The role
The Dubai office seeks a confident, experience and proactive Head of Company Services and corporate governance to join our client facing corporate platform. The individual must be fluent in English , to support the corporate team with public relations.
The role involves executing structuring and corporate actions while helping to scale a premium company services offering that complements our Corporate/M&A, private clients and advisory work.
The team
Our Dubai office, located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), is home to a well-established and high-performing corporate team. Led by Darren Harris, Managing Partner and Head of Corporate, the team brings deep regional expertise across M&A, joint ventures, corporate restructuring and general corporate law.
Darren is joined by Nora Al Muhamad, a partner with the corporate team with extensive experience on corporate restructuring. Nora also focuses on private clients and family-owned businesses in relation to succession planning, governance across sectors including education, healthcare, infrastructure, real estate, retail and consumer.
The wider team includes legal directors, together they have built a strong reputation for delivering strategic legal advice to clients across the Middle East and work closely with our Dubai-based partners and the wider Corporate Platform under the leadership of UK-based Beth Mather.
The person
We’re looking for a confident and proactive individual who thrives in a fast-paced professional services environment. The successful candidate will be fluent in English and have minimum seven years experience in company services and corporate governance working in all freezones, and mainland across the UAE, ideally within a legal or corporate setting. Experience in company services, company set up/formation is required. UAE experience is essential.
Particularly, we’re looking for someone who can demonstrate:
Client-Facing Delivery (Core Focus)
- Personally manage company formations, restructurings and governance actions across UAE onshore, DIFC, ADGM and key free zones.
- Execute share transfers, changes of managers/directors, licence amendments and regulatory filings.
- Work directly with partners and clients to translate legal advice into practical implementation.
- Liaise with registries, authorities and regional partner firms to deliver seamless cross-border execution.
Build a Premium Service Offering
- Help develop a scalable, product-led company services practice aligned with Gateley Middle East’s innovative commercial model.
- Contribute to pitches, client development and intermediary relationships across the accounting, tax and corporate finance ecosystem.
- Identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, delivery models and client experience.
Lead Through Delivery
- Act as a senior technical specialist while mentoring junior team members.
- Maintain high-quality governance and operational standards consistent with an international law firm environment.
- Be a visible, trusted adviser to partners and clients on structuring execution and regulatory processes.
Who This Role Suits
- A senior corporate services and corporate governance professional from a leading law firm, Big 4 or international advisory environment.
- Someone who enjoys being directly involved in the work, not purely overseeing it.
- Commercially minded, entrepreneurial and comfortable operating within a partner-led legal practice.
- Strong UAE regulatory experience and confidence dealing with authorities and sophisticated clients. Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.
- A flexible and adaptable approach, with a commitment to continuous learning and development.
This role is ideal for someone looking to build a long-term career in a dynamic and growing office, supporting high-quality corporate work across the region.