Louise Flanagan

Louise Flanagan has over 20 years of experience as a legal and compliance professional. In her role as General Counsel in the Investment and Development Office (IDO) of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah, which she has held since 2018, she provides legal and risk management guidance and advice across the Emirate’s IDO and the IDO’s portfolio of companies. The IDO is the investment arm of the Government of Ras Al Khaimah.

Before working in Ras Al Khaimah, Louise Flanagan worked at First Abu Dhabi Bank (formerly National Bank of Abu Dhabi), where she led the Wholesale Banking, Enablement and Dubai legal teams. Prior to this, Louise worked for Herbert Smith Freehills LLP in Dubai, in the finance practice. Louise trained and practiced law at Slaughter and May, one of the leading magic circle law firms in the UK.

In 2016, Louise received the Middle East Women in Business Law Award. The award, presented by the International Financial Law Review, recognised her work in building one of the top-performing in-house legal teams in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, Louise was listed in The Legal 500’s GC Powerlist for the Middle East in 2022, in recognition for her role in the Government of Ras Al Khaimah Investment and Development Office.

Louise Flanagan holds a first-class honours (BA) degree in English Literature and Language from King’s College London, MA with Distinction in Seventeenth Century Studies from Durham University, CPE/Graduate Diploma in Law with Merit from Oxford Brookes University and Legal Practice Course with Distinction from the Oxford Institute of Legal Practice.