07 February 2016
DLA Piper has appointed leading Saudi Arabian-based banking and finance specialist, Paul Latto, to its partnership in the Middle East.

Paul joins the firm from Clifford Chance, where he had been a Partner  since 2013; prior to that Paul was with Linklaters.

Paul has experience across a broad spectrum of banking and finance transactions, covering both conventional and Islamic finance.  His work includes leveraged and acquisition finance, derivatives and capital markets, asset and project finance, general bank lending and restructuring.

Paul has led many of the largest and often innovative finance transactions undertaken in the region, including recently acting for a syndicate of international banks on Saudi Electricity's US$1.4 billion revolving credit facility, which signed in London in January.  He is consistently recognised as a leader in his field by legal directories and is described in the current edition of Chambers Global as being held "in high regard by both clients and peers for his commercial approach to transactions and comprehensive banking knowledge".

Based primarily in DLA Piper's Riyadh office, Paul will continue his focus on Saudi Arabia, whilst also playing an active role in strengthening the firm's finance capabilities across the broader region. 

Paul is the latest in a number of high-profile lateral partner hires made by DLA Piper's Finance practice globally. In the last two months alone, the firm appointed Slaughter & May's former head of derivatives, Mark Dwyer; Baker & McKenzie's former head of capital markets, Vincent Keaveny; and also former Latham & Watkins leveraged finance lawyer Andy Kolacki in London.  These appointments followed the hire of Latham & Watkins partner, Okko Behrends, in Frankfurt in November and, prior to that, Luciano Morello, who joined the firm in Italy from Hogan Lovells in September.

Commenting on the appointment, Trevor Butcher, Regional Head of the firm's Finance and Projects Group said: "We are delighted that Paul has joined us. His appointment significantly bolsters our finance capability in the region and supports our growth ambitions in Saudi Arabia. Paul's strong market reputation and significant experience aligns with the strategic direction of our practice and his connections on both the financial institution and borrower sides complement our existing client base." 

Charles Morrison, Global Co-Chair of the Finance & Projects Group, said: "Paul's track record and client list speaks for itself.  Our appointment of a partner of Paul's calibre, demonstrates our commitment to providing our clients with best-in-class finance expertise in each of the world's major money markets. We look forward to working with Paul." 

-Ends-

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1.      DLA Piper is a global law firm located in more than 30 countries throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, positioning it to help companies with their legal needs anywhere in the world.

  • In the Middle East DLA Piper has over 100 lawyers across nine offices, including representation in every GCC country. 

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    For further information:
    Sarah Wilson
    Head of Marketing and Business Development, Middle East
    T: +971 4 438 6280
    E: sarah.wilson@dlapiper.com
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