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Level Up: Unlocking Financial Potential In The Middle East
Welcome to this edition of Law Update, where we focus on the ever-evolving landscape of financial services regulation across the region. As the financial markets in the region continue to grow and diversify, this issue provides timely insights into the key regulatory developments shaping banking, investment, insolvency, and emerging technologies.
2025 is set to be a game-changer for the MENA region, with legal and regulatory shifts from 2024 continuing to reshape its economic landscape. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain are all implementing groundbreaking reforms in sustainable financing, investment laws, labor regulations, and dispute resolution. As the region positions itself for deeper global integration, businesses must adapt to a rapidly evolving legal environment.
Our Eyes on 2025 publication provides essential insights and practical guidance on the key legal updates shaping the year ahead—equipping you with the knowledge to stay ahead in this dynamic market.
A complete spectrum of legal services across jurisdictions in the Middle East & North Africa.
Biography
Divya Abrol Gambhir is part of Al Tamimi & Company’s Banking and Finance Department and heads the Firm’s financial regulatory and securities practice in the UAE. She is an Indian national. She worked with a leading Indian solicitor Firm, working both in the Corporate/Commercial and the Banking & Finance departments. She has also worked with ICICI Bank Ltd. as Manager, Legal in their Corporate Banking Department.
Divya has extensive experience in specialised areas such as the Regulatory Practice, Private Banking, Structured Finance, Capital Markets including Debt Capital Markets in addition to general corporate banking and advisory. She regularly advises on matters relating to licensing of financial institutions and the provision of financial services in the UAE and the DIFC; Banking M&A and restructuring; Conduct of business, compliance and AML matters and on FinTech matters. She has in depth knowledge of the private banking industry and frequently acts for financial institutions in the GCC, Europe and Far East in connection with complex private banking products and structures especially securities holding structures.
In 2005, she was seconded by the Firm to the Dubai International Financial Exchange Ltd (now called Nasdaq Dubai), where she was involved in the legal aspects of setting up the stock exchange including trading, clearing, settlement, membership etc.
Recent Experience
- Acting for one of the world’s largest diamantaires, in connection with a unique diamond securitization involving the issuance of secured notes, secured by inventories located in 20 countries worldwide. Our scope was to act as UAE counsel in connection with securing receivables originating in the UAE and with their sale on a cross border basis.
- Acting for Bank of Singapore in relation to the transfer of their business operations to the Dubai International Financial Center and obtaining their license from the Dubai Financial Services Authority. Additionally, acting as UAE counsel in relation to Bank of Singapore’s acquisition of Barclay’s wealth and investment business in Singapore and Hong Kong.
- Acting for Lloyds Bank in relation to the sale of its UAE Central Bank regulated portfolio to HSBC.
- Advising a global provider of payment services on transfer of its business operations into the UAE.
Language(s)
- English
- Hindi
Education
1999 –LLB, University of Mumbai
1996 – B.Com Major in Financial Accounting and Auditing, University of Mumbai
Admission
1999 – Bar Council of Maharashtra, India
Practice(s)
Sector(s)
Insights
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