Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed appoints new director of DIFC Courts

Justice Omar Al Mheiri is also the deputy chief justice of DIFC Courts and has been with the institution since its operational inception in 2005

Justice Omar Al Mheiri, the newly-appointed director of the DIFC Courts. Courtesy DIFC Courts

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and president of the Dubai International Financial Centre, appointed Justice Omar Al Mheiri as director of the DIFC Courts.

The new appointment follows the issuance of Law No 5 of 2021 that outlines the new duties of the director.

Mr Mheiri, who is also the deputy chief justice of DIFC Courts, has been with the institution since its operational inception in 2005.

“We have been successful in our aim to lead the way in technical advances and are consciously looking at ways in which to improve and progress," he said. "We remain committed to upholding the highest of standards and providing the best quality service for our court users.”

Mr Mheiri started his judicial career with Dubai Police and as a prosecutor with Dubai Prosecution. He has judicial experience of nearly 30 years spanning across Dubai Courts and the DIFC Courts.

“I have had the privilege of working alongside the deputy chief justice for almost eight years, during which time he has played an integral role in securing the DIFC Courts’ status as one of the leading commercial courts,” said Zaki Azmi, chief justice of DIFC Courts.

“His vision and leadership have, more recently, been demonstrated with his tremendous guidance in navigating our journey through the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.”

The DIFC is ranked as the biggest financial centre in the Middle East and Africa and the 19th-biggest worldwide, according to the Global Financial Centres Index ranking published in March.

It registered a 20 per cent increase in the number of companies last year, bringing the total number of businesses operating in the centre to 2,919 – 915 of which are financial organisations.