Lawyers

Awards & Accolades

EDUCATION

• 1985  University of London, Queen Mary College, Bachelor of Laws
• 1987  New York University, Master of Laws

ADMISSIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

• 1988   Called to the Bar of England and Wales by the Middle Temple
• 1989  Admitted, New York State Bar
• 2001   Admitted, Saudi Arabia
• Member, Saudi Bar Association, Saudi Arabia

CITIZENSHIP

• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES

• (Co-author) “Banking Laws of Saudi Arabia,” New York Law Journal, 1990
• “Enforceability of interest”, Global Banking & Financial Policy Review 20002-2003
• “Foreign Investment in the Middle East: The Regulatory Environment in Saudi Arabia”, October 2002 at the Japan Institute for Overseas Investment, Tokyo, Japan

 

EXPERIENCE AND REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Represented the lenders to a consortium of Almar Water Solutions and Al-Jomaih Energy and Water Company which recently reached financial close for a water treatment plant project being developed for Saudi Aramco's Zuluf onshore oil field. The project consists of a water treatment plant with a capacity to treat 185,000 cubic meters of water a day (cm/d). The project will be developed under a 25-year build, own, operate and transfer model. 
• Represented the lenders to the consortium consisting of Jinko Power Middle East and Jinko Power Dhafra Holding in connection with the 300MW Saad solar PV IPP. Financial close occurred in March 2023. 
• Represented Air Products and ACWA Power in connection with their JV with Saudi Aramco for the purchase, financing and operation of a large world scale integrated gasification combined cycle electric power plant integrated with a refinery in Jazan.
• Represented Al-Raha al-Safi Food Company (the “Purchaser”) and the sponsors in their successful bid for the First Milling Company. This was the first privatization in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030, where the ownership of First Milling Company was transferred from Saudi Grains Organization (SAGO) and the National Centre for Privatization & Public-Private Partnership (NCP) to the Purchaser. Represented the Purchaser and the sponsors in the financing of such bid and purchase.
• Advised the sponsors for the 300MW solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power project (IPP) in REPDO round 2 which is part of Saudi Arabia's National Renewable Energy Program (NREP).
• Represented the lenders for the winning consortium for the Yanbu 4 independent water project (IWP) consisting of ENGIE and MOWAH. This IWP is expected to have a production capacity of 450,000 m3/Day.
• Advised the preferred bidder consortium in connection with the Dammam ISTP project.
• Advised the preferred bidder consortium in connection with the Shuqiaq 3 IWP project.
• Advised the preferred bidder in connection with the Rabigh 3 IWP project.
• Advised the ACWA Power consortium in connection with the financial close of the Sakaka 300MW PV solar project.
• Advised the lenders to the successful bidder for the 1,520 MW Fadhili independent power project.
• Initially advised both the Marubeni led consortium and the lenders and post-bid advised the lenders to the Marubeni led winning consortium in connection with the Saudi Aramco CoGeneration Independent Power Projects in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. US Exim also provided financing. 
• During the pre-bid phase advised the Japanese Saudi consortium consisting of Marubeni Corporation, JGC Corporation and Al Jomaih Holding Company and the lenders to such consortium and during the post-bid phase advised the MLAs to the consortium in connection with the Saudi Aramco Cogeneration projects.
• Advised Dow Chemical Company in connection with its joint venture with Saudi Aramco for the development, financing and construction of a US$ 19.3 billion petrochemicals complex in Jubail. This is the largest petrochemical and chemical complex worldwide, the largest foreign investment in Saudi Arabia, and the largest project financing in the Middle East. In addition to the 26 plants forming part of the project, there were two joint ventures and three “over the fence” projects (on BOOT basis) adjoining the Sadara complex.
• Advised Sadara Basic Services Company as Issuer, Sadara Chemical Company and Dow Chemical Company on the initial public offering of a US$ 2 billion sukuk issuance as part of the financing for the development of the above-mentioned chemicals and plastics complex. This is the largest public sukuk in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised the commercial lenders and ECA’s in the first IWPP in Shuaibah, Saudi Arabia from appointment of preferred bidder until financial close.
• Advising Marafiq, the utilities company for the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, in connection with the development, financing and construction of an IWPP in Jubail.
• Advised the Japanese Saudi consortium in connection with the Rabigh IWSP Project relating to the supply of power (600 MW), water (9,600 tons) and steam (4,230 tons) on a BOOT basis to the Rabigh Refinery and petrochemical complex.
• Advised a private equity firm in connection with their evaluation of the potential sale by a petroleum and natural gas company of an equity stake in the subsidiary of the petroleum and natural gas company.
• Advised the lenders, including the Korea Development Bank, to the winning bidder for the 850 MW power and 212,300 m3/d Shuqaiq IWPP.
• Advised the project company in the development and construction of the first Independent Water Project in Saudi Arabia, to be implemented on a BOOT basis for Saudi Aramco in Rabigh.
• Advised consortium bidding for the development, financing and operation of an IWP being promoted by EMAAR Economic City in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia consisting of 70,000 m3 per day reverse osmosis plant.
• Advised one consortium bidding for the development, financing and operation of an IWPP being promoted by Marafiq in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia consisting of 1,700 MW of electricity and 150,000 m3 per day desalinated water.
• Advised National Petrochemical Industrial Company in connection with the construction of a 400,000 tons per annum PDH and PP plants in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
• Advised US Exim Bank in a telecom project in Saudi Arabia. This would have been the first limited recourse project being carried out by US Exim Bank in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised Zain Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom’s third GSM operator, in respect to the telecom aspects of its recent IPO of 50% of its share capital which closed recently.
• Represented the lenders in an ECA financing for the expansion of Saudi Iron and Steel Company (“Hadeed”), a SABIC subsidiary worth €352 million. The ECA’s included were SACE, Hermes and OeKB.
• Advised the lenders in a loan to Saudi Arabian Airlines for the purchase of regional aircraft.
• Advised to BP and Royal Dutch Shell in Core Venture One of the Saudi Arabian Natural Gas Initiative.
• Advised the lenders in a limited recourse financing of the first independent power project in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised a consortium of Japanese shareholders in the development, financing and construction of a methanol plant on a limited recourse basis, in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.
• Advised a major Japanese trading company on the financing structure and joint venture development plan for a US$ 1 billion olefin based petrochemical plant in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised the mandated financial advisors, as local counsel, in support of a bid to develop four combined heat and power projects on build, own, operate and transfer basis for Saudi Aramco.
• Advised the project company in the development and construction of the first independent water project to be implemented on a build, own, operate and transfer basis for Saudi Aramco in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.
• Counsel to Credit Suisse and Banque Indosuez in a series of ship financings and re-financings, total value US$ 350 million.
• Advised a subsidiary of an international oil company on the current regulatory structure of the power and water industry in Saudi Arabia.
• Represented GEC Alstom in their bid for the construction of Shoaiba Steam Power Plant and recently represented Alstom in the extension of Shoaiba to provide two 390-megawatt generators.
• Advised a Japanese joint venture in the bidding and implementation of three different substations in Saudi Arabia.
• Represented a South African chemical company in a proposed joint venture with SABIC for a petrochemical facility.
• Represented two private sector project companies in two separate Saudi-foreign joint ventures for the financing and construction of petrochemical facilities on a limited recourse basis in Yanbu.
• Represented the Telecommunications and Information Technology Regulator in connection with the issuance of the GSM and 3G licenses. This was the first privatisation in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised Shareholders in connection with the issuance of an irrevocable and unconditional guarantee to the Telecommunications and Information Technology Regulator, amounting to SAR 10.371 billion as part payment of License fees.
• Advised in connection with the restructuring of one of Saudi Arabia's top ten companies, involving a share sale and purchase for US$ 465 million.
• Advised Finnish and Canadian corporations and government entities in connection with the formation of joint venture vehicles in the USA for downstream investment programs and asset acquisitions, including representation of Saudi Aramco in the formation of Star Enterprise with Texaco. These transactions ranged from US$ 1.8 billion to US$ 52 million in value.
• Represented guarantors, lenders, lessees and owner participants in numerous financings of predominantly aircraft equipment with US, Middle Eastern (involving US Eximbank financing), Mexican and UK airlines, equipment manufacturers, leasing companies and financial institutions including General Electric, Ford Motor Credit, Morgan Guaranty and ABN-AMRO. Such transactions were valued in excess of US$ 2 billion.
• Represented international lenders including the IFC, US Eximbank, Japan Eximbank, ADB, CDC and private bank syndicated in connection with a successful financial close of a US$ 1.2 billion private power project in Asia.
• Advised one international oil services company on the Saudi aspects of its takeover of another leading international oil services company’s operations.
• Represented foreign partner in a proposed tire manufacturing joint venture in Saudi Arabia.
• Advised a Saudi company in a regional joint venture with one of the five major record companies.
• Advised a national oil company in its attempts to enter into joint ventures with European and Japanese oil companies.
• Advised a US aircraft manufacturer in an Islamic lease financing of two aircrafts using a newly created structure.
• Advised banks in the securitization of receivable of a paper company and a national telephone company.
• Advised NCCI in the SHARQ petrochemical expansion project.
• Advised GECC in Euro-Dollar bond issues valued at US$ 360 million, Credit Lyonnais in a commercial paper program worth approximately US$ 75 million and Kidder Peabody in a REMIC transaction.
• Advised a Saudi company in a contractual dispute with an American corporation valued at US$ 240 million.