Squire Patton Boggs, one of the world’s strongest integrated legal practices, has appointed Leroy Levy as a partner in its Public & Infrastructure Finance Practice and head of project development for the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region based in Dubai.

Levy joins the firm from the Dubai office of King & Spalding, where he was a partner in its project finance practice for eight years, said a statement from Squire Patton Boggs.

Levy, who has lived and worked in the Middle East since 2000, specialises in infrastructure projects in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where he has advised for many years.

He acts for a broad range of clients in public-private partnerships (PPP) and other project finance transactions, in sectors such as energy, waste management, healthcare, education and transportation, said the statement.

Levy has worked on some of the largest, most innovative and best-known infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia. Among them are the $20 billion Sadara complex, the largest petrochemical project in the world; Sadaf Captive Power Project, the first independent captive power project in the Kingdom; representing Acwa in the $3 billion independent water and power project at Shuaibah; and advising Tatweer Buildings Company on the first schools PPP project in Saudi Arabia.

A graduate of Queen Mary College, University of London, Levy also holds an M.Sc. in arbitration and construction law from King’s College, London, and is on the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe’s roster of experts. Prior to joining King & Spalding in 2010, he was head of the Saudi projects practice at Trowers & Hamlins.

Thomas P. Wilson, Dubai office managing partner and co-leader of the firm’s global Infrastructure Industry Group, commented: "We are continuing to expand our capabilities in infrastructure and project finance in the Middle East."

"It is great to have Levy now join us and he will have a warm welcome from a team that is well used to advising local and international clients on large, complex infrastructure investments and projects across the region – not to mention our pioneering work on developing PPP for national governments," stated Wilson.

Khalid A. Al-Thebity, Riyadh office managing partner, said: "We have known Levy for some time, as he has worked on some of the most significant infrastructure projects in the kingdom to date. His expertise will be a welcome additional resource as our team gears up for further infrastructure investment as the government’s economic reform program, Vision 2030, continues to unfold."

 Levy is the latest senior appointment in infrastructure and project finance in the firm’s Middle East practice, following the arrival of partner Shane Wilson in October 2017.-TradeArabia News Service