Global Counsel open fifth international office and expand senior team
Strategic advisory firm Global Counsel are pleased to announce the opening of their fifth international office and welcome a series of new colleagues as the business continues to grow.
GC have established a new office in the Gulf to support new and existing clients seeking to develop their businesses in the Middle East. The team is based in Qatar with an office in Doha, led by Thomas Gratowski, Global Macro Practice Lead and now also Head of the MENA office. He is joined by Henrietta Metcalfe who most recently lead on high-value trade and investment campaigns for the British Embassy in Qatar and Ahmed Helal who has previously held roles at the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy and Commerce in Qatar. Both Henrietta and Ahmed will be Practice Leads.
Managing Director Benjamin Wegg-Prosser shares this about the company’s new presence in the Middle East:
“Our office in the Gulf is a crucial next step in building a truly global firm. Whether the issue is the energy transition to net zero, supply chain disruption or the regulation of crypto currencies the Gulf perspective cannot be ignored.
Global Counsel have supported clients from across the globe and in the MENA region for a number of years and this is a very important move for us. Our team on the ground is already in place and we are excited about building the next chapter of our story.”
Global Counsel have also strengthened their team in Singapore, bringing on Yo-Hann Tan as Senior Adviser and Marissa Lee as Senior Associate. Yo-Hann has three decades of international experience in investment banking and is a lawyer by training. Marissa was an award-winning business correspondent at The Business Times and The Straits Times in Singapore and covered Southeast Asian business, government and economic issues for nearly a decade. A stronger office in Southeast Asia will allow GC to take advantage of outbound investment trends, particularly into the Gulf, Europe and US where they have their other offices.
The London team has been enhanced thanks to the recruitment of Jon Garvie as Practice Lead for Policy. Jon joins GC from the British Cabinet Office and his background is as an economic diplomat, having spent the bulk of his career in the British Foreign Ministry. He will play a role strengthening the firm’s coverage of cross-cutting policy issues which will impact on corporates and investors in Europe and beyond.
All this could not have been achieved without the support and encouragement of GC’s clients and wider network, and they are pleased that they have been able to assist them all in these trying times with their advice, research and analysis.
