Leading global law firm Baker & McKenzie is relocating corporate and transactional partner Pietro de Libero from the firm's Milan office to its Dubai office.
The recent momentous increase in trade flows and investments between Italy and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has prompted the Firm to further hone its ability to advise companies operating across the two regions. In coordination with more than 80 lawyers operating in the Firm’s five offices in the GCC, Pietro will locally advise Italian clients conducting business in the GCC, as well as Gulf-based investors acquiring and managing assets in Italy.
He will foster synergies and coordinate work among the specialist practices in the relevant Italian and Gulf offices to provide clients with integrated cross-border advice, especially in the areas of M&A, trade & commerce, energy, infrastructure, real estate, hotels resorts & tourism, and fashion & luxury.
Pietro has been with Baker & McKenzie since 2001, and is a partner since 2007. He advises multinationals, funds, and financial institutions on a broad spectrum of cross-border and domestic M&A transactions; he also specializes in joint ventures and commercial contracts, and has extensive experience in advising clients in shareholder relations.
“Italian corporates are increasingly focusing on exports in non-EU markets; within this framework, the Gulf region – with its vibrant, fast-growing economies and relative proximity to Europe – is a key destination. On the other hand, Italian assets are attracting growing attention on the part of GCC investors. Through this relocation Baker & McKenzie proactively seeks to facilitate trade and investments between the GCC and Italy. This is one more tangible example of the many ways our Firm consistently lives up to its fluency brand and philosophy," said Lorenzo de Martinis, managing partner of Baker & McKenzie in Italy.
"Since our local merger to create Baker & McKenzie Habib Al Mulla in July this year we have seen a surge in demand for cross-border legal advice," said Dr Habib Al Mulla, chairman of the Firm in the UAE. "We welcome Pietro to the team and look forward to working with him to help clients on matters involving Italy and the Gulf."
Pietro will relocate on December 1, 2013.