Gowling WLG is pleased to welcome Aarij Wasti to its Entertainment & Sports Law Group as a partner. He will be based in the firm’s Toronto office.
Aarij taps into a decade and a half of experience providing legal support to mega sporting events – from bid and host country planning, to operations and implementation, through to wind-up and dissolution. With an event focused legal practice including corporate and regulatory compliance and brand protection-related matters, he provides valuable assistance to bid teams, host nations/cities, event organizers, suppliers and service providers and sponsors alike.
Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Aarij spent more than 14 years at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – the last four of which he spent as the Director of Legal & Compliance on the event’s management team and as Company Secretary of FIFA Ticketing Qatar.
“The world of mega sporting events is incredibly complex, with numerous legal and regulatory challenges facing event operators and sponsors throughout unpredictable event lifecycles,” said Benjamin Na, managing partner of Gowling WLG’s Toronto office. “Aarij’s unique understanding of this world places him in an excellent position to help our clients carefully navigate the largest sporting events in Canada and across the globe.”
Aarij’s extensive experience with FIFA Qatar covers a wide range of strategic issues including communications, crisis management, employee investigations, human rights, corporate social responsibility programs, behavioral insights and innovation crowdsourcing amongst others. This breadth and depth of event focused experience provides him with unique perspectives and insights.
His other career highlights include serving as counsel on the Doha 2020 Olympic Bid, being elected to the Board of Directors of the American School of Doha and being appointed by the Ambassador of Pakistan in Doha as a Board Member of the Pakistan Business Council – Qatar. The Legal 500 Middle East named Aarij on its GC Powerlist in 2023, 2022 and 2019.
Qualified in Canada, England & Wales and Pakistan, Aarij brings a rich global perspective to his work, helping clients forge strategic connections and make inroads into exciting new markets.
About Gowling WLG’s Entertainment & Sports Law Group
The entertainment and sports industries continue to evolve at a rapid pace, with artists, talent, athletes and the companies that interact with them facing unprecedented challenges and exploring new possibilities every day. With one of the world's leading entertainment and sports law groups, we offer a tailored and comprehensive suite of legal services to clients doing business in the entertainment and sports industries. Learn more about Gowling WLG's Entertainment and Sports Law Group.