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.
