We opened our office in Dubai at the end of 2017 in the heart of Dubai’s financial centre: this was the natural next step to expand our international presence in the Middle East just one year after the opening of our offices in Africa (Egypt and Ethiopia).

Leveraging on Dubai’s role as trait d’union among Europe, Asia and Africa, and it being the pivot for the entire Middle East, our idea was to create an ideal bridge between Africa and Middle East and strengthen our ability to navigate international clients looking to invest in this wider region and local players interested in diversifying their activities through an international expansion in Europe or Africa.

Indeed, from Dubai, we are fully capable to assist our clients who already have a presence or are planning to enter UAE or other jurisdictions in the Middle East on all aspects of their legal needs. Also, the Dubai office has reinforced our capability to assist international clients interested in investing in Africa through a regional hub in Dubai: indeed, numerous multinationals have chosen the Emirate as their base for business in Africa and the Middle East.

The Dubai office is headed up by Catia Tomasetti, partner at BonelliErede, who is in charge of the development of our practice in the Gulf area together with, Marco De Leo, managing partner of BonelliErede Middle East LLP. They are supported by Roberto Flammia, local partner at BonelliErede, Riccardo Denaro, managing associate, Marzia Spadea and Francesco Martello, senior associates, junior associates Sami Moacdieh, Letizia Santin and Nadine Noaman, who is currently seconded at the Dubai office, and Nour El-Shinnawi, trainee.

Catia split her time between the Dubai office and her Italian practice. She is the Coordinator of the banking and finance practice and an expert in corporate finance, with several market first transacrion in Italy in the following sectors: traditional and renewable energy, waste, water, hospitals, underground systems and roads and motorways. She is also focused on reorganisation of listed companies and assistance to banks, shareholders and borrowers. She is Team Leader of the Africa Committee, the Africa Team and the Infrastructure, Energy & Ecological Transition Focus Team. Marco is an expert in corporate law, with particular expertise in establishment/break-up of joint-ventures, mergers, demergers and capital transactions, and extraordinary financing transactions. He is member of three Focus Teams: Luxury, Private Equity and Transport. Roberto is expert in project finance (particularly for the construction, maintenance, management, financing and re-financing of renewable energy projects and infrastructures) and in commercial contracts of various industries. He is member of three Focus Teams: Banks, Construction & Engineering, and Infrastructure, Energy & Ecological Transition.

Thanks to our unique capabilities we can assist every client on both transactional (corporate/M&A) and general assistance matters under local law. The Dubai team can cover the whole GCC: on top of UAE, we have been working on matters in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Barhain.