Dutch law firm Stibbe establishes office at the Dubai International Financial Centre

The new office will serve as a hub for Stibbe for the MENA region

Stibbe, a leading Dutch-Belgian law firm with an internationally oriented general commercial practice and a well respected name in the Dutch market, has been granted a licence by the Dubai Financial Services Authority to operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

The DIFC office will be used by the law firm as a base to operate and service existing and new clients across the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.

Stibbe has its main offices in Amsterdam and Brussels as well as offices in London and New York. Together with their alliance partners Herbert Smith and Gleiss Lutz they have nearly 1,700 lawyers in 20 different jurisdictions (including Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Damman and Riyadh).

Stibbe's Dubai office has a special focus on structuring investment funds and tax efficient holding and investment structures generally, as well as advising on M&A transactions and corporate (Islamic) finance.

Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Authority, said: “We welcome Stibbe which has a global reputation and we are confident that it will add value to the financial sector of the DIFC Region,” added the DIFC Authority CEO.

David Meijeren has been posted to the Stibbe Dubai office as senior officer.

He said: "The DIFC is the financial centre for the region. Our presence here will enhance our possibility to further strengthen our relationship with existing clients and tend to the needs of new clients.

“Cost efficient structuring and the use of investment protection treaties is more and more important in this day and age. We are confident that our advice, on how to properly implement the advantages of a reputable jurisdiction as the Netherlands in a company's corporate strategy, will further enable GCC companies to prosper and grow in the future as they did in the past," he added.