Biography
Arnold is a senior associate in White & Case's UAE financial services regulatory practice. Arnold has built significant in-depth expertise and experience and has become the go-to adviser for regional and international, in particular UK and US clients, seeking to enter the UAE or those already located in the region.
His broad experience includes advising alternative investment funds, asset managers, fund managers, investment firms, governmental entities (including sovereigns), technology companies and fintechs across a wide range of matters in the DIFC, the ADGM, onshore UAE and the wider Middle East region. His experience includes advising on financial services regulatory, funds regulatory (including cross-border marketing of funds), licensing, compliance, fintech, data protection and employment matters. He also regularly advises on regulatory issues relating to M&A transactions in the financial services sector including on change in control requirements across each of the UAE jurisdictions. Arnold also has experience drafting internal compliance policies and manuals for regulated entities and, more broadly, assists clients with general advisory matters.
Arnold is highly regarded by clients in the GCC region for his regulatory insights, connections with key regulators and outstanding legal acumen, evidenced by being recognised as a "Leading Associate" in the UAE Banking and Finance: Financial Services Regulation category by Legal 500 two years in a row in 2025 and 2024 as well as an "Associate to Watch" in the UAE FinTech Legal category by Chambers and Partners in 2025.
Experience
Representative transactions include advising:
- Brookfield Asset Management across a wide spectrum of financial services regulatory, funds regulatory and compliance matters in the DIFC.
- Amazon Payment Services and Amazon.com on a number of matters in the UAE and wider-Middle East, including in connection with numerous Saudi, UAE, Egypt and wider Middle East payments, financial services (including with respect to BNPL), fintech, data protection and e-commerce matters and agreements.
- Saudi Aramco and certain UAE state-owned entities in connection with confidential regulatory compliance matters.
- Meta (f/k/a Facebook) on numerous MENA matters.
- Starwood Capital in connection with financial services regulatory, licensing, employment and data protection matters in the UAE.
- Mirabaud (Middle East) Limited, the DIFC arm of Mirabaud Group, in connection with UAE financial services regulatory matters.
- A US credit asset manager in connection with the establishment of its UAE office in the ADGM and ongoing financial services regulatory, compliance, data protection matters and employment matters.
- A UAE sovereign wealth fund in connection with the UAE regulatory consequences of engaging in financial services activities in a neighbouring GCC market.
- Numerous sponsors on financial services regulatory aspects of establishing funds in the DIFC and the ADGM and fund marketing on a cross-border basis.
- Saudi government bodies, ministries and authorities in connection with data privacy, data protection and digital regulation matters.
- A GCC sovereign in connection with the reform of an industry.
- A government department of a GCC sovereign on commercial contracts with a US corporate.
- GTCR and Reverence Capital Partners on their $2.1 billion acquisition of Wells Fargo Asset Management.*
- Nordic Capital on the funds regulatory aspects related to the formation of their: (i) Nordic Capital Evolution Fund with aggregate capital commitments of €1.2 billion; and (ii) Nordic Capital Fund X with aggregate capital commitments of €6.1 billion.*
- GTCR on the funds regulatory aspects related to the formation of their: (i) GTCR Strategic Growth Fund with aggregate capital commitments of $2 billion; and (ii) GTCR Fund XIII with aggregate capital commitments of $7.5 billion.*
- The bidding consortium led by Advent, Cinven and the RAG-Stiftung on the acquisition of the elevator division of thyssenkrupp AG for €17.2 billion, the largest European buyout transaction at the time.*
*Experience prior to joining White & Case.
"Arnold Krutilins has been instrumental in the legal elements … working with him has been great, with proactive responses and efficient communication allowing legal matters to progress timeously… His legal work has been outstanding and has assisted us greatly with overall requirements." – Legal 500 (2025), UAE, Financial Services Regulatory
"highly regarded for his regulatory insights and connections with key regulators, as well as his expertise in funds" – Legal 500 (2025), UAE, Financial Services Regulatory
"Arnold is extremely well organised. He is very articulate, and his presentation skills stand out." – Chambers and Partners (2025), UAE, FinTech
Legal 500 – UAE Financial Services Regulatory: Leading Associate (2025 and 2024)
Chambers – UAE FinTech Legal: Associate to Watch (2025)
