04 Aug 2026
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer expands Riyadh team with Regulatory and Public Policy partner
"Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer appoints Abdullah Al‑Obaid as a Riyadh partner to establish a Regulatory and Public Policy practice, focusing on privatisation, PPP and regulatory and legislative drafting."
Abdullah joins Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer from AS&H Clifford Chance in Riyadh. Prior to that, he spent almost four years at the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP (NCP), advising on the procurement of high‑profile privatisation and public‑private partnership (PPP) projects and on regulatory development, including policy drafting and legislative work. He has extensive experience advising on legislative and regulatory matters, including the drafting and review of laws, regulations, implementing regulations, rules, policies and guidance manuals. Abdullah has advised government entities and private sector participants on a broad range of regulatory and privatisation projects supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and participated in drafting the Private Sector Participation Law (Privatisation and PPP Law), its implementing regulations, related rules and manuals, and other key legislative and regulatory frameworks governing private sector participation in the Kingdom. He also played a key role in the development and procurement of high‑profile privatisation and PPP projects across multiple sectors.
Abdullah joins the firm at partner level, strengthening Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer’s projects, project finance and regulatory capabilities in the Middle East and reflecting the firm’s continued investment in its Riyadh platform.