Maples Group Marks 20 Years in Dubai, Celebrating Two Decades of Growth, Innovation and Client Service Excellence

What began with a two-person team has grown into a market-leading platform of more than 70 professionals, reflecting the strength of the Group’s unique and fully integrated legal, fund and fiduciary services and its long-term commitment to clients across the Middle East and beyond.

Over the last two decades, the Dubai office has advised on many of the Middle East’s landmark fund launches, capital markets issuances, cross-border financings and strategic M&A transactions, while providing governance and comprehensive market-leading administration solutions to well established institutions and managers throughout the Middle East.  The Group’s integrated platform, global network and significant on-the-ground presence have positioned it as a trusted partner to clients navigating evolving regulatory frameworks, market cycles and strategic opportunities.

“Twenty years ago, the Maples Group became the first offshore law firm to establish a presence in Dubai. We knew then that combining local insight with international reach would be essential to serving our clients across the Middle East,” said Philip Ireland, Joint Managing Partner, Dubai office. “Two decades on, our team continues to deliver service with excellence, helping to shape the region’s financial services landscape for leading institutions, asset managers, corporates and innovators.”

Manuela Belmontes, Joint Managing Partner, Dubai office, added: “Our growth in Dubai reflects client trust, sustained investment and the breadth of services we provide. Clients choose the Maples Group for our integrated legal, and fiduciary and fund administration offering, our collaborative approach and our unwavering focus on quality, timeliness and practical outcomes. We are proud to support sovereigns, leading Islamic and conventional institutions, airlines and aircraft leasing companies, asset managers, family offices and high-growth companies across the region.”

Fred Tabbal, Regional Head of Fund Services – Middle East, said: “On the fund services side, our Middle East platform has grown alongside the region’s sophisticated managers and investors with support for both conventional and sharia compliant fund structures. We deliver bespoke and scalable administration, reporting and governance solutions powered by leading technology and deep expertise, so clients can launch, operate and evolve their strategies with confidence.”

Norbert Neijzen, Regional Head of Fiduciary – Middle East, added: “Our fiduciary and corporate services teams are trusted across the region for rigorous governance, responsive execution and practical problem-solving. From complex cross-border structures to day-to-day entity management, we help clients navigate regulatory change and protect long-term value.”

Looking ahead, the Maples Group will continue to expand its offering in the UAE and the wider region, investing in talent, technology and service innovation to meet client demand across asset classes, sectors and geographies. “Our commitment is simple: service with excellence. We will continue to deliver the insight, execution and accountability that clients expect from the Maples Group today, tomorrow and for the next twenty years,” said Philip Ireland and Manuela Belmontes, Joint Managing Partners, Dubai office.

As part of the Group’s ongoing global celebrations, the Dubai milestone coincides with the Maples Group’s 30th Anniversary Celebration in Asia in November and precedes the Group’s 20-year anniversary in Ireland next year, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to key international financial centers and client hubs.

The Maples Group’s Dubai offices offer legal, fund and fiduciary services to clients based in or doing business in the Middle East. Regulated as a DNFBP by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, Maples and Calder (Dubai) LLP provides legal advice on the laws of the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands in a convenient time zone with in-depth local market and cultural knowledge. This combined model enables clients to access integrated legal and professional services across the full lifecycle of their business, investments and transactions.