Full Name
Mathieu Savaris
Job Title
General Counsel & Head of GRC
Company
NEOM
Speaker Bio
Mathieu Savaris is a legal executive with more than thirty years of experience in North America, Europe and the Middle East. He has a strong record of steering global businesses through complex legal, governance, compliance, risk and commercial challenges across infrastructure, energy, industrial, automotive, hospitality, property development and digital technologies projects.
Currently, Mathieu serves as General Counsel and Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance at Magna, NEOM’s 406 square kilometre coastal luxury region focused on yachting, hotels, residences, marinas, sports and core infrastructure.
Prior to NEOM, he was a consultant with Dentons, where he optimised the legal, risk and compliance functions for startups and established corporations. Notably, he advised on Britishvolt’s multi-billion lithium-ion battery gigaplant project and assisted Jardines in optimising its United Kingdom legal and compliance operations.
Mathieu previously spent nearly two decades at General Electric, holding several leadership positions, including General Counsel for GE Power Western Europe, Energy Connections EMEA and Power Generation Services globally. He led teams of more than 100 professionals across multiple regions, guiding businesses valued at tens of billions in their growth and delivering energy and infrastructure projects, including nuclear, gas, hydro, steam, wind, grid solutions, solar, and electrification software.
His international experience is extensive, having lived and worked in the Americas, Europe and the Gulf region. This global perspective has given Mathieu valuable insight into geopolitics and global business dynamics. He is known for his cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to guide companies through international turbulence. His commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in his leadership roles, including serving as head of GE Power Legal’s global diversity initiatives. He is a strong advocate for ethical business practices and has developed a reputation for integrity and robust compliance. His experience includes overseeing risk management, compliance audits and high-exposure regulatory issues and disputes.
Called to the Bar in England and Wales and a member of the Middle Temple, Mathieu is also a licensed attorney in Québec, Spain and Greece, and is registered as a sole practitioner in the United Arab Emirates. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian and Catalan. He holds an LLB in Common Law and a BCL in Civil Law from McGill University, a JD from Democritus University in Greece and a Master’s in International and European Union Law from Paris Panthéon Assas University. He has completed board programmes, including Value Creation Through Effective Boards at Harvard Business School and IESE Business School, and the High Performance Board Member programme delivered by IESE and WHU. Mathieu is currently a candidate for the Financial Times Director Diploma’s 2025/2026 cohort.
His awards and distinctions include lifetime recognition for his contribution to the legal profession and selection to the Middle East’s GC Powerlist. A forward-thinking leader, Mathieu continues to shape the future of legal, governance, risk management and board practice on a global stage.
Currently, Mathieu serves as General Counsel and Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance at Magna, NEOM’s 406 square kilometre coastal luxury region focused on yachting, hotels, residences, marinas, sports and core infrastructure.
Prior to NEOM, he was a consultant with Dentons, where he optimised the legal, risk and compliance functions for startups and established corporations. Notably, he advised on Britishvolt’s multi-billion lithium-ion battery gigaplant project and assisted Jardines in optimising its United Kingdom legal and compliance operations.
Mathieu previously spent nearly two decades at General Electric, holding several leadership positions, including General Counsel for GE Power Western Europe, Energy Connections EMEA and Power Generation Services globally. He led teams of more than 100 professionals across multiple regions, guiding businesses valued at tens of billions in their growth and delivering energy and infrastructure projects, including nuclear, gas, hydro, steam, wind, grid solutions, solar, and electrification software.
His international experience is extensive, having lived and worked in the Americas, Europe and the Gulf region. This global perspective has given Mathieu valuable insight into geopolitics and global business dynamics. He is known for his cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to guide companies through international turbulence. His commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is reflected in his leadership roles, including serving as head of GE Power Legal’s global diversity initiatives. He is a strong advocate for ethical business practices and has developed a reputation for integrity and robust compliance. His experience includes overseeing risk management, compliance audits and high-exposure regulatory issues and disputes.
Called to the Bar in England and Wales and a member of the Middle Temple, Mathieu is also a licensed attorney in Québec, Spain and Greece, and is registered as a sole practitioner in the United Arab Emirates. He is fluent in English, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian and Catalan. He holds an LLB in Common Law and a BCL in Civil Law from McGill University, a JD from Democritus University in Greece and a Master’s in International and European Union Law from Paris Panthéon Assas University. He has completed board programmes, including Value Creation Through Effective Boards at Harvard Business School and IESE Business School, and the High Performance Board Member programme delivered by IESE and WHU. Mathieu is currently a candidate for the Financial Times Director Diploma’s 2025/2026 cohort.
His awards and distinctions include lifetime recognition for his contribution to the legal profession and selection to the Middle East’s GC Powerlist. A forward-thinking leader, Mathieu continues to shape the future of legal, governance, risk management and board practice on a global stage.
Speaking At
