International law firm, Pinsent Masons has announced that it has appointed Catherine Workman, a 15-year old veteran with the firm as its new head of the Middle East region. Workman succeeds Osama Hassan, who has stepped down from the role.
A member of the firm’s executive board, she relocated to the UAE in May 2019 to facilitate the continued development of Pinsent Masons’ Middle East business including its association with Saudi law firm AlSabhan & AlAjaji.
According to a statement from the company, Workman is highly experienced in the infrastructure sector across the Middle East, Europe and Asia. She has acted for Government bodies, consortia, operators and lenders on major infrastructure schemes and public private partnership (PPP) projects in relation to airports, ports, hospitals, schools, roads, waste and real estate redevelopment, it added.
Commenting on the announcement, John Cleland, managing partner at Pinsent Masons said: “Catherine is the natural choice to represent Pinsent Masons in the region. Her global expertise allied to the deep pool of local knowledge across our Middle East network will ensure we are well-placed to respond to demand in those sectors and markets where we see significant potential for growth.”
The appointment comes following a significant period for Pinsent Masons in the Middle East. In the past 12 months the firm has acted on a number of significant matters including advising the following; the National Center for Privatisation (NCP) in Saudi Arabia on regulatory matters relating to the Kingdom’s Privatisation & PPP program; a contractor in relation to the USD 4.3 billion 950MW Noor Energy 1 hybrid project in Dubai – the world’s largest standalone CSP plant; and the National Energy Services Reunited Corp on its USD 1.1 billion acquisition of the entire share capital of National Petroleum Services.
Meanwhile, Workman said that Pinsent Masons has a strong track record in the Middle East, and she looks forward to deepening those existing client relationships.
“I look forward to building on that success, bringing all that the firm has to offer both globally and regionally to the market. Our regional experience, combined with our global recognition as an innovator in the provision of legal services and a leader in diversity and inclusion, puts us in a unique position to apply a range of skillsets and expertise to our clients’ challenges,” she added.
The law firm further added that Workman is a strong advocate for gender diversity and acts as a role model for female progression. She is also a regular participant in the firm’s Middle East Female Future Forums- a networking event for female professionals to promote diversity and inclusion in the region, it said.