Sullivan & Cromwell opens Abu Dhabi office and appoints new head of ME
Sullivan & Cromwell has opened an office in Abu Dhabi. Moreover, Ahmed T. el-Gaili will rejoin the firm as a partner to lead the Middle East practice.
The new office, located in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the international financial centre of the UAE capital, is intended to support clients in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and across the wider region through an offering that combines financing, regulatory and transactional expertise.
Leadership and practice focus
El-Gaili previously spent six years at the firm in London before relocating to the region, where he has advises sovereign wealth funds, state-owned enterprises, governments, regional and international corporates, and private equity firms on cross-border transactions.
His practice further covers M&A, private equity, joint ventures, project finance, development and restructuring, with particular focus on the energy, infrastructure, life sciences, telecom and technology sectors.
El-Gaili commented on the regional momentum behind the expansion: “Sovereign capital, private equity and infrastructure investment in the Middle East is fueling complex transactions, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE […]”.
Regional team and regulatory status
El-Gaili will work alongside other Sullivan & Cromwell partners with regional experience, including Garth Bray, who focuses on cross-border M&A as well as technology and regulatory matters, and Umberto Hassan, whose practice covers cross-border M&A and restructuring with a focus on clients based in the UAE.
The firm has received regulatory authorization from ADGM’s Registration Authority to operate from the jurisdiction.
