Charles Russell Speechlys strengthens Middle East Corporate practice with appointment of Philip O’Riordan

Charles Russell Speechlys today announces the appointment of Philip O’Riordan as a Partner and Head of its Corporate practice in the Middle East. Philip will be based in the Firm’s Dubai office.

Philip’s appointment represents a significant further investment in the Firm’s Corporate capability in the Middle East and forms part of its wider international Private Capital growth strategy, which includes strengthening its transactional offering across the world’s major private capital and wealth hubs.

Philip joins from Clyde & Co, where he was a Partner for 20 years and previously headed its Middle East Corporate practice. He has more than two decades of experience advising clients across the region and has developed long-standing relationships with many of the Middle East’s leading corporates, sovereign and sovereign-related entities, investors and family businesses, alongside prominent multinational companies. During his time at Clyde & Co, he also played a leading role in the establishment and development of the firm’s Saudi Arabian practice from its inception in 2011.

Philip has extensive experience advising on complex cross-border M&A, joint ventures, strategic investments and corporate structuring across the Middle East. He has acted as lead adviser on a number of significant transactions in the region, combining transactional expertise with deep knowledge of local markets, regulatory environments and commercial practices.

His practice spans a broad range of sectors, with particular experience in real estate and hospitality, food and beverage, industrials and manufacturing, infrastructure and healthcare. He also has significant experience in corporate real estate, advising developers, sovereign-related entities and investors on development joint ventures, strategic investments and real estate M&A.

Philip is consistently recognised by Chambers Global and The Legal 500 as a leading Corporate/M&A lawyer in the region.

Patrick Gearon, Partner and Head of the Firm’s Middle East practice, said:

Philip’s arrival is an important step for our Middle East practice. It enhances the depth of our Corporate capability in the region, bringing leadership experience and additional expertise at a time when client demand for sophisticated, cross‑border advice continues to grow.

David Collins, Partner and Leader of the Firm’s Business Advisory & Transaction Services Division, added:

Philip’s versatility and his experience in the region acting on multi-jurisdictional corporate and commercial transactions will further strengthen the links between our Middle East team and other colleagues across the Firm globally, creating more opportunities to work together on complex matters and to support clients wherever they are operating or deploying capital.

Philip O’Riordan commented:

I’m delighted to be joining Charles Russell Speechlys at such an exciting time for the Firm and its Middle East practice. The region continues to grow in importance as a global hub for investment, private capital and cross-border M&A, creating significant opportunities for both regional and international clients. The Firm’s strong international platform, collaborative culture and clear ambition to grow its Corporate and Private Capital offering in the Middle East made this a compelling opportunity. I’m looking forward to working closely with colleagues across the Firm to build on the strength of the Corporate practice in the region and to support our clients on their most important strategic transactions and investments.

Philip is joined by Legal Director Afraz Hussain, who also joins from Clyde & Co in Dubai. Dual-qualified in England and Wales and India, Afraz has more than 14 years’ experience, including over a decade in the UAE, advising on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, private equity and other strategic corporate transactions.

Afraz is regularly instructed on transactions along the India–GCC corridor, acting for Indian corporates and investors entering the Gulf and for regional clients investing into India. He has also spent time in-house as Head of Legal and Compliance at a portfolio company of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, where he had responsibility for operations across more than 40 jurisdictions.

Philip’s appointment follows a string of lateral partner hires globally this year including Corporate Partners James Paterson and Nadim Meer in London, Litigation and Dispute Resolution Partner Luca Beffa and Tax Partner Frédéric Ney in Geneva, Real Estate Partner Chiara del Frate in London, as well as Marguerite Brac de La Perrière as the first-ever IT, Data and AI Partner in Paris and its first Corporate Tax Partner Paolo Rampulla in Milan.

In Asia, the Firm also recently appointed Kevin Lee as Head of Private Client, along with his team including Partner Wei Kang. The Firm also opened offices in New York and Connecticut in July, and promoted nine lawyers to its Partnership in May.