Ashurst expands corporate practice with partner hire in Dubai

Ashurst announces the appointment of Vasi Papadopoulos as partner in the Corporate practice, based in the UAE, in the latest milestone in the expansion of the firm’s global corporate/M&A offering.

Papadopoulos has extensive experience advising international and UAE corporates, financial institutions and private equity firms on a variety of transactions, with a focus on cross-border and local M&A, joint ventures and restructuring. She works across a range of sectors, including technology, energy, financial services and e-commerce.

“We are delighted that Vasi will be joining us”, said Simon Rahimzada, Middle East head of corporate. “The corporate/M&A and private equity markets in the Middle East are booming, as foreign entities contemplate their entry or expansion into the region and regional investors look to establish their presence abroad. Vasi’s experience has strong synergies with our key areas of focus, and her expertise and reputation in the Middle East market will be of great value to our clients and bring further strengths to our growing corporate/M&A team. We look forward to working with Vasi as we continue to broaden our corporate/M&A offering in the region.”

Middle East managing partner David Charlier commented, “As the UAE and the wider MENA region experiences extraordinary growth and interest from foreign investors, we are pleased to welcome Vasi – whose technical experience and skillset adds great bench strength to our existing team and enables us to further capitalise on the opportunities ahead.” David added that Vasi’s appointment reflects the firm’s commitment to bolstering its capabilities across the region. “The Middle East is an important growth market for the firm and we will continue to invest in and grow our business in the UAE as well as the broader region.”

Vasi said, “Ashurst has an exceptional reputation and platform in the global corporate/M&A market. I am excited by the firm’s strong collaborative culture and commitment to mentoring the next generation, and look forward to being part of a team with such serious ambitions and helping to further drive forward the growth of the global practice.”

The appointment follows a series of recent hires to Ashurst’s UAE corporate team, including senior associates Andrew Robinson and Maroun El Hachem, and associate Dasith Vathanage, who all joined the Dubai office this year.