Corporate / Mergers and Acquisitions

The M&A landscape across the Middle East and North Africa is evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated. Al Tamimi & Company’s market leading M&A team provides specialist advice that ensures deals are completed and implemented effectively.

We have handled many of the region’s most significant and largest public and private M&A deals, acting as both lead and local counsel on market-shaping deals. We have extensive cross-border transactional experience and our network of lawyers and full-service offering enables us to provide a seamless service across our unique regional footprint.

Deals handled include:

• Acquisitions
• Disposals
• Joint ventures
• Mergers
• Strategic alliances.

Technical expertise and strong governmental relationships

The last decade has seen the market in the Middle East and North Africa become more complex, particularly around anti-trust, competition, ESG and tax. Due diligence and effective deal structuring are vital and our specialist, technical advice is in demand.

Our excellent relationships with governments and authorities across the Middle East and North Africa mean that we are often among the first to know about regulatory changes.

English Law capabilities:

Al Tamimi & Company’s market-leading M&A team delivers expert advice to ensure transactions are executed and implemented seamlessly. With a presence across the Middle East, our team includes several English law-qualified lawyers who have advised on some of the region’s most significant and complex public and private M&A deals. Acting as both lead and local counsel, we have played a pivotal role in market-shaping transactions.

The laws of England & Wales are frequently chosen as the governing law for transaction documents, particularly in cross-border transactions involving foreign parties, large corporates, UAE sovereign wealth funds, regional private equity firms, and prominent family offices. Common law principles also significantly influence market practices for M&A transactions in the region.

Additionally, the UAE hosts two financial free zones — Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) — both of which operate under legal systems rooted in the laws of England & Wales and other common law jurisdictions. Our English law-qualified lawyers bring extensive experience gained in England & Wales and the Middle East to expertly advise on transactions governed by the laws of England & Wales or those of the ADGM and DIFC.

Recognised in leading legal rankings and regularly winning awards for our work on high-profile deals, our English law specialists are highly regarded in the industry. Beyond transactional advice, our team actively delivers client training and contributes as speakers at major industry events, further cementing our reputation as trusted advisors in the M&A landscape.

Full service – from due diligence to implementation

Our ability to deliver on all corporate law aspects for our clients, from major transactions to day-to-day requirements, sets us apart. We can support clients from the early stages and due diligence to the effective implementation of a deal and beyond, including obtaining consents and the management of notarial practice.

With over 90 specialist corporate and M&A lawyers across our network, we advise clients on high-value M&A deals across the GCC, and the wider MENA region.

Our culturally diverse team includes Arabic lawyers as well as English and common law qualified lawyers from leading international firms. This unique offering combines both international law firm expertise coupled with an in-depth regional understanding.

Sector knowledge

As a firm we have key sector groups, and our corporate M&A team advises a broad range of clients across a range of sectors. This allows us to deliver sector-focused advice with a commercial and pragmatic approach.

Our M&A services

• Transactional negotiation
• Due diligence
• Shareholder/investors’ agreements
• Start-up capital fundraising
• Pre-closing restructuring
• Regulatory approvals and deal closings
• Share and asset transactions

Examples of our regional M&A credentials

• Advising Dubai Islamic Bank PJSC on its landmark AED4 billion acquisition of Noor Bank, cementing its position as one of the world’s largest and most influential Islamic finance institutions.
• Advising a global consortium led by BlackRock on its USD15.5 billion deal with Saudi Aramco on the acquisition of a 49% shareholding in Aramco Gas Pipelines Company.
• Advising Priora on the acquisition of Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa, the region’s largest mobile virtual network operator with operations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.
• Advising Alinma Tokio Marine Company on its on-market merger with another Tadawul-listed insurance company, Arabian Shield Cooperative Insurance Company.
• Advising Standard Chartered Bank in the sale of its business in Jordan to Arab Jordan Investment Bank.
• Advising Investment Holding Group on its reverse takeover on the Qatar Stock Exchange, the first reverse takeover on the Qatar Stock Exchange.
• Advising Helios Towers on the Omani law aspects of the USD575 million acquisition of a tower portfolio from Omantel.
• Advising Suez Cement Company on the sale of its controlling interest in Hilal Cement Company to Boodai Enterprises Company, conducted via an auction sale process through Boursa Kuwait.
• Advising a leading Egypt-based publicly listed outsourcing service provider on its acquisition of a business process outsourcing solutions company in Bahrain.
• Advising Auf Family and Tanmeya Capital Ventures on the divestment of 60% of their shares held in Abu Auf Holding Netherlands B.V. to Agthia Group