Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Sullivan & Cromwell (S&C), a global law firm specialising in major corporate transactions, disputes and regulatory matters, has opened an office at ADGM as part of its expansion into the Middle East.
The office has received full regulatory authorisation from the ADGM Registration Authority, the firm said in a statement on Monday.
The new office will serve clients in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the region, providing financing, regulatory and transactional services for complex, cross-border and large-scale mandates.
Ahmed T. el-Gaili will rejoin Sullivan & Cromwell as a partner to lead its Middle East practice. He previously worked at the firm for six years in London before relocating to the Middle East.
El-Gaili has nearly two decades of experience in the region, advising sovereign wealth funds, state-owned enterprises, governments, regional and international companies and private equity firms.
His practice covers mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, project finance and development and restructuring, with a particular focus on the energy, infrastructure, life sciences, telecommunications and technology sectors.
“We are delighted to deepen S&C’s connection to one of the world’s most dynamic financial centres with a new office in Abu Dhabi,” Robert Giuffra and Scott Miller, Co-Chairs of Sullivan & Cromwell, said.
They said El-Gaili was well placed to lead the firm’s work in the Middle East and build on its relationships and record of advising clients in the region.
El-Gaili said sovereign capital, private equity and infrastructure investment in the Middle East were driving major and complex transactions, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
“S&C’s global platform, integrated offering and depth of expertise make it uniquely positioned to advise the region’s most sophisticated clients on matters where judgment is decisive,” he said.
El-Gaili will work with other Sullivan & Cromwell partners who have experience in the region, including Garth Bray, whose practice covers cross-border mergers and acquisitions, technology and regulatory matters, and Umberto Hassan, who focuses on cross-border acquisitions and complex restructuring involving UAE-based clients.
Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer of ADGM, welcomed the firm’s decision to establish an office in the international financial centre.
“Their decision to open an office in ADGM reflects the continued growth of Abu Dhabi as a leading hub for international finance, investment and professional services, and further strengthens the depth of expertise available to regional and global clients operating from ADGM,” Ramamurthy said.
Founded in 1879, Sullivan & Cromwell has about 1,000 lawyers. The firm advises clients on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, litigation, corporate investigations, finance and corporate transactions, as well as antitrust, regulatory, tax and estate-planning matters.
In addition to Abu Dhabi, the firm has offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Melbourne and Sydney.
