Wesam Alshafei joins Charles Russell’s Bahrain Office as a Legal Consultant providing clients with expertise in Banking and Islamic Finance with principle focus placed on Islamic banking, mergers and acquisitions, project finance, regulatory compliance and commercial employment related matters. Prior to joining Charles Russell, Wesam spent six years at Zubi Partners.

Charles Russell has also hired Ashley Freeman from the Central Bank of Bahrain to head up the Islamic Finance practice in the firm’s Financial Services team. Ashley has banking and financial services experience, encompassing strategic, transactional and regulatory matters in both Islamic and conventional industries as well as bond and Sukuk issuances.

Patrick Gearon, Partner and Head of Middle East at Charles Russell added: “I am delighted to welcome both Wesam and Ashley to the team. Both are very talented advisors and their joining is testament to the firm’s continuing commitment to the Middle Eastern region”

Tom Briggs, Head of Corporate of Commercial for the Middle East noted, “Our ability to offer specialist advice to clients looking to apply Shari’ah principles to their business dealings sets us apart from many other international firms based in this region. We recognise the impressive and fast-paced developments taking place in the GCC and look forward to taking an active role in this through our high quality, on-the-ground resources.”