AG has announced the appointment of real estate finance and Islamic finance specialist, Habib Ullah, as a partner in its London based banking practice, demonstrating its commitment to the continued development of its team and capitalising on its existing real estate finance offering.

Habib, who will join the firm on 1st May 2017, has specialised in real estate finance and Islamic finance for over 17 years, having been a partner initially with Nabarro in London, and then Taylor Wessing in Dubai, where he established a successful finance practice, acting for a range of international and local banks based both in Europe and the Middle East.

Habib's expertise includes advising some of the largest banks and financial institutions in Europe and the Middle East on conventional and Shariah compliant finance transactions.

Amanda Gray, Divisional Managing Partner, Finance and Projects, said: "Habib is extremely well connected and will target high value, complex transactions, including a focus on securing additional borrower clients. His experience in the GCC and his Islamic finance expertise will provide additional support for our GCC finance practice and assist in differentiating our UK finance practice. We are delighted to have him join the team."

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

• Our banking practice, with over 100 lawyers internationally, covers a range of finance related advice as well as real estate finance, including asset finance and leasing, asset based lending, corporate banking, derivatives, finance for professional practices, funds finance, hotel finance, Islamic finance, leveraged finance and social housing.
• Our real estate finance practice is the largest element of our finance practice, undertaking some of the largest work in the sector, including property due diligence for substantial portfolio acquisitions and refinancings to single assets or large volumes of transactions.
• The team is known for its very strong lender led practice, with well-established relationships with the clearing banks. The team advises RBS, Barclays and Santander as well as M&G and Royal Bank of Canada and also acts for a substantial number of the German Pfandbrief banks, Irish banks, Islamic banks and a number of funds, insurers and alternative lenders.
• With a strong focus on the real estate sector to align ourselves with our clients' industries, we have developed a significant borrower practice working with the likes of Criterion Capital, Rocket Investments, UPP, Dandara, Tribeca and McLaren Property. In addition, we have a market leading reputation in hotel finance (where we act for more of the specialist hotel finance teams than any other firm in the market) and private rental sector schemes (having advised Dandara in 2016 on the largest deal ever undertaking in the PRS market).
• As well as the UK, we are active in advising investors and lenders from the Far East. Investors range from institutional investors such as Lembaga Tabung Haji (the Pilgrim Fund) to the private offices of ultra-high net worth individuals.