DLA Piper banking partner Chris Sioufi is set to leave the transatlantic giant to join the Dubai office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.

Sioufi, who was head of the Middle East banking and investment banking group at DLA Piper, joined the transatlantic firm in February last year after a spell as general counsel of Unicorn Investment Bank. He will join Akin Gump after he finishes a period of gardening leave.