You can definitely opt out of this. All our senior staff and/or expats have something to the effect of this affixed to their employment contract:

Working Time Regulations 1998

By signing below, I, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, agree to opt out of the Working Time Regulations under my contract of employment with the Company. I acknowledge that I may be required to work more than 48 hours per week as from time to time this may be required in order to properly discharge the duties of my role. I understand that I am free to bring this arrangement to an end by giving the Company three months’ prior written notice.


Literally everyone in our company regardless of where they are works more than 48 hours/week, I would say the average would be around 60-70, and this has not been a problem anywhere in the world, including in Western European countries where many work half that amount.