The international law firm has extended its reach in the Middle East.

Withers, the international law firm, is opening a tax office in the Dubai International Financial Centre and hiring tax specialist Stijn Janssen, following regulatory approval.  

Janssen will head the team, joining from EY's Dubai office, where he led the MENA private client services team and co-headed the Dubai international tax group since 2013. Janssen also opened the Dubai office of Loyens & Loeff in 2008 during a 15-year period working with the firm.

A corporate tax advisor, Janssen qualified to practice in the Netherlands, and is experienced on cross-border tax matters, including advising high net worth families and family offices on international tax and succession planning projects involving onshore and offshore trusts, foundations and holding entities in a variety of jurisdictions. He also advises corporates, investment funds and sovereign wealth funds on outbound investments, pre-IPO group restructurings and cross border M&A.

The office launch follows Withers' recent growth in Asia and the US. The firm opened offices in Sydney, Australia in December 2014; expanded its Singapore office through an alliance with KhattarWong in April 2015; opened new California offices in San Diego, Los Angeles and Rancho Santa Fe in June 2015; and opened in Tokyo in June 2015.