Addleshaw Goddard to launch Riyadh office
Addleshaw Goddard (AG), the multinational law firm, has announced that it is seeking regulatory approval to open a new office in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. AG has seen significant growth in its Middle East practice in recent years, and expanding to KSA is a key part of its plans for the future.
The new office will be AG’s fourth in the MENA region and its 17th worldwide. It will be led by Andrew Johnston (pictured above), Head of Middle East and Asia, and will initially include three esteemed partners: Ibrahim Siddiki, previously at Bracewell in Dubai where he led the KSA corporate M&A practice, Homam Khoshaim, a former M&A expert at Latham & Watkins, and a soon-to-join banking and finance lawyer from a U.S. firm. Projects & Infrastructure partner Alexander Sarac will also relocate from AG’s Dubai office to complete the five-partner team.
On launch day, the new office will include eight lawyers and paralegals. The 13-strong team will offer expertise in corporate, banking and finance, and infrastructure assignments, and has broad sector experience in areas such as energy, oil and gas, renewables, infrastructure, transport, technology, hospitality, manufacturing, and consumer goods. These sectors align closely with KSA Vision 2030, the government’s ambitious plan to diversify its economy and reduce its reliance on oil.
AG’s ambition in KSA is to provide clients with a full-service capability to support a wide range of inbound and outbound assignments. As KSA is one of the fastest growing countries in the region, AG is confident that its new office will be a valuable addition to its global network.
Andrew Johnston, Addleshaw Goddard Head of Middle East and Asia, said:
“Establishing an office in KSA is a direct response to existing client demand and a decisive next step for our business in the Middle East, allowing us to better serve existing and future clients. Our new partners are highly impressive and a great fit for our business. We are delighted they have chosen to join AG as we strive to deliver more impact for our clients throughout the Middle East and internationally.
“The quality of our clients together with our high-calibre partners and the team that we have brought into our business over the past 10 years has made a real impression in the region. We have seen MENA revenue more than double in that time, and we have ambitious plans to grow revenue by at least 60% in the next five years. Accordingly, KSA is an important market for us to be in as we strive to achieve our strategic ambitions in the Middle East.”
In 2022, Addleshaw Goddard expanded further into European markets important to clients, opening offices in Dublin and Luxembourg, and two in Germany (Frankfurt and Munich). It serves clients in Asia through its hub in Singapore and also has a growing presence in Paris, Hamburg and in six of the UK’s key commercial centres.
