Managing Partner

Acting as general co-counsel to the Higher Council for Privatization and Partnerships (HCPP) of the Republic of Lebanon, headed by the Prime Minister of Lebanon, on several proposed PPP projects, including by way of example the expansion of the Beirut International Airport with IFC (a member of the world bank group) as lead advisor, the Dbayeh – Okaybeh expressway with EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) as lead advisor, and a national data center with KPMG as lead advisor. The work included by way of example finding solutions to complex legal issues, the structuring of PPP projects, the drafting of laws and decrees etc.

Advising the Higher Council for Privatization of the Republic of Lebanon on several proposed privatization projects including the establishment by the private sector of a greenfield combined-cycle power plant in Northern Lebanon (Deir Ammar) led by IFC, the sale by the Lebanese government of the two mobile network licenses to private investors, the corporatization of Electricité du Liban etc.

Participating in the steering committee appointed by the Prime Minster of Lebanon to prepare the draft Lebanese Public Private Partnership Law and its implementing decrees.

Advising the government of France, acting through an agency working under the umbrella of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Economy, and funded by the European Union, on a tender process conducted in Lebanon, in the context of a proposed construction/social project involving multiple stakeholders, including AUB, local municipalities and NGOs.

Participating as legal expert with a leading Lebanese construction group with international operations in the bid for a major PPP construction project undertaken by the Government of an African country.

Advising, as member of the legal team, Electricité du Liban (EDL), the national power company, on legal issues arising out of the Distribution Service Providers contracts.

Advising a leading United Arab Emirates port management company with worldwide operations that was managing the container terminal at the Port of Tripoli on several matters, including (i) the exercise of a call option for the acquisition of 10% of a Lebanese company, (ii) the preparation of a bid for the management of the Port of Beirut, and subsequently (iii) a settlement entailing the transfer of its interests to a French leading port management/shipping group and the recovery of several million dollars of fees due from Lebanese operators, in a transaction involving major stakeholders such as leading multinational companies and the Lebanese government.

Advising a leading wood and lumber selling and manufacturing group of companies based in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on a wide range of general corporate and commercial matters conducted in several jurisdictions and on a proposed divestment to a private equity fund.

Advising a leading regional investment bank on its acquisition of 65% of the common shares of a leading Lebanese bank with a call option on an additional 25.2%, for a total transaction value of US.$. 750 million, then the largest single investor transaction in Lebanon, and subsequently on a tender offer made to minority shareholders of the bank.

Advising as Lebanese co-counsel on the divestiture by a leading regional bank of its common shares and GDRs in a listed Lebanese leading bank, for a total transaction value of US.$. 913 million.

Advising the Switzerland based trust acting on behalf of a Saudi prominent billionaire family on the multi-million dollar acquisition of real estate property in Lebanon and the acquisition of a foreign based company.

Advising a leading Lebanese bank and a regional leading investment bank on a proposed combination under the umbrella of a DIFX listed company and a contemplated quadruple listing, for a total proposed transaction value of USD 7 billion.

Advising the sellers on their divestiture to a Dutch listed company of an international group of ten companies incorporated in several jurisdictions and the concurrent spin-off of certain assets of the companies.

Advising a leading Lebanese bank on the acquisition of an Egyptian financial institution.

Advising a leading Lebanese bank on the acquisition of a Lebanese financial institution

Acting as Lebanese counsel on the transfer as a going concern by a leading U.S. company of its business in Lebanon, as part of a global transaction carried out in over 60 jurisdictions.

Advising a telecommunications company on its acquisition of the fixed and GSM mobile network operators in an African country and the subcontracting of its management to a leading German telecommunications group.

Advising a leading regional telecommunications group on the acquisition of a Lebanese telecommunications company and obtaining a DSP license from the Lebanese competent authorities and on its operations in Lebanon.

Advising a Kuwaiti group company on the financing of its expansion to other GCC countries through the raising of senior secured debt and mezzanine debt from institutional lenders.

Performing on-site due diligence in Kuwait on a leading Kuwaiti construction conglomerate with international operations in the context of a corporate restructuring/IPO.

Advising on the formation and operation of venture capital funds with an investment focus on technology companies in the United States and the UK, on subsequent closings and exit strategies, with a focus on innovative solutions for fiscal optimization.

Advising the Manager and Placement Agent on the establishment of an open-ended pooled investment fund with an investment focus on sovereign debt securities.

Advising the Placement Agent on the marketing and sale of the interests of a U.S. real estate blind pool fund in Lebanon and the Middle East to non-U.S. investors who will invest through U.S. blocker corporations for optimal tax treatment.

Advising the lead managers as Lebanese counsel on the exchange and issuance by the Republic of Lebanon under its Global Medium Term Note Program of more than 20 series of Eurobonds.

Advising the lead managers and underwriters as Lebanese counsel on the issuance by several Lebanese banks of Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) to be listed for trading on the London Stock Exchange.

Advising Lebanese banks on several issuances of preferred shares, subordinated notes and other securities and structured products.

Advising developers on the financing, construction and sale of residential and commercial building projects.

Advising buyers and sellers on numerous real estate sale transactions.

Advising on arbitration cases.div>

Handling various litigation cases before Lebanese courts, in civil, commercial and administrative law matters.

Advising several international law firms on various matters of Lebanese law.