Omar Momany is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group, based in our Dubai office. He focuses his practice on public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), corporate restructurings, corporate governance, joint ventures (JV), commercial matters and corporate/shareholders’ disputes in the UAE and throughout the region.

Omar has over 20 years of experience in the Middle East. He has acted for local and regional corporates and financial institutions, governments and regulatory bodies, multinationals, family businesses and royal houses. He is bilingual in Arabic and English.

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M&A, JVs and Equity Capital Markets (ECM)

  • Advising Taaleem Education PJSC on the acquisition of JAS schools in the UAE.
  • Advising a majority in a UAE construction and transport family business on the buyout of minority shareholders for US$100 million.
  • Advising a branch of a major UAE family on estate transition and planning involving a specific judicial committee.
  • Advising a major UAE family business on a JV with a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer.
  • Advising a major UAE family business on the acquisition of a stake in a French fashion and jewellery group.
  • Advising a major UAE family business on the investment in a Swiss luxury group.
  • Advising a syndicate of banks on the distress sale of technology assets to a major telecom operator in the UAE.
  • Advising a UAE family business on a JV with a ports company for the establishment of a wholesale food market in Abu Dhabi.
  • Advising a major Omani family business on its buy out of the UAE JV partner in a major food and beverage (F&B) JV operating in the GCC.
  • Advising Al Ghurair Investments on the sale of its indirect shareholding in a waste management business to a European operator.
  • Advising Seddiqi Holding on a JV with a Korean fashion group for the launch of its key fashion brand in the Middle East.
  • Advising Dar Al Takaful (listed) on its acquisition of the entire share capital of Noor Takaful General and Noor Takaful Family.
  • Advising a major UAE private equity firm on the acquisition of a substantial stake in a Spanish oil company – the holder of a an oil exploration and production concession in South Sudan.
  • Advising a major private equity and investment firm on the aborted deal to acquire the entire share capital of Noor Takaful.
  • Advising an investment house in the UAE on a JV with a European confectionary brand to set up an F&B group in the GCC.
  • Advising a major Japanese manufacturing company on shareholders and corporate governance issues in a regional JV.
  • Advising a major UAE family business on the exit of a major construction JV in the UAE.
  • Advising a major livestock and food manufacturing family business based in Jordan and Abu Dhabi on an M&A-driven restructuring and reorganisation of the group’s assets and subsidiaries in 20 different jurisdictions around the world.
  • Advising Oman Investment Fund on the public acquisition of a minority stake in RAK Ceramics PJSC listed on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).
  • Advising Jordan-based Al Rassam family on the sale of a significant minority interest in Al Nabil Food Industries Limited Company to The Carlyle Group, the first significant investment by an international private equity house into Jordan.
  • Advising HSBC Middle East on the acquisition of the onshore retail and commercial banking business of Lloyds TSB in the UAE.
  • Advising Nippon Steel on its acquisition of a substantial minority of Al Ghurair Iron & Steel LLC – a major UAE industrial company.
  • Advising Goldman Sachs on the US$11.3 billion merger of Emirates Bank and National Bank of Dubai – one of the largest banking mergers in the GCC.
  • Advising Mitsui & Co. on the sale of its stake in a Ras Al Khaimah based steel manufacturing company.
  • Advising Dubai government on the setting up of a US$20 billion corporate support fund.
  • Advising Emaar Properties on a multibillion dollar transaction involving share acquisition by Dubai Holding for land consideration.
  • Advising Xojet – a US private jet operator – on a JV with Abaar PJSC for the setting up of a private jet carrier in Abu Dhabi.
  • Advising General Dynamics on various transactions and JVs with defence holding companies in the UAE.
  • Advising a major Dubai based property developer on an aborted initial public offering (IPO) involving a bookbuilding pricing for the first time in a Dubai Financial Market (DFM) offer.
  • Advising a Dubai government corporation on the floating and IPO of 20% of its share capital.
  • Advising a UK clean energy company on the acquisition of an Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company.
  • Advising Gucci Group on a global JV with a UAE-based distributor.
  • Advising a Dubai private equity house on the acquisition of significant minority in a leading financial services firm listed on the DFM.
  • Advising a Shariah-compliant UAE PJSC that provides Haj and Omra services, on a corporate restructuring involving a purchase of shares by a strategic investor through convertible bonds.
  • Advising a Saudi-based GCC retail and fashion group on the corporate restructuring of 10 subsidiaries and businesses in the UAE.

General Corporate and Commercial Transactions

  • Advising Taaleem Education on various corporate transactions and matters.
  • Advising Kering Group on the deregistration of agency and distribution arrangements for several luxury brands in the Middle East.
  • Advising Emaar Properties on regular corporate governance matters.
  • Advising Emaar Malls on the development and implementation of a unique point-of-sale software and system.
  • Advising Emaar Properties on a master gas facility supply, management and maintenance arrangement.
  • Advising an Abu Dhabi-based investment company on a sports sponsorship arrangement with a UK-based athlete.
  • Advising ADS Securities on the drafting of a prime brokerage and asset management contract kit.
  • Advising Libya Oil Supply Company on the unfreezing of assets in the UAE, frozen pursuant to certain UN resolutions.
  • Advising a UAE-based bank in relation to its debt exposure to certain GCC family businesses.
  • Advising Westinghouse on its bid for the Abu Dhabi nuclear power project.
  • Advising ADCB in relation to a data centre services agreement with Injazat Data Systems.
  • Advising a major Dubai-based property developer on an AED3.5 billion concession and real estate development agreement with a Dubai government body.
  • Advising Novartis in connection with distribution and agency relationships across the Middle East.
  • Advising Bayer HealthCare and Bayer Technology in connection with distribution and agency relationships across the Middle East.
  • Advising various UAE public companies on corporate governance matters.

Regulatory and Legislation

  • Advising a regional government agency on the preparation and drafting of the legal and regulatory framework to establish economic zones in the Middle East, including a legal benchmarking comparative study on other international economic zones.
  • Advising the UAE Central Bank on a major review of the Central Bank Law and associated rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Advising the UAE Ministry of Economy on the drafting of its Competition Law and antitrust law and policies.
  • Advising UAE local (Dubai) and federal government authorities on the drafting of legislation related to the establishment of free zones, transportation and traffic regulations.
  • Advising Abu Dhabi Health Services Company on corporate governance, regulatory and corporate matters.
  • Advising Laboratory Corporation of America on various regulatory matters across the Middle East.
  • Advising Dubai Healthcare City on the drafting of its establishing decree, licensing regulations and dispute resolution provisions.
  • Advising a Jordanian government agency on proposed amendment to its Electronic Transactions Law.

Shareholders and Strategic Dispute Resolution

  • Representing a major UAE family business on a Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) arbitration in connection with a shareholders’ dispute over a food processing business in Lebanon.
  • Representing a Japanese medical supply company in connection with the successful termination of a distributor relationship in the UAE.
  • Representing a major UAE public company on the successful settlement and recovery of an insurance claim for more than AED1 billion.
  • Representing a major UAE public company in connection with high-profile ICC arbitration proceedings and the follow-on settlement of construction claims.
  • Representing Emaar Properties on a US$1.2 billion JV arbitration dispute in the Middle East.
  • Representing a major Saudi family on a shareholders’ dispute with a western partner in a Dubai based JV.
  • Representing a Kuwaiti investor on an AED200 million real estate and construction arbitration dispute governed by UAE law and involving a major developer in Dubai.
  • Representing a major UAE family business in connection with potential London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) shareholders’ disputes.

Education

  • Harvard Business School, High Potential Leadership Program, 2017
  • University of Aberdeen, LL.M., Commercial Law, 2001
  • University of Jordan, LL.B., (Hons), 2000

Admissions

  • Dubai, 2003
  • Jordan, 2000

Languages

  • English
  • Arabic
  • Ranked as a leading lawyer – UAE Corporate/Commercial, Chambers Global 2014 to 2022
  • Recognised as one of eight Leading Lawyers – UAE Corporate/Commercial, The Legal 500 2014 to 2022

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