Pinsent Masons has added a Dubai corporate head as the firm bids to boost its Gulf presence.

Birmingham-based partner Alan Wood has transferred to the emirate to head up the local corporate team, with a brief to expand the firm's capabilities in the region.

The firm has not previously had a local leader of the group, which was launched in June 2008 and until now consisted of just two associates.

Wood moved to the office yesterday (15 June) and will be joined at the end of June by one associate, taking Pinsents' Dubai headcount to 23. The corporate team focuses on private equity and M&A, regional capital markets and joint ventures.

Pinsents senior partner Chris Mullen said Wood's new brief came as part of the firm's strategy to grow internationally, which included the announcement of a strategic alliance with Salans earlier this month.

Mullen said: "Alan's appointment reinforces Pinsents' continued commitment to international growth and, in particular, to the Gulf region. Alan and the team in Dubai will continue to work closely with colleagues in Pinsents' offices throughout the UK and Asia and will also be working closely with Salans as part of our new international strategic alliance."

Pinsents has had an office in Dubai since 2004, which also advises on construction, real estate, projects, outsourcing and technology.

The news comes as the UK top 20 firm last week rolled out a number of cost-saving measures which included sabbaticals, part-time working and secondments. Pinsents hopes the measures will help to reduce the number of redundancies it needs to make, although the firm confirmed that 20 jobs are under threat.