Ashurst LLP ‘offers highly reliable and commercially pragmatic support on both domestic and cross-border matters in the UAE.’ The firm acts on public and private M&A, PE, joint ventures, and equity capital market transactions across sectors including energy, TMT, healthcare, and technology, with a client list that includes multinationals, sovereign wealth funds, and family offices. Stuart James focuses primarily on energy and infrastructure deals. Simon Rahimzada and Vasi Papadopoulos left the firm in June 2026.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Simon Rahimzada stands out for his deep M&A expertise, clear communication style, and ability to lead negotiations confidently while balancing the commercial sensitivities involved. He stays involved throughout the deal, ensuring consistency and smooth execution.'
- ‘Ashurst offers highly reliable and commercially pragmatic support on both domestic and cross-border matters in the UAE. The ability of the team to anticipate deal issues early and propose practical solutions sets them apart. They’re responsive, detail-oriented, and effective at managing timelines under pressure. I’ve also found their collaborative approach across departments (e.g., regulatory, tax, employment) to be a real strength, delivering cohesive advice throughout the transaction lifecycle.’
- ‘Simon Rahimzada has been my lawyer of choice for many years now. I value his involvement on day to day matters as well as high level recommendations on legal structuring.'
- ‘The team is old in the market. Ashurst as a name in M&A is new though. Lawyers were all trained in the top shops for M&A in the region. Partner attention to matters is very high.'
- ‘Simon Rahimzada stood out when we have worked together and demonstrated both business/commercial acumen as well as strong technical legal experience and expertise.'
- ‘Great team with diverse background and experiences.'
Key clients
- Alpha Dhabi Holding
- G42
- Zahid Group
- Gulf Finance House
- Saudi Telecom
- ADNOC
- Modon
- Abu Dhabi IPO Fund
- Cerberus Capital
- Gulf Investment Corporation
- Transmed Holding Limited
- Inception
Work highlights
Advised Petrochemical Industries Company K.S.C, a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, on its successful public auction process investment in Wanhua Chemical (Yantai) Petrochemical Co., Ltd., a Chinese state-controlled globally operating chemical materials company.
Advised ADNOC on its acquisition from Galp of the entire share capital of Galp Rovuma B.V., which holds a 10% interest in the Area 4 concession of the Rovuma Basin in Mozambique.
Advised Zahid Group, on a cross-border public-to-private transaction led by a non-governmental entity based in the GCC region.
Other key lawyers
Stuart James; Maha Osman; Andrew Robinson; Zaid Al-Rizzo; Dasith Vithanage;