Osborne Partners strengthens Middle East team with Obaid Kazmi and Jonathan Hancox

Hot on the heels of launching in the Middle East, international consulting firm Osborne Partners has strengthened its Dubai office with senior recruits Obaid Kazmi and Jonathan Hancox.

Appointed a partner, Obaid Kazmi has more than two decades of professional services experience, focusing on complex commercial disputes in litigation and arbitration. He specialises in the quantification of damages, lost profits and forensic accounting analysis across a broad range of sectors, including real estate, energy, manufacturing, construction, technology and logistics.

Kazmi has acted as an independent expert witness, advising consultant and arbitrator in high-value matters before leading regional tribunals and the DIFC Courts. His experience includes disputes exceeding AED 250 million and cases involving allegations of financial manipulation, fraud and complex shareholder issues.

He joins Osborne Partners from Kroll, where he was a Managing Director in its Dubai office.

Also crossing from Kroll is Jonathan Hancox, who has been appointed a director. He has experience in forensic accounting, damages quantification and expert determinations. He has acted as a testifying expert in commercial disputes across the region, including before DIAC tribunals. His experience spans manufacturing, energy, commodities, banking and financial services, insurance, real estate and consumer goods.

Previously a Senior Manager at Kroll, Hancox has also led complex cross-border investigations and advised on regulatory investigations, market abuse claims and group and class action matters.

Montek Mayal, Partner and Practice Head for Asia and Middle East, said that the hire of the experienced duo marks an important step in the firm’s Middle East ambitions.

Headquartered in London, Osborne Partners is a consulting firm specialising in economic regulation, dispute resolution, valuations and litigation. Since its founding in 2018, the firm has expanded to the Asian markets of Mumbai and Singapore and, at the start of this year, it also entered the Middle East through a new hub in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

“I am excited to join Osborne Partners at a pivotal stage in the firm’s regional growth,” said Kazmi. “I look forward to working with the team to further build out our Middle East presence and supporting clients on complex cross-border disputes.”