Victoria Ferres

Partner

Victoria Ferres advises international and domestic clients on the full spectrum of financial services regulatory, compliance, and financial crime matters across the UAE, including the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), as well as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Victoria leverages her background assisting leading financial and non-financial institutions in the UK, EU, and Middle East with financial services regulatory matters to advise commercial banks, investment banks, asset managers, investment advisers, alternative lenders, broker-dealers, and well-established institutional clients on the complex regulatory framework in the Middle East. Victoria also has an extensive background in the retail and fintech financial services regulatory space and is seasoned in advising commercial and digital banks, payment services and digital wallet providers, finance companies, technology companies, and digital asset players on the evolving regulatory and consumer protection framework in the region. 

Victoria regularly advises on projects for clients seeking to establish a presence in the UAE and KSA and guides them through such applications under the mainland UAE, ADGM, DIFC, and KSA regimes. She also advises financial services and non-financial services entities, together with government-related authorities, on their internal compliance and corporate governance frameworks, helping them to design and implement internal policies, procedures, and systems and controls in line with international compliance standards and best practices. 

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  • Counseled multiple alternative asset managers on all aspects of their licensing and establishment in the ADGM and DIFC, including providing ongoing regulatory advice and support in connection with their regional activities
  • Counseled numerous banks, investment banks, alternative asset managers, and fintech providers on regulatory considerations connected to the cross-border provision of financial services and products to clients based in the mainland UAE, ADGM, DIFC, and KSA
  • Advised a leading investment bank on its cross-border lending activities across the UAE and KSA, including as it relates to its private credit fund offering
  • Advised a legal technology company on its online subscription service for the mainland UAE, ADGM, and DIFC in connection with the cross-border marketing and selling of financial products and services, including digital asset products and services
  • Advised a global provider of electronic trading systems on its establishment in the UAE, and more specifically assisting with its establishment and licensing in the DIFC
  • Advised one of the UAE’s largest banks across its consumer banking offering, with a particular focus on its payments, stored value, and micro-lending operations
  • Assisted three first of their kind digital UAE banks on their applications to become licensed by the UAE Central Bank (CBUAE)
  • Advised a CBUAE-licensed international fintech provider on multiple aspects of its UAE operations, including with respect to expanding its existing scope of activities, supervisory, and compliance matters as well as regulatory engagement with the CBUAE
  • Advised a global payments and financial platform provider on certain aspects of its UAE and KSA-related operations and future expansion plans
  • Assisted a major UAE bank with its implementation of the CBUAE’s Open Finance Regulation
  • Advised multiple digital (app-based) mobile wallet providers on their applications to the CBUAE to become licensed under the Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation and Stored Value Facilities Regulation
  • Assisted a state-owned technology company on its application to become licensed as a finance company under the UAE Central Bank’s Finance Companies Regulation, one of the first such applications made under the revised framework
  • Advised a number of the world’s largest stablecoin issuers their respective expansions into the UAE market
  • Advised multiple virtual asset service providers on the expansion of their activities into the UAE, including advising on the merits of establishing under each of the mainland UAE, ADGM, and DIFC regimes
  • Counseled a state-owned investment firm on the proposed expansion of a blockchain digital asset ecosystem into the ADGM, including the licensing and establishment of a private bank, payments provider, and fund manager
  • Advised a major telecommunications provider in connection with a comprehensive compliance analysis for its financial services arm to assess its current regulatory compliance status and augment existing processes
  • Advised a national oil company on the design and implementation of the corporate governance framework for its newly launched technology investment arm
  • Assisted a state-owned investment firm on enhancements to its Code of Ethics and Delegation of Authority
  • Advised one of the region’s largest commercial-free zone authorities on the design and implementation of a legal obligations register setting out the laws and regulations that it is mandated to comply with
  • Advised multiple UAE entities on enhancements to their inside information and insider trading frameworks to align with international standards and best practices
  • Advised a DIFC-established family office on the design and implementation of a comprehensive compliance manual, including delivering a series of board and employee-level training sessions on the new compliance framework
  • Assisted a national rail company on the design, drafting, and implementation of its end-to-end compliance framework
  • Nottingham Law School, 2011, LPC, with distinction
  • University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2006, B.A. (Hons), law with French
  • Dubai Licensed Legal Consultant
  • England & Wales

Next Generation Partner, Financial Services Regulation, United Arab Emirates, The Legal 500 EMEA (2026)