Eversheds has been granted a licence to launch a new office in Abu Dhabi and is targeting an opening within the next couple of weeks.

The office will be run by commercial specialist Chris Jobson, who becomes managing partner for the Middle East, having previously headed up the Qatar office. The office will be staffed by two additional partners – City real estate chief John Kemkers and corporate partner Kuljit Ghata-Aura, both of whom are relocating from London – plus two associates and one further solicitor.

The firm pointed to Abu Dhabi's status as a gateway for investment to India as a major factor in the launch. Eversheds counts HSBC and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi among its major clients in the region.

Commenting on the move, Eversheds chairman Alan Jenkins said: "Abu Dhabi's burgeoning economy has a strong focus on financial services, real estate and telecoms and in particular the emirate aims to be a global leader in sustainable development and the renewable energy market. These are all sectors where Eversheds has a very strong track record and a wealth of insight to bring to the diversification programme."

He added: "Abu Dhabi is an emirate that is looking to diversify and grow rapidly and both our Middle East and India business practices will benefit greatly from this."

The news marks that latest addition to the Eversheds International network, which in recent weeks has added full members in the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, while a tie-up with Johannesburg firm Routledge Modise secured the network's debut in Africa.