Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright is expanding its financial services regulatory practice in the Middle East with the hire of new partner Matt Shanahan.

Matt joins the firm’s Dubai office from Clyde & Co, where he was a partner and Head of the Middle East regulatory practice. He has 18 years’ experience in financial services regulation, including 13 in the UAE, and has also worked as a regulator at the UK FSA (now FCA) and the Dubai International Financial Centre’s DFSA.

Matt’s appointment will significantly increase Norton Rose Fulbright’s financial services capability in the Middle East and he will work with the firm’s wider global team to develop the offer in the region.

An experienced financial services partner, Matt advises on both contentious and non-contentious financial services matters. His direct regulator experience means he is also able to advise clients on the likely behaviour of regulators.

Mohammed Paracha, head of Middle East at Norton Rose Fulbright, said: “We are delighted to welcome Matt to the team. Matt has extensive experience within financial services and has worked at two leading regulators, making him perfectly placed to spearhead the development of our offering across the Middle East and further enhance our ability to provide clients with robust, multi-disciplinary advice.”

Matt said: “I am excited to be joining Norton Rose Fulbright, which has an excellent reputation and long history within the Middle East. Internationally, the firm is already recognised as one of the top financial services firms and I am really looking forward to working with the team to expand our practice within the region.”

Norton Rose Fulbright has grown significantly in the Middle East over the past two years with several lateral hires including Zubair Mir, Nicholas Kramer, Nicholas Robinson and Kayaan Unwalla in Dubai, and Zayd Alathari in Riyadh. The firm promoted Angela Croker to partner in Dubai in January 2021.