Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) has promoted Rula Dajani Abuljebain to managing partner of its Middle East office.

Based in Dubai, she will take on her new responsibilities on April 1, 2015, succeeding retiring office head Hugh Brown.

A corporate and commercial law specialist, Dajani Abuljebain has been working at the law firm’s Dubai office since 1996, developing HFW’s client base in the UAE and GCC, particularly in Kuwait and Qatar.

She has worked on areas including joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, as well as project, infrastructure and strategic finance, and regularly advises companies looking to invest in or expand their businesses in the Middle East.

HFW senior partner Richard Crump says: “I am delighted to welcome Rula into the management team of the firm.”

“The GCC region is an important conduit between East and West and as such we are continuing to invest in our capabilities and the breadth of our coverage across the region.”

Brown adds: “Since moving to Dubai in 2012, I have been delighted with the way our Dubai office has developed in terms of depth of capability and regional expertise. HFW’s team here is widely recognised as a leader across a number of sectors, including shipping and transportation, insurance and reinsurance, construction and aviation. I know that under Rula’s guidance the team will continue to go from strength to strength.”