Joining the firm’s growing Bahrain operations are Carlos Cerqueira and Brenda Mothersill, each of whom brings to Blakes and its GCC client base extensive expertise of global capital markets, banking and finance, energy and other key industrial sectors.
“We are delighted to announce the ongoing development of our operations in the Gulf region, where Blakes first established in 2009 and has continued to go from strength to strength. We continue to make real, long-term investments in the further growth of our business, both in Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as underscored by the addition of further high calibre talent to our already strong mix of Blakes lawyers relocated to the region and the top-end local talent we have hired,” said Dr. Saud Al-Ammari, Chair, Saudi Arabia and Gulf Region. “With their vast international experience and in particular expertise in sectors that are key for this region, Carlos and Brenda will be significant additions to our team and added resources helping us to meet the needs of an expanding blue-chip client roster across the GCC.” ..
Carlos Cerqueira, Partner at Blakes, has relocated to Bahrain after serving the firm in London and Canada, where he has been recognized by Lexpert magazine as one of the “Leading Lawyers Under 40” in Canada. Cerqueira practises corporate/commercial law with a focus on mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions. Cerqueira also has an active capital markets practice acting for both issuers and underwriters. Most recently, he has advised a number of clients in connection with new energy technology and emissions-trading transactions (including exchange-traded credits, futures contracts and over-the-counter trades).
Brenda Mothersill brings a wealth of experience to the firm’s Gulf Operations. She has worked at the firm’s Canada and London offices and is an Associate, whose practice includes a wide range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, corporate reorganizations and the provision of general corporate advice to clients.
She has been engaged on a variety of transactions with various Canadian and foreign clients for matters ranging from day-to-day commercial agreements to multibillion-dollar acquisitions and dispositions working within and often co-ordinating the efforts of a multidisciplinary team.
“We started our Gulf initiative with four lawyers,” said Brock Gibson, the Firm’s Chair. “But our existing and new clients have responded to our commitment, accessibility, quality of service and style of practice, by asking more and more of us. With the addition of Carlos and Brenda, we now have 14 lawyers on the ground in the Gulf and many more across our network dedicated to supporting and further strengthening our initiative in the GCC, where we continue to see strong growth both in the regional economies as well as in the businesses of our clients. .”