Gowling WLG has made a double partner hire, appointing Dentons’ Matthew Harvey in banking and finance and former Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) Abu Dhabi head Andrew Newbery in projects. The appointments are the first UK lateral hires the firm has made since its merger went live earlier this year.
Newbery (pictured), who joined HSF in 2006, advises on significant EMEA infrastructure, energy, mining and project finance transactions. In 2008 he became managing partner of HSF’s Abu Dhabi office but left in 2013 to establish his own consultancy in London.
At Gowling WLG Newbery will work on projects to target priority infrastructure and energy work in the UK, Africa and the Middle East.
Newbery said he was impressed by the firm’s regulatory, funds and construction expertise.
He added: ‘This is going to be a great platform and I believe that my recent client-side experiences will benefit the firm and its clients. Lessons learned on major UK procurements such as interconnectors and the super sewer will be pertinent elsewhere, including in the international arena where my earlier experience of procuring and financing large-scale infrastructure projects in the Middle East and Africa will also be relevant.’
The firm has also appointed Harvey from Dentons, where he had been a partner since 2000. Harvey has over 20 years’ experience acting for corporates, banks and finance companies on structured, asset and export finance transactions with a particular focus on equipment leasing and the financing of corporate aircraft and helicopters.
Kirsty Barnes, head of the firm’s banking and finance practice said: ‘Matthew’s appointment is part of our drive to increase revenue and market share in sectors including financial institutions and aviation. His experience in asset finance is truly global. This will be another significant boost to our practice following the addition of the team in Canada with the launch of Gowling WLG.’
The recently-merged Gowling WLG completed its first round of partner promotions this week, appointing Chris Towle and Michael Twining to its partnership and taking the total number of partners in the UK to 141.
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
For extensive coverage of the Wragge Lawrence Graham merger with Gowlings see the feature: ‘The road to Ottawa – why WLG believes Gowlings can put it on the global map.’
