Shahd Makhafah Joins Clyde & Co As First Female Partner In Saudi Arabia

Clyde & Co has appointed its first female partner in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Shahd Makhafah officially joined the firm’s partnership on November 1.

A dedicated member of Clyde & Co, Makhafah began her journey with the firm as a trainee in 2017. Based in Riyadh, she specializes in corporate law, providing expert advice on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, incorporations (including regional headquarters), restructurings, corporate governance, compliance, and capital markets.

Abdulaziz Al-Bosaily, Managing Partner, Clyde & Co, Saudi Arabia, expressed pride in Makhafah's appointment, stating, “Shahd is our first female partner in Saudi Arabia and her promotion is a testament to her hard work. It also reinforces our commitment to developing female talent and delivering in-country value through our cooperative training programme which nurtures and develops the next generation of legal professionals. Shahd plays a leadership role in this programme and the development of the firm’s junior talent in the Kingdom.”

Clyde & Co is recognized as the largest international law firm in the Middle East and expanded its presence in the Kingdom by opening a second office in Jeddah in May 2024. Earlier this year, the firm also moved its regional headquarters to Saudi Arabia after securingthe necessary license to operate in the country.

With Makhafah's promotion, Clyde & Co now has nine partners across its Riyadh and Jeddah offices. She joins a growing roster of prominent female partners at international law firms in the Kingdom, including Waad Alkurini, Executive Partner of White & Case’s Riyadh office, and Noor Al-Fawzan, a Corporate Partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Riyadh.