Tag: riyadh
Written by John on 20 January 2016.
♦ Moves News ♦ Beirut, Dubai, Riyadh
International law firm Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) today announced the expansion of its specialist Middle East legal offering with the launch of three new Associations in Riyadh, Beirut and Kuwait City. The move significantly extends the firm's geographical footprint across the Middle East region, now with offices in Dubai, Riyadh, Beirut, Kuwait and Abu Dhabi, and further strengthens and diversifies the capabilities of the existing team, taking the total number of lawyers working across the region to 40. Operating through associations with established local law practices Al-Enezee in Riyadh and El-Khoury & Partners (EKP) in Beirut, both of which have well recognised practices and a strong portfolio of regional business, HFW will continue to represent local businesses and government entities as well as multinational companies, financial institutions and private investors throughout the MENA region. The combined Saudi and Beirut-based team of 15 lawyers, led by Ziad El-Khoury alongside Khulaif Al-Enezee (Riyadh), Wissam Hachem (Riyadh) and Hadi Melki (Beirut) has more than 15 years 'on the ground' experience. In Kuwait, the firm will operate through an association with Rula Dajani Law Office, headed by the firm's Middle East Managing Partner Rula Dajani Abuljebain, to provide a range of onshore legal services across the firm's core industry sectors, and including local litigation. Rula will split her time between Dubai and Kuwait. Offering clients a unique blend of local market insight, industry expertise and commercial pragmatism, HFW’s Middle East team is ideally positioned to support local, regional and international clients with the full range of transactional, regulatory and dispute resolution legal services. As Middle East economies continue to diversify, the financial and business regulatory environment throughout the region is expected to rapidly evolve over the coming years. Through its new associations, a significant strategic development for the firm, HFW is well positioned to support its clients through this transition. The firm's capabilities span a number of sectors, including energy, construction and infrastructure, insurance, shipping, ports and terminals, aviation, corporate, commercial and finance, all of which continue to drive the Middle East regional economy. "We recognise the importance of the Middle East region to world trade and as such, it has become an increasingly important part of our growth strategy," said HFW's Senior Partner Richard Crump. "The addition of these Associations rapidly moves HFW into the top tier of firms operating in the region in terms of geographical footprint and size of team, which in turn enhances our experience and language capability and, importantly, provides greater cultural understanding to better serve our full client base across the region." HFW's Middle East Managing Partner Rula Dajani Abuljebain commented on the launch today saying, "The Middle East has vast potential for growth across a range of industries and it deserves specialist rather than generalist legal capability. Lawyers in our Middle East team have some 25 years collective experience of working in the region in our chosen industry sectors. We are therefore able to provide clients with legal advice which comes from a commercial understanding of the business environment in which they operate. Our clients have told us they find this combination invaluable." Ziad El-Khoury, lead Partner in the Riyadh and Beirut offices added, "At a time when the trend in the Middle East legal sector is to downsize or retrench, these Associations demonstrate HFW's vision and commitment to Middle East region. They bolster HFW's cross-regional service capability, and consolidate and complement already strong corporate, commercial, capital markets, energy and projects practices, and enable the firm to extend the reach of well reputed insurance, shipping, aviation and mining practices into Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Kuwait." Khulaif Al-Enezee, Partner of the Saudi association Al-Enezee commented : "We are delighted with our association with HFW. There is increasing room for specialisation in the Kingdom, particularly in terms of deploying economic diversity. Clients and government entities are looking for advisers who have the know-how and experience of working with global businesses in growth areas and being integrated into HFW’s global platform strengthens our capabilities significantly." The Middle East offers many opportunities for growth and these new Associations come just six months after the Saudi Stock Exchange, the Tadawul, opened up to foreign investors and at a time where the Government of Saudi Arabia is working to limit its reliance on hydrocarbons by driving growth and diversification across the private sector.
Written by John on 24 November 2015.
♦ Moves News ♦ Dubai, Riyadh
Herbert Smith Freehills is delighted to announce the expansion of its global offering to clients in the Middle East following the launch of its formal exclusive association with the Law Office of Nasser Al-Hamdan and the appointment of three leading partners: Nasser Al-Hamdan, a corporate partner in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and two projects partners – Euan Pinkerton in Riyadh and Anthony Ellis in Dubai. Nasser Al-Hamdan is a highly respected and high profile corporate lawyer specialising in capital market transactions, M&A, private equity and investment funds, as well as foreign direct investment into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is the Managing Partner of the Law Office of Nasser Al-Hamdan in association with Herbert Smith Freehills. He has also been elected a partner in Herbert Smith Freehills LLP having previously worked in both the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Based in Riyadh since 2011, Euan Pinkerton joins from White & Case, where he was a partner in the Energy, Infrastructure, Project and Asset Finance Group. A leading advisor in the Saudi market, Euan advises on both the financing and development aspects of projects, including conventional, Islamic and debt capital markets modes of financing, as well as matters of financial regulation and compliance with Sharia requirements in Saudi Arabia. His expertise covers oil and gas, infrastructure, petrochemicals, defence, manufacturing and real estate. Together, Nasser and Euan will represent a formidable team in the Saudi Arabian market, with a wide network of client contacts, and technical and cultural market expertise. Based in Dubai, Anthony joins Herbert Smith Freehills from DLA Piper where he has spent over seven years leading the development of several large scale power, water and process plant projects in the Middle East and Africa. His experience and capability on infrastructure projects in the region puts him in a unique position to support Herbert Smith Freehills' expansion plans in the Middle East. Anthony will be joined by a senior associate seconded from the Australian offices. This exclusive association with the Law Office of Nasser Al-Hamdan in Riyadh, alongside the appointments of Euan Pinkerton and Anthony Ellis, will further strengthen the firm's existing Middle East team of eight partners and 31 lawyers working out of the Dubai and Doha offices. Sonya Leydecker, Joint CEO, Herbert Smith Freehills, commented: "Together with our recent launches in Johannesburg and Dusseldorf, this will be our third major investment in strengthening the firm's presence across the EMEA region, a key focus for the firm to provide clients with a truly global offering." Herbert Smith Freehills' Head of Middle East Zubair Mir commented: "We are strongly committed to growing our leading practice in the region. Saudi Arabia is the only Arab nation belonging to the G20, has the largest projects market in the Middle East and is in the process of diversifying its economy, modernising its infrastructure and creating jobs. Our association with Nasser Al-Hamdan, which brings a leading corporate capability into Saudi Arabia, and the hire of projects partners Euan Pinkerton and Anthony Ellis, are therefore important steps for the firm which will help us to meet the current and future needs of our clients." Patrick Mitchell, Head of Infrastructure for UK and EMEA, Herbert Smith Freehills, commented: "We are delighted to welcome Nasser, Euan and Anthony to the projects and infrastructure team and Nasser to our corporate global team. The addition of three partners of this calibre and regional standing, with Nasser's corporate track record, will significantly enhance our projects and corporate capability in the Gulf and the wider Middle East."
Written by John on 27 August 2015.
♦ Moves News ♦ Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
AlDhabaan & Partners in association with Eversheds LLP has announced the appointment of Fahad AlDehais, who joins the firm from Vinson & Elkins LLP as a Partner and General Manager for the firm’s Saudi Arabia practice. Fahad is highly experienced in capital market transactions, having worked on and supervised multiple listings, funds, corporate and commercial transactions and sophisticated foreign investments. He also has extensive experience in banking, insurance and money laundering and has taught numerous courses with SAMA’s Institute of Banking and Finance. Fahad is also a practicing litigator and has advised on international arbitrations, appeared and continues to attend and appear before the specialized judicial committees (tribunals), the Board of Grievances (Commercial and Administrative Circuits), the Sharia Courts and the Enforcement Courts. Commenting in his new appointment, Fahad AlDehais said: “I am excited by the opportunity to work alongside the talented team at AlDhabaan & Partners and Eversheds and follow in the firm’s proud tradition of providing innovative legal solutions to clients.” Mohammad AlDhabaan, Chairman of Eversheds Riyadh office commented: “Saudi Arabia's fast-growing economy continues to make it an attractive region for doing business and Fahad’s legal acumen will greatly assist both new and existing clients.” Nasser Ali Khasawneh, Eversheds Middle East Managing Partner commented: “Fahad is an excellent lawyer with extensive finance and litigation experience. He will be valuable member of the team as we continue to grow both our local and international mandates.”
Written by Editor on 18 March 2015.
♦ Recent Deals ♦ Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), as a sponsor, on the development and financing for the US$8 billion expansion of an existing, world-scale petroleum refining and petrochemicals complex in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. "These funds will enable our client, and its partners, to develop further one of the world’s largest refining and petrochemical complexes through a widespread expansion programme," said White & Case partner Jason Kerr. "The cross-border deal team was able to utilise its extensive experience to successfully deliver this complex project financing." The Rabigh Refining and Petrochemicals Complex is owned by Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company - a joint venture of Saudi Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. that is publicly listed on the Saudi stock exchange. On 26 February 2015, the parties executed financing documents, bringing in US$8 billion – US$5 billion in debt and US$3 billion in equity - of new funds to the integrated project. Financial close and effectiveness of the financing was achieved on 16 March 2015. Once the expansion project is complete, the US$18 billion combined facilities will form one of the largest refining and petrochemical complexes ever built. White & Case advised Saudi Aramco on all aspects of this landmark transaction: project development, due diligence, commercial launch, negotiation and drafting of finance documents, signing, and financial close. A team of lawyers from offices across the Firm’s global network negotiated 150 sophisticated finance documents with around thirty financial institutions - commercial banks, Islamic finance banks, public investment funds and development funds and governmental export-credit agencies (including Japan Bank for International Cooperation - that are providing financing for the expansion. The Firm also helped harmonize initial and new project documentation across categories of conventional, Islamic and developmental finance, advised the client on international and domestic changes that have altered the legal landscape and commercial context in the years since the initial project was built and provided counsel on commercial contracts and financial instruments relating to the expansion of independent facilities necessary to sustain the Rabigh complex. The team of lawyers advising Saudi Aramco included Jason Kerr and Carina Radford in London; Wendell Maddrey, Jean Shimotake, Jason Webber and Clark Wohlferd in New York; Alex Malahias in Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Waleed Al-Nuwaiser, Doug Peel and Antoine Cousin in Riyadh. Michael C. Smith, Ghassan Shawli, and Kevin Estis led Saudi Aramco’s internal legal team.
Written by John on 02 October 2013.
♦ Moves News ♦ Middle East, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Clifford Chance and Al-Jadaan & Partners Law Firm announced today the appointment of Anas Al Sheikh to the position of Counsel. Anas joins Al-Jadaan from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Capital Markets Authority (CMA) where he held the senior position of Manager of Rules & Regulations & International Standards in the legal department. Anas spent more than eight years with the CMA where he managed a large team of regulatory lawyers. Mohammed Al-Jadaan, Managing Partner of Al-Jadaan said: "We are delighted that Anas has decided to join our growing team. His specialist expertise in capital markets, particularly in connection with regulatory issues, will continue to enable us to deliver the best insights and highest quality advice to our clients." Anas' practice will focus on the full range of corporate and capital markets matters with an emphasis on sukuks and Arabic related regulatory advice. He will work closely with Riyadh-based partners Tim Plews, Abdulaziz Al-Abduljabbar, Khalid Al-Abdulkareem, Omar Rashid and Paul Latto, who, along with all Al-Jadaan transactional associates, will transfer to Clifford Chance's Saudi partnership from 1 January 2014. Earlier this year Clifford Chance announced that it has received approval from the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Industry to set up a mixed Saudi and foreign lawyer partnership, making it the first international law firm to establish formally in this way in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Graham Lovett, Clifford Chance Regional Managing Partner for the Middle East said: "Anas' formidable expertise in capital markets will further complement our transactional offering in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It also demonstrates that we are focused on the development of Saudi legal talent." The Riyadh based transactional teams were recently bolstered with the hire of Jean-Francois Seguin and Royce Saheed, and the secondment of senior associate Daniel Royle from the London office of Clifford Chance. Clifford Chance continues to be recognised for its cutting-edge work in the Middle-East with the Firm recently being named Middle East Law Firm of the Year by Chambers Global 2013 and IFLR Middle East International Law Firm of the Year 2012 (winning for the fifth time in six years). Al-Jadaan has won the IFLR Saudi Law Firm of the Year in each of the seven years it has been awarded. Both firms also shared the IFLR Debt and Equity Linked Deal of the Year award for the Saudi GACA sukuk and IFLR Equity Deal of the Year award for the Zain KSA rights issue. Clifford Chance has in the past two years launched offices in Doha, Casablanca and Istanbul as it continues to serve clients across the Middle East and North Africa.