Simon Fraser will operate from Abu Dhabi, and a senior associate is transitioning to become a partner alongside him.
King & Spalding has successfully recruited Simon Fraser, the former head of corporate for Ashurst in the Middle East, marking the culmination of an active year of lateral hiring in the Middle East for the prominent US firm ranked in the top 20.
Fraser will be establishing himself at K&S’s Abu Dhabi office, accompanied by Ashurst senior associate Matt Hartsuyker, who is transitioning to a partner role within the firm.
This dynamic duo, with a focus on the energy sector, further strengthens the corporate, finance, and investments (CFI) practice group of the Atlanta-based firm in the Middle East. This follows the earlier additions at the beginning of the year of projects partners Dan Feldman and Brendan Hundt from Shearman & Sterling.
Fraser is departing from Ashurst after a tenure of 20 years with the Anglo-Australian firm, serving 16 years as a partner. In March, he led the Ashurst team that provided counsel to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) regarding the IPO of its newly established gas division, ADNOC Gas, on Abu Dhabi’s stock exchange. This initiative raised $2.5 billion.
Hartsuyker, who was part of the team advising ADNOC, began his journey at Ashurst in Melbourne as a graduate in 2012 and later moved to Dubai in 2018.
Todd Holleman, head of the CFI practice group, commented, “With Simon and Matt, we are welcoming two partners with extensive expertise in navigating and successfully concluding intricate, high-value transactions that propel our clients’ business strategies forward.”
Fraser and Hartsuyker joining the firm comes after the addition of real estate partner Malek Al Rifai, who transitioned to the Dubai office from the renowned regional firm Al Tamimi & Company.
In September, the firm obtained a foreign law license from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Justice, capitalizing on new regulations permitting international firms to operate independently in the kingdom, rather than through a local alliance. Meanwhile, its former ally, the Law Offices of Mohammed AlAmmar, continues to function as a distinct entity. Additionally, corporate M&A partner Martin Hunt has relocated from London to Riyadh to reinforce the K&S team.
King & Spalding, with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh, boasts commendable ratings across various practice areas according to legal directories, encompassing corporate, projects, real estate, and arbitration.
