industry as such.".