Hourani grows international arbitration and cross-border construction disputes offering with appointment of Daniel Xu as Partner

As part of establishing a dedicated construction disputes capability, Hourani announced today the appointment of Daniel Xu as a Partner in its Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice. Based in the firm’s Dubai office, Daniel is a disputes specialist with significant experience in complex construction, engineering and infrastructure matters, and a particular focus on international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution. His appointment strengthens Hourani’s construction disputes platform and supports the firm’s strategic focus on key client jurisdictions across the Middle East and Asia.

A Singapore-qualified lawyer and Part II registered advocate with the DIFC Courts, Daniel has been based in the Middle East since 2010. He has extensive experience acting for governments, state-owned entities, Fortune 500 companies and major corporates across the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions, advising on contentious and non-contentious matters throughout the lifecycle of large-scale projects. Daniel regularly advises international contractors and developers on project risk management and dispute avoidance, as well as on high-value arbitration and court proceedings related to construction and infrastructure.

Daniel has developed a strong track record in advising Asia-based clients on their investments and projects in the Gulf region. He sits as an accredited arbitrator on the panels of several leading international and regional arbitration centres and is consistently recognised by independent legal directories as a leading construction disputes practitioner in the United Arab Emirates.

Independent market commentators have previously noted that he “fills a niche in the market with his Mandarin language abilities and experience working in international firms, meaning he has carved out a strong following of Chinese inbound work into the Middle East”. His appointment aligns with Hourani’s strategy to deepen its capabilities along key investment corridors and to provide clients with seamless support from their home markets into the Gulf.

Commenting on Daniel’s arrival, Chadi Hourani, Managing Partner of Hourani, said:

“Daniel’s appointment is an important step in the continued growth of our arbitration and disputes practice and in the firm’s broader strategic development. Our clients increasingly require sophisticated, cross-border support on complex construction and infrastructure disputes, often involving multiple jurisdictions across the Middle East and Asia. Daniel brings a rare combination of regional experience, international arbitration credentials and language capabilities that will significantly enhance the way we serve those clients. His strong track record with state-owned entities, major corporates and Asia-based investors fits squarely with our ambition to be the preferred legal partner for clients operating along the GCC–Asia corridor.”

Commenting on his appointment, Daniel Xu said:

“I am delighted to be joining Hourani at a time when the firm is strategically investing in the growth of its disputes practice, including the further development of a strong, internationally focused arbitration offering. A new practice is often considered an underdog in a very competitive market but it’s always about the size of the fight in the dog. This practice has a very unique selling point of being conflict free and we are well positioned to support our clients across a wide spectrum of disputes with agility and nimbleness not seen in this market. Along with existing capabilities, we are also now a select dispute practice with comprehensive coverage across arbitration, offshore litigation in the DIFC and ADGM Courts and onshore litigation. The firm has built a strong reputation for combining regional insight with high-quality advocacy and international best practice. Many of the clients I work with are headquartered in Asia and are active investors in the Gulf. Having a platform that is truly rooted in the Middle East, while fully attuned to the expectations of international stakeholders, is critical to helping them manage risk and resolve disputes effectively. I look forward to working with my colleagues to support clients on their most complex construction and infrastructure disputes, and to further develop the practice across the region.”

With Daniel’s appointment from Eversheds Sutherland, Hourani marks its fourth top-calibre senior lateral hire in the past twelve months. Recently, the firm welcomed Partner and Head of Banking and Finance, Nadim Khan, formerly with Jones Day and Herbert Smith Freehills, Litigation Partner, Mohamed Abdelrehiem, formerly with Eversheds Sutherland and DLA Piper, and Corporate Counsel, Kasam Kiani, from A&O Shearman. The firm’s unique proposition – combining international law firm standards with deep regional insight – continues to attract senior talent from leading global practices and further strengthens the breadth and depth of expertise available to clients across the region.