Charles Russell LLP,
one of the premier full service law firms in the Middle East and a
leading
international law firm with offices in Bahrain and Qatar, announces a
number of key hires as part of its global growth agenda driven by client
demand to focus on Islamic Finance.
Wesam
Alshafei joins Charles Russell's Bahrain Office as a Legal Consultant
providing clients with expertise
in Banking and Islamic Finance with principle focus placed on Islamic
banking, mergers and acquisitions, project finance, regulatory
compliance and commercial & employment related matters. Prior to
joining Charles Russell, Wesam spent 6 years at Zubi & Partners,
a well-respected firm in Bahrain.
Charles
Russell has also hired Ashley Freeman from the Central Bank of Bahrain
to head up the Islamic Finance
practice in the firm's Financial Services team. Ashley has extensive
global banking and financial services experience, encompassing
strategic, transactional and regulatory matters in both Islamic and
conventional industries and bond and sukkuk issuances.
Patrick Gearon, Partner and Head of Middle East at Charles Russell
added:
“I am delighted to welcome both Wesam and Ashley to the team. Both are
very talented advisors and their joining is testament to the firm’s
continuing commitment to
the Middle Eastern region”
Tom Briggs, Head of Corporate of Commercial for the Middle East
noted “Our ability to offer specialist advice to clients looking to
apply Shariah principles to their business dealings sets us apart from
many other international firms based in this region. We recognise the
impressive and fast-paced developments taking place
in the GCC and look forward to taking an active role in this through
our high quality, on-the-ground resources.”
Global
Islamic banking assets are estimated to be worth around $4.1 trillion
growing at 15-20% a year since 2012.
This sum includes the trillion dollar halal goods trade that ranges
from Australia to the Americas. Studies show that Islamic values are
steadily transcending the religion’s boundaries to signify relevance to a
broader base of consumers seeking products and
services that correspond to their belief system. Acknowledging the
potential of this trend, Charles Russell has grown its team of Islamic
Finance specialists across its Middle Eastern operations.
Charles
Russell is a leading full service international law firm with a long
and respected history serving
clients in the Gulf. The firm offers clients a first class service that
combines international expertise, with a genuine understanding of the
nuances of the GCC markets. Charles Russell has a number of areas of
expertise, including dispute resolution, intellectual
property, corporate and commercial, banking and Islamic finance as well
as private wealth management. It carries out some of the highest
profile transactions and cases in the region led by a number of leading
ranked Partners.
