This week’s Movers & Shakers (Nov 21, 2024)
Musab Aljammaz joins Eversheds Sutherland and AlDhabaan and Partners
Eversheds Sutherland announced that it has welcomed Musab Aljammaz as a new partner in Saudi Arabia. Based in the firm’s Riyadh office, Aljammaz brings extensive experience from his previous role as Head of the Legislation Office at the Ministry of Justice in Saudi Arabia.
With a Master of Law from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Law from Imam University in Riyadh, and a distinguished career that includes key roles at various Saudi ministries, Aljammaz brings extensive experience in legal transformation and regulatory compliance that will be invaluable to the firm’s clients. His experience includes leading on significant legislative and legal initiatives to achieve the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
In addition to partner growth and investment, Eversheds Sutherland recently cemented its long-standing relationship with AlDhabaan and Partners in Riyadh by committing to formalising its 13-year association by way of a joint venture. As part of that process, Eversheds Sutherland has relocated John Kemkers, a litigation and disputes partner and the Head of Eversheds Sutherland’s Africa Group, to Riyadh where he will be senior office partner of the joint venture firm.
The firm now has one of the largest practices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comprising some 40 fee earners, including eight partners. Clients will continue to benefit from a unique blend of deep knowledge of Saudi law and market dynamics, coupled with international experience and global standards.
Mohammad Al Dhabaan, founder and chairman of AlDhabaan & Partners commented, “I am pleased that the extension of our agreement with Eversheds Sutherland continues, following our longstanding and close professional relationship with them since 2011. This endeavour highlights a pivotal milestone for our firm, enabling us to serve our clients with a high level of professionalism while upholding the highest international standards of legal service quality and outcomes. Additionally, it signifies our commitment to attract and retain exceptional legal talents, including new partner Musab Aljammaz, to achieve our goals and meet the aspirations of our clients in alignment with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Musab’s addition to the firm will benefit our clients across the Middle East and underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional legal services.”
Musab Aljammaz commented, “I am thrilled to join Aldhabaan & partners Eversheds Sutherland. It is an exciting opportunity for many reasons. Most notably, it allows me to collaborate with esteemed local and international professionals to offer our clients the highest quality services, combining deep experience in the Saudi legal landscape with high international standards. Through this pioneering offering and legal capability development, I aim to contribute to the realisation of my country’s 2030 Vision by enhancing the availability of sophisticated and innovative legal services in Saudi Arabia.”
Tawfiq Tabbaa, managing partner, Middle East, Eversheds Sutherland commented, “The firm’s continued investment in Riyadh comes at a time of significant regulatory and economic change in the Kingdom which has resulted in the creation of one of the world’s busiest legal markets. I am excited to keep building our relationship with our colleagues and friends at AlDhabaan and Partners, having worked closely with the team since 2011. We know each other very well and our clients benefit from our seamless approach to client service. The KSA is now one of the most exciting legal jurisdictions in the world and we look forward working closely with Musab, John and the team.”
John Kemkers, senior office partner, Mohammad Al Dhabaan & Partners Eversheds Sutherland commented, “Eversheds Sutherland’s longstanding collaboration with AlDhabaan & Partners ensures that, together, we have a really strong platform from which to support both our local and international clients. It also enables us to attract lawyers of Musab’s calibre who we are delighted to welcome to the firm. I am very pleased to have relocated to Saudi Arabia. It is one of the fastest changing countries in the world and a fascinating and dynamic place to work. My continuing role as Head of the Africa Group will also support the longstanding links between the Middle East and Africa and I can better take advantage of those links from Riyadh. This includes our co-operation agreement with KWM (China) which has already resulted in significant referral opportunities in both the Middle East and Africa.”
CMS strengthens Tax offering in Dubai
CMS announced the promotion of Andre Anthony to partner. In conjunction with his promotion, Anthony will be relocating from London to join the firm’s Tax practice in Dubai.
Anthony is a leading member of the firm’s dedicated Middle East Tax Desk. A chartered accountant and solicitor, he advises corporate and individual clients on a broad range of domestic and cross border tax issues. Anthony has extensive experience in cross-border asset finance transactions, especially in relation to floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units, liquified natural gas (LNG) carriers and aircraft.
Adrian Bell, CMS partner and joint managing director for the Middle East and Asia, commented, “We are excited to welcome Andre to our Tax practice in Dubai and congratulate him on his well-deserved promotion to Partner. Having successfully led the Middle East Tax Desk for several years, his relocation to the region aligns strategically with our ambition to enhance our on-the-ground capabilities. Andre’s expertise in handling a diverse range of corporate and private complex tax matters, coupled with his keen interest in the taxation of crypto assets, will further strengthen our capabilities. As the region continues to actively develop its regulatory framework for virtual assets, his knowledge will be invaluable to our offering.”
Andre Anthony added, “I am thrilled to join the team in Dubai. The UAE’s developing tax landscape is particularly fascinating and presents numerous opportunities for innovation and growth. I am eager to leverage my tax expertise in supporting our clients, to play a pivotal role in shaping our strategies and to drive our growth in the Middle East.”
