Trowers & Hamlins has hired corporate expert Geoff Allen as a partner in Kuala Lumpur, becoming the UK-headquartered law firm’s third partner in Malaysia. Allen was most recently working at Pinsent Masons Vario.

Trowers opened its Kuala Lumpur office in 2012. In 2015, it became the first foreign law firm to be granted a Qualified Foreign Law Firm (QFLF) licence in Malaysia. Trowers currently has 16 lawyers in the Malaysian capital.

With 17 years of experience in corporate practice – many of which were in the Middle East – Allen advises on acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures, investments, corporate restructuring, governance and general corporate advisory. He previously worked for Eversheds Sutherland both in the UK and with its associated firm in Riyadh, and then had in-house roles at Arabtec Holding PJSC, including as group general counsel.