This week’s Movers & Shakers (October 18, 2024)

Tom Bicknell joins Clyde & Co as a partner in its global financial services regulatory practice and HFW has continued expanded its Middle East offering with the hire of partner Kashif Syed in Kuwait.

Tom Bicknell joins Clyde & Co as a partner in its global financial services regulatory practice

Clyde & Co has today announced the appointment of partner Tom Bicknell to its Dubai office. Bicknell rejoins the firm after seven years, becoming part of Clyde & Co’s global Financial Services Regulatory practice. His appointment further strengthens the firm’s expanding capabilities in this critical area across the Middle East.

Bicknell is a highly regarded financial services regulatory lawyer with over nineteen years of experience advising multinational and regionally headquartered companies across the Middle East and APAC. His practice focuses on non-contentious financial services work, with particular expertise in managing large-scale and cross-border regulatory mandates for international and regional banks, insurers, intermediaries, and fund managers.

Bicknell’s experience also spans the emerging fintech sector in the Middle East, advising clients involved in the region’s transition to a digital economy. This includes supporting regulated digital asset and payments businesses on their market entry, guiding financial institutions through digital transformation, and assisting public bodies in developing their regulatory frameworks.

Before re-joining Clyde & Co, Bicknell led the financial services practice at Pinsent Masons in the Middle East.

Peter Hodgins, partner and global head of corporate insurance at Clyde & Co commented, “Tom is a respected and well-known leader in the global a financial services and fintech sectors. His deep industry knowledge and strong understanding of the Middle East market will be instrumental in helping our financial services clients navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and manage the growing legal and reputational risks for organisations across the region.”

Tom Bicknell added, “I am thrilled to be re-joining Clyde & Co at such an exciting time for its Middle East practice. As the region continues to experience increasing regulatory development and ongoing reforms, I look forward to working with Clyde & Co’s talented team, both regionally and globally, to support our financial services and fintech clients.

HFW’s new partner in Kuwait

HFW has continued to expand its fast-growing Middle East offering with the hire of partner Kashif Syed in Kuwait City. Syed has a broad corporate and commercial practice and joins HFW from International Legal Group, having previously been at DLA Piper and Dentons. He becomes the fifth partner to join HFW in the Middle East over the past 24 months, following the arrival of Abdulrahman Al-Ohaly in Riyadh, Dubai construction partner Slava Kiryushin, and shipping and offshore team Rob Lawrence and Ian Chung.

Rula Dajani, Kuwait office head commented, “It is extremely rare to find lawyers in Kuwait with Kashif’s combination of deep local market knowledge and an international law firm background. Kashif also has experience in many of HFW’s core sectors – including aviation, construction, energy, and shipping – and his broad skillset will benefit our clients in Kuwait and the wider region. We are very pleased to welcome him to HFW. We will now look to continue our growth in Kuwait as part of our plans for significant further expansion in the Middle East and globally.”

Syed has more than 16 years’ experience in the Middle East – including over 13 years in Kuwait – advising clients on cross-border transactions, M&A, corporate restructuring, insolvency, employment, consumer law, and competition law. He is English-qualified and is also admitted to practice as an advocate in India, registered with the Delhi Bar Council.

Kashif Syed, partner, HFW, “HFW has the unique distinction of being the only international law firm in Kuwait, and its international clout and sector expertise represent an unrivalled offering for clients in the region.”