Herbies looks to Gatehouse GC to bulk up Saudi finance



Hussain, who was made up to general counsel at the London-based investment bank earlier this year, has moved out to the Middle East as a senior associate.

After a stint in Dubai he will relocate to Riyadh, where the firm operates through an association with the Al-Ghazzawi Professional Association, to act for Saudi and regional clients.

“Herbert Smith’s got a market-leading reputation for Islamic finance in the region - that’s the reason I’m here,” said Hussain.

However, he told The Lawyer that he hoped to continue to work with ­Herbert Smith client ­Gatehouse.

“I left on very good terms with Gatehouse,” he said. “I expect to continue to work with them. They said I was irreplaceable. They’re ­looking at how I might ­continue performing that role in a purely advisory function. It’s a comfort for the CEO knowing that he can still bounce ideas off me.”

Gatehouse was unavailable for comment.