Bird & Bird has bolstered its Middle East offering with the opening of an office in Dubai and the transfer of Stockholm corporate partner Anders Nilsson to the region.

The Dubai office will serve the firm's growing list of clients in the Emirate, following recent client wins including Huawei, PepsiCo, healthcare software specialists TPP and the Supreme Committee for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Nilsson, who joins a five-strong group of lawyers in the UAE, has a number of client links in the region through his advisory work for Nordic investors and Middle Eastern clients expanding their operations in Sweden.

Two Birds said Nilsson would also act for Middle East-based clients looking to invest in Europe.

Having first opened in Abu Dhabi in 2011, the firm has developed practices in the aviation, media and sports sectors, and also offers advice in the aerospace, defence, security and communications industries.

Last year the firm recruited broadcaster Al Jazeera's chief legal officer Osama Abu-Dehays, who splits his time between Abu Dhabi and Doha.

"We are very committed to continuing to grow our team in the region and Dubai is the base for many of the high tech innovators that are natural clients for the firm," commented Abu Dhabi office head Mark Pinder.

The move is the latest step in the firm's international expansion strategy. Earlier this year, the firm signed an exclusive alliance with Australian outfit Truman Hoyle, and merged with Danish firm Bender von Haller Dragsted, after entering into a cooperation agreement at the start of 2012.

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