Farmida Bi re-elected Chair, Europe, Middle East and Asia

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright is pleased to announce that Farmida Bi, CBE has been elected for a second term as Chair for Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Farmida, a partner in the banking and finance team and Head of Islamic Finance, Europe, will assume her second term with effect from May 1, 2021, for a three-year period.

As Chair, Farmida will be involved in a range of strategic priorities, including supporting the firm’s clients and practices, diversity and inclusion, sustainability and community engagement. 

Farmida commented: “It’s a great honour to be re-elected as Chair and I look forward to working with colleagues to support the firm’s clients, particularly over the next year with the focus on sustainability initiatives, as well as ensuring we are creating a workplace that is diverse and inclusive.” 

Peter Scott, Managing Partner, Europe, Middle East and Asia, commented: “We’re delighted that Farmida will continue as our Chair and we thank her for her significant contributions to date in driving forward our business, including initiating programmes to promote our corporate social responsibility work and that foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.”

Farmida Bi has more than 25 years of experience in capital markets and Islamic finance transactions and is the firm’s European Head of Islamic Finance. Farmida continues to advise clients and her varied practice includes sovereign bonds and programmes, Islamic finance, project bonds, restructurings and regulatory issues. 

Farmida is named as a 'leading individual' for Islamic finance and debt capital markets in The Legal 500 UK 2020; was listed in Financial News’ 100 Most Influential Women in European Finance and The Lawyer's Hot 100 for 2019; and was named one of the five most powerful Muslim women in the UK in The Times' inaugural Muslim Women Power List.

She was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2020 for services to the law and to charity.