Dubai, 7 July 2011: Linklaters, the global law firm, has launched its newest office in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening the firm's well-established presence in the Middle East.
The launch of the office builds on Linklaters' successful 30-year track-record of advising governments, sovereign wealth funds, banks, corporates and project sponsors in the Middle East. It bolsters Linklaters' presence in the Middle East, where the firm has had an office in Dubai since 2006, and reflects the increasing work Linklaters has been doing in Abu Dhabi, including IPIC's public takeover of CEPSA in Spain and ADCB's disposal of its stake in RHB in Malaysia, two of the largest M&A deals from Abu Dhabi in the last 12 months.
The office is led by Linklaters partner Sarosh Mewawalla, Middle East Managing Partner. Paul Kruger will be relocating to Abu Dhabi from the firm's New York office and Nick Garland will be relocating from the Dubai office, together with other senior lawyers.
The addition of the Abu Dhabi office will supplement the firm's 40 lawyer team in the Middle East region.
Sarosh Mewawalla is a project finance partner who specialises in the banking, project and export financing sectors, with particular focus on multi-sourced financings involving a combination of commercial lenders, ECAs and/or multilateral agencies. He has worked on major projects and acquisitions since 1993 and has acted on some of the most high profile transactions in the infrastructure, oil and gas, petrochemicals, LNG, power and PFI sectors in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.
Paul Kruger, a senior finance partner, will be transferring from the firm's New York office. Prior to this, he was based in Tokyo, where he led the firm's Asia structured finance and real estate practices, as well as heading the firm's Japan finance practice. He has extensive finance expertise within emerging markets and his specific Asia experience will be of considerable value as the number of transactions between the Middle East and Asia continues to grow.
Nick Garland, a corporate partner, will be transferring from Linklaters' Dubai office. Nick has worked with a variety of clients in the Middle East for ten years and has been based in the UAE since 2007. He has extensive experience in cross-border international public and private merger and acquisitions.
Sarosh Mewawalla, Linklaters Middle East Managing Partner said: "The new Abu Dhabi office further enhances our ability to support our clients' needs in the Middle East region. Linklaters in the Middle East offers capital markets (including securitisation & structured products), corporate/M&A, project finance, banking, commercial, Islamic finance, funds and real estate advice."
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Linklaters LLP is a leading global law firm, supporting clients in achieving their strategies wherever they do business. We use our expertise and resources to help clients pursue opportunities and manage risk across emerging and developed markets around the world.
Linklaters has advised clients on transactions in the Middle East for over 30 years. The firm has extensive experience of advising a range of government organisations and private owned businesses, acting on transactions throughout the region, including in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Lebanon. Linklaters opened its regional office in Dubai in 2006.
We have amassed considerable regional experience working on project finance transactions, securities issues, corporate M&A, joint ventures, private equity, finance transactions, real estate financings, Islamic financings and conventional banking transactions. We have also been involved in the creation of local currency denominated international securities issues for borrowers in the Middle East.
For further information, please contact:
Sarosh Mewawalla on +97150 708 8843
Bruce Wraight on +44 207456 5230
For and on behalf of Linklaters in the GCC and Middle East
Marcus Pepperell/Vadia Rai @ FD
T: +971 (0)4 332 8832
marcus.pepperell@fd.com / Vadia.rai@fd.com
© Press Release 2011
