Ashurst expands Dubai office with corporate partner hire

Tahir Ahmed joins from the Dubai office of Norton Rose where he was a partner specialising in international and domestic equity capital markets, M&A and financial regulatory issues. Tahir has been based in Dubai for several years. He has advised on a number of the leading IPOs and M&A transactions in the region, including in the key markets of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Dubai.

Tahir Ahmed also brings important UAE financial regulatory and Islamic finance capability. He has advised major financial institutions on obtaining licences to operate in Saudia Arabia and the DIFC. He has also worked on major sukuk (Islamic bond) issuances, which have increased in prominence and popularity amongst regional issuers and international investors. He recently advised Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank on its US$5 billion sukuk programme, which was the first instrument of its kind to be listed on the London Stock Exchange.

The appointment follows the relocation of London Corporate partner Nick Bryans to the Dubai office this January and the recruitment of partner David Wadham in June 2006.

Paul de Cordova, managing partner of Ashurst in Dubai, said: "Tahir Ahmed's appointment reflects Ashurst's ongoing commitment to increasing our presence in a market which has grown significantly over recent years. Tahir is a first rate lawyer, with excellent corporate experience both in the Middle East and internationally. He will play a key role in achieving Ashurst's ambitions in the Middle East."

Senior partner of Ashurst, Geoffrey Green, added: "The Middle East continues to be an important part of Ashurst's international strategy and of our current strategic focus. We are very pleased about Tahir's appointment and we are confident that he will make a great contribution to the Dubai office and the firm as a whole."

Tahir Ahmed added: "I am delighted to be joining Ashurst. Strong regional growth coupled with the development of local capital markets and a notable increase in the volume of multi-jurisdictional private equity and M&A deals, areas in which Ashurst has an impressively strong practice, mean that the prospects for the Middle East are substantial. Joining a firm of the calibre of Ashurst at such an exciting time is a great opportunity."