DLA Piper appoints new head of corporate for the Middle East

DLA Piper has appointed Will Seivewright as a partner and head of corporate for the Middle East.

Seivewright joins the firm’s Dubai office from Baker McKenzie. His practice focuses on M&A (both public and private), joint ventures, corporate restructurings, private equity and venture capital transactions in the UAE, broader Middle East and internationally.

Seivewright has over ten years’ of experience in the UAE, and has also spent significant time in several of the world’s leading financial centres (including New York, London and Hong Kong). He has managed transactions across a broad range of sectors, including technology, healthcare & life sciences, consumer goods & retail, media, sports & entertainment, infrastructure, construction & transportation, energy and natural resources and financial services.

Will takes over as regional head from Ben Gillespie, who has been in the role since January 2016. Ben, who has been based in the UAE for 13 years, will remain part of the Middle East practice focusing on international M&A and joint ventures both inside and outside the region, and in that capacity will spend more time in the firm’s London office.

Commenting on the appointment, regional managing partner for the Middle East, Peter Somekh, said, “We are delighted to have Will join our leadership team. He is a great fit for our successful and ambitious corporate practice, with his significant cross-border experience further enhancing our existing M&A and private equity capability. I would also like to thank Ben for his leadership of the corporate practice over the past three years. Ben has been instrumental in building the practice, taking it from one to four partners, and we look forward to his continued involvement.”

Bob Bishop, global co-chair of DLA Piper’s Corporate Group, said, “The Middle East remains an important market for us and Will’s appointment reflects our commitment to further developing our regional capabilities. A highly-regarded M&A practitioner, Will possesses the combination of local market expertise and global perspective that we look for. We are excited to have him join our team.”

Will Seivewright, added, “DLA Piper’s growth and investment over the last few years has been impressive. It is widely recognised as one of the leading firms in the region and has an exceptional integrated platform, regionally and internationally, that really appealed to me. I look forward to working with my colleagues to further build our successful corporate practice for the benefit of our clients and people.”