Key Takeaways
- • Akin Gump appoints Andrea Dougall (Abu Dhabi) and Marie-Sophie Bandeira Vieira (Dubai) as partners in its investment management practice, expanding the firm's alternative investments offering across the Middle East region.
- • Dougall brings 12+ years of regional experience advising sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors on global fund investments, co-investments, and bespoke investment structures across the GCC; Bandeira Vieira specializes in private fund structuring, formation, and regulatory compliance for sponsors and major institutional capital sources.
- • The hires reinforce Akin's position as a premier funds adviser in the Middle East, complementing the recent relocation of London partner Tim Pearce to Abu Dhabi and leveraging the firm's globally integrated investment management platform of 100+ lawyers.
- • Both partners previously worked together and will deliver integrated sponsor-side and investor-side capabilities—combining Bandeira Vieira's fund formation expertise with Dougall's established LP relationships—addressing the Gulf's evolution as both a capital source and an emerging hub for fund establishment and regulation.
- • Akin maintains 20+ years of presence in the Middle East and positions this expansion to capture opportunities as capital flows across global markets and institutional investors increasingly seek advisers providing seamless support across alternative investment asset classes.
Summary
Akin Gump strengthened its investment management practice in the Middle East on September 8, 2026, by appointing Andrea Dougall and Marie-Sophie Bandeira Vieira as partners in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, respectively. The two executives, who previously worked together, are reuniting to expand the firm's full-service alternative investments offering in the region. According to Akin co-chair Abid Qureshi, the hires underscore the firm's long-term commitment to growth in the Middle East and mark an important expansion of its investment management platform, enhancing its ability to deliver alternative investment services comparable to those offered in the U.S. and London.
Dougall joins from Morgan Lewis, where she was a partner in the investment management practice. Based in the region for over 12 years, she represents sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors on global fund investments, advising on open and closed-ended funds, separately managed accounts, co-investments, joint ventures, and bespoke investment structures across the alternative investment landscape. She has built longstanding relationships with many of the region's most prominent investors and brings deep knowledge of the GCC investment landscape.
Bandeira Vieira transitions from White & Case, where she was a partner in the global investment funds group. Her practice focuses on advising sponsors on the structuring, formation, and operation of private investment funds across asset classes, guiding them through the full fund lifecycle from regulatory licensing through fund launch and compliance. She also advises major sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors on private fund investments, co-investments, separately managed accounts, and bespoke platforms. Daniel Quinn, co-leader of Akin's investment management practice, noted that the combination of Bandeira Vieira's sponsor-side expertise and Dougall's investor relationships "create a combination few firms can rival."
The expansion reflects Akin's recognition that the Middle East has become strategically important in the global alternative investment landscape. As Bandeira Vieira emphasized, the Gulf is no longer solely a source of capital but increasingly a jurisdiction where funds are established, regulated, and marketed—requiring international structuring standards paired with regional expertise. Barbara Niederkofler, Akin co-leader of investment management, stated that as capital moves across global markets and asset classes, clients seek advisers who understand their operations and can provide seamless support across the full breadth of alternative investments. The hires complement the recent relocation of London partner Tim Pearce to Abu Dhabi and reinforce Akin's position as a premier destination for both general partners and limited partners in the region.
Akin's investment management practice comprises over 100 lawyers globally and advises sponsors and investors through the complete lifecycle of private investment funds, from formation and fundraising through operations and complex transactions. Both Dougall and Bandeira Vieira will present at the Dubai Private Capital Summit on September 15 and at Akin's 2026 Funds Conference in New York on September 24.
Dougall joins from Morgan Lewis, where she was a partner in the investment management practice. Based in the region for over 12 years, she represents sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors on global fund investments, advising on open and closed-ended funds, separately managed accounts, co-investments, joint ventures, and bespoke investment structures across the alternative investment landscape. She has built longstanding relationships with many of the region's most prominent investors and brings deep knowledge of the GCC investment landscape.
Bandeira Vieira transitions from White & Case, where she was a partner in the global investment funds group. Her practice focuses on advising sponsors on the structuring, formation, and operation of private investment funds across asset classes, guiding them through the full fund lifecycle from regulatory licensing through fund launch and compliance. She also advises major sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and institutional investors on private fund investments, co-investments, separately managed accounts, and bespoke platforms. Daniel Quinn, co-leader of Akin's investment management practice, noted that the combination of Bandeira Vieira's sponsor-side expertise and Dougall's investor relationships "create a combination few firms can rival."
The expansion reflects Akin's recognition that the Middle East has become strategically important in the global alternative investment landscape. As Bandeira Vieira emphasized, the Gulf is no longer solely a source of capital but increasingly a jurisdiction where funds are established, regulated, and marketed—requiring international structuring standards paired with regional expertise. Barbara Niederkofler, Akin co-leader of investment management, stated that as capital moves across global markets and asset classes, clients seek advisers who understand their operations and can provide seamless support across the full breadth of alternative investments. The hires complement the recent relocation of London partner Tim Pearce to Abu Dhabi and reinforce Akin's position as a premier destination for both general partners and limited partners in the region.
Akin's investment management practice comprises over 100 lawyers globally and advises sponsors and investors through the complete lifecycle of private investment funds, from formation and fundraising through operations and complex transactions. Both Dougall and Bandeira Vieira will present at the Dubai Private Capital Summit on September 15 and at Akin's 2026 Funds Conference in New York on September 24.
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