Chris Norton

Associate Director | Governance, Risk and Compliance

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

Chris specialises in the recruitment of governance, risk and compliance professionals across the Middle East region. Born in the UAE and raised in the UK, Chris brings a wealth of experience to the governance, risk and compliance team in Dubai, having placed SMEs globally across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UK, Germany, Switzerland and more.

Based in Dubai, Chris partners closely with a diverse portfolio of clients, including financial institutions, crypto and fintech startups, asset and investment managers, oil and gas corporations, real estate developers, trading and shipping firms, law practices, regulatory bodies, and government entities. His deep understanding of the regional regulatory landscape and global best practices enables him to deliver strategic hiring solutions that align with evolving compliance demands and risk management frameworks.

Chris is known for his consultative approach, market insight, and commitment to building long-term relationships. His expertise helps organisations navigate complex regulatory environments and build resilient, future-ready GRC teams that drive business integrity and operational excellence.

Chris's Insights, Articles and Resources

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Stepping into a PE-backed business: a GC’s perspective

Posted Mai 15, 2026

Contents Key insights Georgia Morgan Wynne spoke to Kristin McFetridge, General Counsel at MVF Global, about the realities of stepping into a private equity-backed business and why success in the role has less to do with law, and more to do with judgment, pace and people. It’s rarely the legal work that’s the challenge For […]

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AI in corporate governance: how UK FTSE boards and company secretarial teams are adopting it

Posted April 28, 2026

Contents Share Key insights Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually becoming part of the corporate governance landscape in the UK’s largest listed companies. While adoption remains measured, governance and company secretarial teams across the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 are starting to explore how AI can support their work, particularly as board agendas become more complex […]

AI security vs AI governance: clarifying the hiring decision

Posted April 28, 2026

Contents Share Key insights As AI moves from pilot projects into core operations, hiring conversations becoming more pointed: Do we need AI security, AI governance, or both? And can existing teams cover the risk AI introduces? The reality is that neither discipline is entirely new. Both draw heavily on existing security and privacy capability. The […]

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How to make your first AI governance officer hire

Posted April 28, 2026

Contents Key insights Hiring your first AI governance officer is a defining step for organisations formalising their approach to artificial intelligence (AI) governance. AI now underpins decision-making, customer experience, operational efficiency and product innovation. With that comes heightened scrutiny from regulators, boards, customers and, increasingly, employees. As organisations increase their use of AI systems, the […]

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The art of the exit: A guide for general counsels in PE‑backed businesses

Posted April 24, 2026

Exits are among the most intense and consequential moments in the life of a private equity‑backed business. They compress timelines, amplify scrutiny and place legal judgement at the centre of decision‑making, often alongside high expectations from sponsors, management teams and advisers. For General Counsels (GCs), the exit process is rarely just a transaction. It’s a […]

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Why integration, not authorisation, is the biggest compliance risk in 2026 M&A

Posted April 24, 2026

Contents Share Key insights The first few months of 2026 are already shaping up to be one of the most active years for consolidation across banking, wealth, insurance, payments, fintech and trading. With that activity comes a wave of regulatory scrutiny and compliance risk not seen since the post‑crisis era, particularly across complex M&A transactions […]