Addleshaw Goddard and Norton Rose Fulbright have added to their partner ranks in Dubai.
Anna Zeitlin has joined Addleshaw Goddard as a partner from PwC Legal Middle East, where she was a director and head of the fintech and financial services practice. She joins the firm’s financial services practice in Dubai.
She brings with her from PwC, Slam Ashry, an Egyptian-qualified managing associate and Aqsa Solangi, a paralegal.
Commenting on the appointment, Robin Hickman, head of banking & finance at Addleshaw Goddard, said: “Fintech represents a critical new pillar of engagement and growth at Addleshaw Goddard Middle East, and we are delighted to welcome Anna Zeitlin to further strengthen the practice in this sector. Her appointment complements our robust portfolio of practices across industries and brings valuable expertise and extensive experience advising on financial services—a specialisation that has seen significant growth over recent years in the Middle East and where we are keen to bolster our market presence.”
Zeitlin has experience in financial regulation, regularly advising regional governments and GCC free zone authorities. She has also advised banks, financial institutions, funds and established fintech companies on the legal and regulatory compliance of their operations in the GCC and wider region.
Norton Rose Fulbright, meanwhile, has added Prakruthi Gowda as a partner in the Dubai office.
Gowda joins the firm’s projects team from Clifford Chance, where she was a senior associate, according to her LinkedIn profile. This marks a return for her to the firm, having previously trained and qualified at Norton Rose over a decade ago.
She works on energy and infrastructure projects, including projects in the energy transition space, advising lenders and sponsors on both commercial contracts and the financing aspects. She also advises financial investors on their investments in the energy and infrastructure sector, as well as exits.
Mohammed Paracha, head of Middle East at Norton Rose Fulbright, said: “Prakruthi has excellent experience across projects and sustainable energy—two major areas for us—and her presence will further strengthen our market-leading practice within the Middle East.”
