Marie Chowdhry, former GC of Lean Technologies, returns to Pinsent Masons

Pinsent Masons has appointed Marie Chowdhry as partner in its financial services practice in the Middle East. Having previously been a senior associate with the firm, Chowdhry will re-join the Dubai office on February 5, 2025.

Chowdhry returns to Pinsent Masons having spent several years at Lean Technologies, where she served as general counsel and head of compliance, operating across Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Through both her private practice and in-house roles, Chowdhry has cultivated extensive experience advising a breadth of clients across the financial services, payments and technology sectors. Her practice encompasses financial regulatory compliance, fintech innovation, open finance and payment services, digital assets and AI technologies.

On Chowdhry’s arrival, Colin Read, head of regulation, insurance and funds, commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Marie back to our team. Her deep expertise in financial regulatory compliance and fintech innovation aligns perfectly with our strategic vision, underscoring our commitment to expanding our financial services expertise in the Middle East. Marie’s presence will form the core of our proposition for banks, intermediaries, fintech providers and insurers, both in the region and beyond. She will support clients as they evolve their operations to reflect regulatory requirements, data privacy laws and developing regulatory risks.”

On joining the firm, Marie Chowdhry said, “I am delighted to re-join Pinsent Masons and contribute to its further growth in the Middle East. The firm’s dedication to innovation in financial services makes it an ideal fit for my practice, which has been built through significant cross-jurisdictional work, direct inhouse experience, and a desire to look at legal and regulatory challenges through a commercial and innovative lens.”

Chowdhry continued, “I’m excited to bring to the market a fresh perspective on how we deliver legal services.  I want my team to be ‘The Legal Bridge’ connecting our clients’ ambition with assurance, innovation with integrity, and opportunity with compliance.  I look forward to utilising my experience to support our clients in successfully navigating the Middle East’s shifting regulatory frameworks, along with the challenges and opportunities they present.”

Chowdhry’s appointment follows a number of strategic hires in the Middle East in the last twelve months, most notably that of Rena L. Scott to head up the construction advisory and disputes practice in Saudi Arabia.