Bird & Bird opens office in Riyadh

Bird & Bird has announced the opening of a new office in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its strategic growth plan to support both local and international clients operating in the firm’s key sectors and areas of legal expertise.

In its initial phase, the Riyadh office will focus on advising clients in the areas of technology law, intellectual property, and general corporate and transactional matters.

The office will be led by Anders Nilsson, Head of Region for the Middle East, and supported by three resident partners: Raya Alkhatib, Nick O’Connell, and Simon Shooter, alongside a team of qualified Saudi lawyers.

Raya Alkhatib is a corporate partner advising both local and international clients on general corporate matters, company formation, M&A transactions, IPOs, capital increases, and REITs.

Before joining Bird & Bird, she held multiple roles at American Express Saudi Arabia, including Legal Counsel, Head of Governance, and Board Secretary, where she advised on corporate law, debt recovery, employment, financing, payments, e-commerce, and co-branding agreements with local banks.

Nick O’Connell is a technology and data protection expert, advising clients across the Middle East. Recognised by Chambers & Partners as “the leading tech lawyer based in Saudi Arabia”, he has lived in Riyadh for most of the past seven years and brings extensive experience in building and managing successful practices in technology, media, and telecoms.

His practice includes advising on technology contracting and regulatory matters relating to cloud, data, digital media, and telecom services.

Simon Shooter is a commercial and tech partner, founder of the firm’s cybersecurity group, and has been with Bird & Bird for over 17 years. Prior to Riyadh, he worked in London and Dubai, and has a long-standing connection with the Kingdom dating back to the 1990s, when he served as external legal counsel to the Saudi Embassy in London. His clients span sectors such as healthcare, banking, automotive, and aviation.

Anders Nilsson, Head of Region for the Middle East, commented: “We’re thrilled to be opening our new office in Riyadh. This expansion reinforces our commitment to supporting clients in this fast-evolving market and cements our position as a leading firm in key areas including tech, digital transformation, IP, brand commercialisation, media, sport, aviation, and automotive.”

Christian Bartsch, CEO of Bird & Bird, added: “This new office is a key part of our recently launched five-year strategy and follows the successful opening of our Tokyo office last year. With a strong footprint across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, our well-established team in the region — now anchored by an exceptional group of partners in Riyadh — is well-positioned to deepen our client support across the region.”