Rupert Harper leads Covington's Middle East Corporate and M&A practice. He has over 20 years' experience advising clients on complex M&A, joint venture, strategic investment and special situations transactions. He has particular experience assisting clients navigate challenging legal, regulatory and policy issues - often in complex and sensitive risk and regulatory contexts.

Rupert has extensive transactional experience in highly regulated and advanced industries such as energy & infrastructure, telecoms, technology, healthcare and national security & defense. He has particular experience advising sovereign wealth funds and government related entities in the Middle East, as well as financial sponsors - including major private equity and infrastructure investors. Rupert acts for a number of leading global corporations on their most significant M&A and joint venture transactions in the region, including complex industrialization partnerships, and on re-organisation and corporate governance issues.

Rupert has been based in the UAE since 2008. He has been recognized for nearly a decade in the leading legal directories as one of the leading M&A lawyers in the Middle East and is noted for his commercial approach and strategic thinking. Rupert is described in Chambers as "extremely hard-working and detail-oriented. He leads by example and is calm under pressure so is an asset for any client."