Could you provide a brief journey of how you arrived where you are today?
I did my articles with Clifford Turner (as Clifford Chance was then called) and came to head up one of their offices in the United Arab Emirates. I established my own practice in 1981 with a view to capitalize on the opportunities that seemed possible in the region. In 1989 I merged my practice with Clyde & Co, and we opened the first Clyde & Co office in Dubai in September of that year. The rest is history!
During the past 17 years the practice has changed beyond recognition. Particularly the past three years have seen unprecedented growth of our business – to the point where Clyde & Co is today demonstrably the dominant international commercial law firm in the GCC region with over 75 lawyers and growing.
What does your role involve?
I have overall responsibility for the Middle East offices of Clyde & Co in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. We will be opening a branch within the Qatar Financial Centre by the end of next month. In addition, I head-up the corporate and finance practice, which incorporates all the works performed in the Islamic Finance space.
What is your greatest achievement to date?
Remaining sane after all these years. Fathering three children and surviving that.
Which of your products/services deliver the best results?
The business has expanded rapidly over the past three years across the board. We believe we offer unparalleled strength in-depth and are the only international law firm in the region with a full service offering – this means we have specialists in all areas and can call in in-house industry experts as needed. Our clients tell us that this, combined with our local history and knowledge, really makes a difference in getting results.
What are the strengths of your business?
Since we have developed a full-service local practice we are able to bring industry and other practice area experts into discussions to ensure that the service to our clients is appropriate. This would include construction, property, IP, IT, insurance and other issues which others may not be able to service.
What are the factors contributing to the success of your company?
The partners in the Clyde & Co Middle East offices work in a truly collegiate manner. There is no debate over side issues which seem to affect other partnerships, such as billings systems and personal rewards. The attitude here is that the best person(s) should perform the work based on skill set.
What are the obstacles faced in running your business today?
Meeting the needs of clients during the rapid expansion phase has been a major issue over recent years, particularly the recruitment of enough talent and ensuring that the infrastructure to support the offices can meet the requirements. Human resources are in scare supply locally and this has resulted in significant overseas recruitment which takes time and effort. We have established local training routes and would see this as providing an increasing proportion of required resources in the future.
Where do you see the Islamic finance industry, maybe in the next five years?
We see increasing demand for Islamic financing as well as increasing variation in the type of Islamic products available and their application. Undoubtedly there is scope for project financing in the region to focus more on Islamic products, Islamic insurance, leases, etc. The industry will mature and form a significant part of the global finance market. It will continue to develop and adapt, taking into account the change in global market conditions and tapping in to the rich and deep investor base that desires Shariah compliant investment opportunities.
Name one thing you would like to see change in the world of Islamic finance?
More agreement and consistency in the interpretation and application of Islamic principles.
Clyde & Co is a name that opens doors. Focusing on core sectors of insurance and reinsurance, marine, aviation and transportation, international trade & energy and corporate & commercial, the firm offers comprehensive legal services to clients around the globe.
Through its 18 international offices, Clyde & Co helps clients in over 120 countries break through the trade barrier.
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