Ballard Partners opened a new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, led by Jasmine Zaki, to extend  counsel and advocacy services across the Middle East and North Africa region.

Florida-based Ballard Partners announced the opening of its new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where the firm will extend its strategic counsel and advocacy services to clients in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Jasmine Zaki will lead the Riyadh office and the firm’s MENA practice. In a prepared release, Ballard Partners described Zaki as an experienced attorney in international law, who has served as Senior Counsel at Bechtel and advised clients on investment and market entry in the MENA region. She also chairs the Middle East Policy Council and contributes to media on Middle Eastern affairs.

“I am thrilled to join Ballard Partners and lead the new office in Riyadh,” she said. “The MENA region is undergoing rapid transformation, and I look forward to helping our clients navigate this landscape.”

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al-Meleihi and former Congressman Robert Wexler were announced to join Zaki at the Riyadh office. Al-Meleihi, a member of the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, previously chaired the Saudi-Singapore Business Council.

“I am honored to join Ballard Partners as the firm establishes a presence in Riyadh,” he said. “The opportunities for increased commerce and investment in the region and the U.S. are immense, and I look forward to assisting the firm’s clients.”

Wexler, who represented Florida’s 19th district in Congress from 1997 to 2010, chaired the Subcommittee on Europe and served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He currently leads the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace in Washington, D.C.

Founder and President Brian Ballard expressed confidence in the success of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform plan following recent meetings with government officials.

“The opening of our Riyadh office is a testament to our firm’s continued growth and our dedication to serving clients on a global scale,” Ballard said. “Our presence in Riyadh will better serve our clients’ interests in the region and beyond.”