Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has recruited Allen & Overy (A&O) partner Pervez Akhtar as the firm's new corporate head for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Akhtar will be based in Freshfields' Dubai office and take over from current MENA head Bertrand Pellet, who will continue as a partner in the practice.

Akhtar (pictured) specialises in corporate and corporate finance work, including M&A, joint ventures, management buyouts, equity issues and initial public offerings. He joined A&O in 1996 and was made up to partner in 2000. He currently works in A&O's Dubai office.

Freshfields' global head of corporate Edward Braham, said: "[Pervez] is one of a select group of senior international lawyers who hae spent considerable time in the United Arab Emirates working on complex deals. His appointment demonstrates our long term commitment to the MENA region."

Pellet relocated from Freshfields' Paris office in March this year to head up its MENA corporate practice, replacing former local corporate head David Higgins in the role. Higgins has since returned to the firm's London office.

In the same month, Freshfields set up an exclusive alliance with Saudi Arabia's Law Firm of Salah Al-Hejailan and relocated corporate partner Tobias Mueller-Deku to the office from Munich.

Freshfields currently has a presence across four regions in the Middle East including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai and Riyadh.