Ameer Khan spent 17 years at Apex Group before Praxis convinced him to switch sides. On 16 June, the Dubai-based professional services firm announced Khan would lead fund operations across the six GCC states.
The hire signals ambition.
Khan brings nearly two decades of experience in investor servicing, regulatory compliance and the operational machinery that keeps alternative investment structures running. At Apex, a global financial services firm, he shepherded funds through the full investor lifecycle—onboarding, transaction processing, AML and KYC reviews, regulatory reporting. The unglamorous backbone work that fund managers rely on but rarely celebrate.
Praxis has been building that backbone in the Middle East longer than most. The firm secured the first Trustee licence from the FRSA in 2016, then became the first to hold a Fund Administrator licence in ADGM when regulators granted it in 2017. Nearly a decade later, it remains the longest-standing licence holder in the jurisdiction.
From his Dubai base, Khan will work alongside Chris Gibbons, Praxis’ Group Head of Corporate & Funds, to construct what the firm calls a “scalable, efficient and client-focused operating platform.” Translation: the infrastructure to handle growth without breaking. Fund managers, family offices and institutional investors across the region have been knocking louder. Demand for specialist administration, governance and compliance services has climbed steadily as Middle East capital seeks alternative structures beyond traditional equities and real estate.
Robert Fearis, Praxis’ Group CEO, framed the appointment around long-term positioning rather than immediate wins. “As a key growth market, we continue to invest in the people and capabilities required to support our long-term ambitions in the Middle East,” he said. “As client demand continues to grow, it is essential that we invest not only in governance and regulatory expertise but also in the operational capability required to deliver consistently excellent service. Ameer brings valuable operational expertise and leadership experience that will further strengthen our offering in this space.”
Khan isn’t the only senior hire Praxis has made recently. The firm brought on Brian Reilly and several other senior figures as part of what it describes as building a “market-leading corporate and funds platform.” The pattern suggests Praxis is moving beyond its first-mover advantage and into a phase where operational capacity matters as much as regulatory credentials.
The firm now operates offices in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, leveraging what it calls the “distinct advantages” of each emirate to serve clients across corporate and fund administration, private wealth structuring, and employer solutions. That geographic spread reflects the reality that GCC fund activity doesn’t concentrate in a single jurisdiction—managers structure vehicles across multiple free zones depending on investor domicile, asset class and regulatory appetite.
Khan sounded bullish about the timing. “Praxis’ long-standing presence in the Middle East, combined with its continued investment in corporate and fund services, makes this an exciting time to join the business,” he said. “I am looking forward to contributing to the continued growth of the Corporate & Funds division and supporting clients across the region.”
Whether that growth materialises depends partly on factors beyond Praxis’ control—oil prices, geopolitical stability, regulatory shifts in competing jurisdictions. But the firm clearly believes the operational infrastructure it’s building now positions it to capture whatever growth emerges. Hiring someone with 17 years at a global competitor suggests confidence that the work is already there, waiting to be processed.
