GC Corner: An interview with Dr. MOGY
Dr. Mohamed Elmogy, widely known as "Dr. Mogy," is a distinguished international legal counsel, bilingual business leader, and multi-award-winning professional with over 27 years of extensive experience across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Currently serving as General Counsel at Siemens Energy, his previous roles include Siemens, PepsiCo Inc., Sandoz, and Vodafone. Previously Chairman and President of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) MENA , he currently serves as a Board Director, where he continues to drive strategic growth and advocacy for the profession. Dr. Mogy holds a Ph.D. in International Commercial Arbitration from the American Arab Academy. Fluent in Arabic and English, with a working knowledge of French and Italian, he brings a sophisticated, multi-cultural perspective to complex cross-border mandates.
What’s the biggest pressure point, or priority, you face as a GC today?
It has to be the shear velocity of change. In the energy sector, we aren't just practicing law; we are mid-flight in an energy transition. My priority is moving from being the "Guardian of No" to the "Architect of How." I have to ensure we are legally bulletproof while moving at the speed of a startup. It’s like trying to solve a Rubik's cube while someone is turning the lights on and off.
How has your approach to leadership evolved over time?
I started my career thinking leadership was about having all the right answers. Now, I realize it’s about having the right questions. I’ve moved from "Command and Control" to "Empower and Get Out of the Way." I’ve learned that if I’m the smartest person in the room, I’m in the wrong room—or I’ve hired the wrong team!
What’s unique about being a senior in-house lawyer in the Middle East today—culturally, commercially, or regulatorily?
It’s the hybrid nature of law here. One morning you’re dealing with a civil law concept in Cairo, in the afternoon it’s a DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) common law dispute in Dubai, and by evening you’re navigating the rapid regulatory evolution of Vision 2030 in Saudi. Culturally, business here is still done over coffee and trust. If you can’t navigate the Majlis (translated as ‘sitting place’ to connect and discuss) as well as you navigate a Master Service Agreement, you’re only doing half the job.
The toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last year?
Deciding which good opportunities to say no to so we could focus on the great ones. In a region as high-growth as the Middle East, scope creep is a real legal hazard. Drawing a line in the sand—sometimes literally—to protect the team’s bandwidth is tough but necessary.
One leadership habit you swear by under pressure?
I call it the Six-Second Pause. When the inbox is exploding and everyone needs a decision yesterday, I take six seconds to breathe before responding. It’s the difference between a reactive explosion and a strategic response. Also, I find that a well-timed joke usually lowers the room’s blood pressure by at least ten points.
How do you personally recharge when things get intense?
I’m a big believer in digital decoupling, which was reinforced in the recent Middle East launch workshop in Dubai, and aim to leave my phone in another room for at least an hour a day. I also find that a long drive with no GPS and a good playlist (Opera and Classics mainly) is the best form of mental hygiene.
What’s one wellbeing practice that’s actually stuck for you?
Micro-meditation. I don't always have 30 minutes for a yoga session, but I try to have 60 seconds between back-to-back Teams calls to close my eyes and reset; also something that was highlighted in the recent GCWN workshop. It’s like hitting refresh on your browser—it prevents the system from crashing.
If you had to give your younger self one tip about building a flourishing legal career, what would it be?
Soft skills are actually hard skills. Your ability to draft a contract is assumed; your ability to influence a boardroom, empathize with a stressed colleague, and speak the language of ‘business’ (not just ‘legalese’) is what will actually build your career. Also: buy more Bitcoin in 2010!
Best book, podcast, or film you’ve discovered recently?
I’ve been revisiting a classic duo that perfectly bridges my legal background and my passion for sales. First, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People—it’s essentially the ultimate manual for human psychology. In both law and sales, you aren't just selling a service or a product; you’re selling trust and rapport.
I’ve also been re-watching The Firm. While it’s a high-stakes legal thriller, it’s a fascinating look at the sales side of the legal profession, the allure of the pitch, the culture of the firm, and the complex negotiation between ambition and ethics. Both works remind me that whether you are in a courtroom or a boardroom, success is always about understanding what makes people tick.
One thing your team would be surprised to know about you?
That I actually enjoy the silence. Because I’m constantly talking, presenting, or presiding over meetings, they think I’m a 24/7 extrovert. In reality, my ‘factory setting’ is quite quiet.
If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be doing today?
I’d be a professional salesman. There’s a lot of similarity between lawyers’ and salesmen’s jobs; both are aspiring to convince people around them with their ideas to eventually get them to buy into those ideas. Plus, in sales, the close usually involves a handshake and a commission check, whereas in law, the close usually involves a 400-page document and a 2:00 AM proof-reading session!
Your go-to guilty pleasure after a long week?
A very specific, very high-calorie dessert while watching a movie that requires absolutely zero intellectual effort. Think ‘action movie with a predictable ending /Jackie Chan.’ No logic, no arguments, just things blowing up. It’s the perfect legal detox.