Simmons & Simmons today announced it plans to relaunch in Abu Dhabi with a new office, a move that comes just weeks after the global firm officially launched its new Riyadh office in Saudi Arabia.
The office, which is subject to regulatory approval, is to be located in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the UAE capital’s international financial centre.
Simmons & Simmons has a longstanding presence in the region, having recently marked 30 years of its Middle East operation. The firm initially launched its regional presence from Abu Dhabi in 1994, but closed the office in 2016 to consolidate in Dubai, according to media reports.
Simmons & Simmons said the expansion is in response to growing client demand in two of its core areas of focus: asset management and investment funds (AMIF) and technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT).
Abu Dhabi is home to some of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, managing over $1.7 trillion in assets, and has also become a thriving hub for technology and innovation. US-headquartered law firms Paul Hastings and Skadden, and UK-headquartered law firm Addleshaw Goddard, recently expanded to the UAE capital.
“We are very pleased to be taking steps to open an office in the ADGM,” said the firm’s Middle East head Muneer Khan. “The ADGM as an international financial centre is experiencing rapid growth and is a key location for many of our clients. With our longstanding presence in Dubai and recent move to Riyadh, the new office will ensure that we are able to support clients from three of the main financial and investment hubs in the Middle East.”
Simmons & Simmons global managing partner Emily Monastiriotis said: “This is a strategically important move for Simmons & Simmons in such a key market where we have been present for over 30 years. Many businesses in the ADGM are very closely aligned with the sectors we specialise in—especially across funds and technology. Businesses also increasingly require support in the AI advisory space, where we have a market leading offering. Together, this highly specialised and very targeted offering means that our global advisory capabilities will be unrivalled in the ADGM.”
