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The 2025 Healthcare Odyssey
Welcome to the first edition of Law Update for 2025. As we begin this exciting year, we are pleased to turn our attention to one of the most dynamic sectors in the UAE and the broader GCC region – healthcare. Over the past several years, the region has seen unprecedented growth in this sector, driven by legislative advancements, technological innovations, and the increasing focus on sustainability and AI. As such, healthcare is set to be one of the most important sectors in the coming decade.
In this issue, we explore key themes that are significantly shaping the future of healthcare in the UAE, such as recent changes in foreign ownership laws. These reforms present a major opportunity for foreign investors, opening up new avenues for international collaborations and improving the overall healthcare infrastructure. The changes in ownership laws are an important milestone, and we provide an analysis of what this means for the industry and the various players involved.
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A complete spectrum of legal services across jurisdictions in the Middle East & North Africa.
Andrea Tithecott
Partner, Head of Regulatory and Healthcare
Biography
Andrea Tithecott is a Partner in the Regulatory practice in Abu Dhabi. Andrea is the head of Al Tamimi & Company’s Healthcare group, she is also a member of the Sports and Event Management, Projects and Rail groups.
Andrea joined the firm in 2013 to establish the Regulatory Practice which was quickly ranked by Chambers & Partners for significant expertise in regulatory and local compliance issues. Her practice area has focused upon regulatory compliance, investigations and disputes, risk management, crisis management, trade and customs, public policy and advocacy, corporate governance, due diligence, and licensing/permit issues. For governments she has contributed to the development of new law and policy. She has been instrumental in developing the firm’s Healthcare Practice Group. Alongside this, she focuses upon health & safety, environmental law, renewable energy, utilities, transport, consumer protection and product liability.
Her regulatory work was shortlisted for the Corporate Counsel Middle East awards consecutively in 2014 and 2015, and awarded In-House Community Firm of the Year, 2016 for ‘Compliance and Regulatory UAE’ by Asian Mena Counsel. When based in the UK, she was ranked in tier 1 by Legal 500 for her health and safety expertise.
Recent Experience
- A government healthcare authority: Drafting law to deliver public hospital services, establish a university hospital, the mechanism for public control of a specialist children’s hospital and a healthcare research foundation. Advising on public-private funding issues and the claw-back of short-fall funding from the Department of Finance.
- A government finance department: A project to establishment of a Mint facility. Advising on the process of procuring approvals for the development land in a free zone in Abu Dhabi, liaising with licensing authorities, environment agency, and consultants on feasibility studies, environmental impact assessments, health safety and environmental compliance during construction and operation.
- A Nuclear power plant: Retained advisor to a government-owned parent company and subsidiary operational company. Assisting on regulatory matters arising during construction. Advising on permitting and approvals for the first reactor.
- An Electricity and Water plant: Drafting the power and water purchase agreements along with connection and supply agreements for a major project built under a public-private partnership IWPP. The project involved the acquisition of existing water and power facilities and the development, design, engineering and construction of new power and water facilities, as well as the operation of the plant.
- UAE and GCC rail project: Retained advisor to a government-owned parent company and subsidiary operational company established to build a railway in Abu Dhabi and connect with GCC rail project. Assisting on regulatory matters arising during phase 1 construction. Advising on health, safety and environmental issues arising during operation.
- A sovereign wealth fund: Regulatory advice and due diligence on the acquisition of a mobile satellite communications company, involving review of international and local satellite communications laws, the grant of satellite orbital approvals and radiofrequency approvals.
- Legal drafting: Drafting law on the establishment of a water regulator in Ras Al Khaimah. Drafting by-laws policy and corporate governance framework for the federal pension fund; Drafting a medical liability law for the state of Qatar; Contributing to tele-health regulations for the Emirate of Dubai; Working with the Gulf Standards Organisation on developing product safety standards; Advising the Government of Fujairah on a procurement decree and standardization of public procurement contracts; Advising Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association on implementing regulations to improve safety for the transport of hazardous goods, and cross-border issues.
Language(s)
- English
Education
LLB (Hons) Law, University of Wales
LL.M. The Legal Aspects of Medical Practice, University College of Wales
Admission
1992 – Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales
Practice(s)
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