Ella is a Policy and Regulatory Consultant, bringing over 19 years of international experience across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and the United States, including over 12 years in the UAE. Her background spans government, judicial institutions, financial services and private practice. A Belgian national fluent in five languages, she has extensive experience working across different legal systems, cultures and institutional environments.
Her work covers regulatory compliance, corporate governance, employment, data protection and financial services regulatory matters, with particular experience across the UAE, DIFC and ADGM. She also advises on family-business governance, private-client structuring and succession planning, and supports the firm’s work on contentious employment and commercial matters.
Ella previously served as Associate Director of the DIFC Courts, Director for the GCC at Jersey Finance, and Policy, Risk and Regulatory Advisor at Hourani & Partners. These appointments give her a broad understanding of how legal frameworks operate in practice, from institutional design and regulatory requirements to implementation and dispute resolution.
During her five years at the DIFC Courts, Ella led the Consultancy and Policy Division. She founded and led the DIFC Wills Service Centre, drafted its legal and procedural framework, and contributed to Dubai’s legislation on non-Muslim succession. She was also principal adviser and project lead for the establishment of the Astana International Financial Centre Court, International Arbitration Centre and Academy of Law in Kazakhstan.
Her government advisory work includes drafting regulatory guidebooks on family-business governance for Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and reviewing the regulatory framework of the Ras Al Khaimah International Corporate Centre. Earlier international assignments included advising at the European Parliament and drafting Afghanistan’s Competition Law.
Ella has written and contributed to publications on governance, dispute resolution and legal reform, including Oxford University Press’s Trusts & Trustees. Her approach combines detailed legal and regulatory analysis with clear drafting and practical advice tailored to each client’s circumstances.