International law firm Vinson & Elkins has ramped up its Middle East projects and finance practice by hiring former Norton Rose project finance head Dominic Harvey as partner, and recruiting five new associates at its Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices.

Harvey brings the experience of having advised public and private clients in key areas such as utilities, energy, metals and infrastructure sectors across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe to the firm. He comes to Vinson & Elkins with a background in Islamic and conventional finance transactions.

“The MENA region projects market has seen steadily increasing activity, and this is a particular area of focus for our firm. We are committed to providing the best possible offering to clients, and Dominic is a highly regarded lawyer who brings incredible depth of experience in complex conventional and Islamic finance transactions,” said Ayman Khaleq, managing partner of Vinson & Elkins’ Middle East offices.

Building infrastructure has been a key focus of governments and the private sector throughout the region, with an estimated $142 billion worth of rail, road and bridge projects in the works, according to a report by the investment company Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz). Industry experts say project finance continues to be a growth area for the region.

“We have been involved in some very exciting projects in the Middle East recently, including the Sinopec-Aramco joint venture for the $10 billion Yanbu project in Saudi Arabia and the $17 billion Basrah South Gas Project in Iraq,” said chairman Mark Kelly. “Further expanding our team on the ground will allow us to stay at the forefront, continuing [and continue] to advise on market-leading mandates like these.”

To address the opportunity, Vinson & Elkins has also steadily added associates in the areas of project and finance in the UAE in recent months. The firm has poached Gail Bassett, James Morson and Shane Wilson from Norton Rose and bolstered its expertise in infrastructure, metals, energy and petrochemicals. Bassett and Morson have joined the firm in Abu Dhabi, while Wilson will be based at the firm’s Dubai office.

Vinson & Elkins has also succeeded in wooing over Christine Kersey from Allen & Overy, and Brett Thornton from Herbert Smith. Both will be based in Abu Dhabi. ALB

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