Trowers & Hamlins has boosted its Middle East practice, launching a new office in Saudi Arabia and hiring two new partners in the region.

Trowers opened its doors for business in Jeddah earlier this month, marking its second office in Saudi Arabia alongside its existing Riyadh base.

The new office – which will be launched in association with local partner firm Feras Al Shawaf – will be headed by solicitor Julien Sweeting, who was previously on secondment to the firm's Riyadh office. The firm is aiming to build the office to around eight lawyers.

The Jeddah arm will offer corporate, banking and projects services in the region, particularly servicing clients in the oil and gas and construction and infrastructure sectors.

Saudi practice head Adrian Creed said: "Jeddah is a key economic hub in Saudi, the largest in the Makkah region, with good geographical links. The Saudi Government is planning a lot of contract and development work there. It is the home of many major businesses and offers a lot of trade."

In addition to its two Saudi Arabian offices, Trowers' Middle East practice has branches in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Cairo, Dubai and Oman.

Separately, the firm has added two partners to its Dubai office, growing its projects group. Stewart Simpson will join the projects group from Simmons & Simmons, where he was managing associate in the firm's Dubai office. Peter Bowring will join from US firm King & Spalding, where he was counsel.

International department head Martin Amison commented: "Both the Jeddah launch and the partner hires demonstrate our confidence in our Middle East practice, which we are continuing to invest in."