Middle East and Africa

Advising National Express Group on its tenders to run public transport services in several projects across the Middle East. The competitions are mainly for bus concessions and include a mixture of operation, maintenance, infrastructure and construction contracts. We have advised on all areas of these projects, from the completion of compliant bids and negotiations with public authorities in each country, to the ongoing running of services following successful bids. We co-ordinated matters across Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar.

Advising The Spear Group on its acquisition by Vienna headquartered Constantia Flexibles Group, working alongside Thompson Hine LLP in the US. We co-ordinated matters across Vienna, South Africa, the US and the UK.

Advising United Arab Emirates Armed Forces on an AED5 billion plus YahSat project for the provision of military satellite communications services.

Co-ordinating employment advice for Thomson Reuters across 19 jurisdictions for an IT outsourcing project including obtaining advice as to whether TUPE/ARD would apply in each relevant jurisdiction and planning for potential transfers. The matter spanned Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Advising the sellers of the shariah compliant AUB UK Student Accommodation Fund on the sale of the fund’s entire portfolio of eight student accommodation properties located throughout the UK for £271 million. This was a UK, Middle-Eastern matter.

Advising foreign governments seeking to introduce new nuclear legal regimes and applying IAEA laws and standards. We have provided legal support to contractors in the Middle East, to an owner/engineer appointment in a western European jurisdiction and export controls advice to numerous clients with global multi-site, multi-jurisdiction operations.

Advising EDFI ElectriFI on funding to REDAVIA Solar Power in Kenya.

Advising EDFI MC and REPP as Lenders on a LSL150 million combined senior debt and equity investment to renewable energy provider “OnePower” to finance a portfolio of solar mini-grid sites in Lesotho. This is the second largest project-financed mini-grid transaction in Africa to reach financial close.

Advising FMO, the Dutch development bank, in the refinancing of the 20MW Senergy solar plant in Senegal.

Advising EDFI ElectriFI in its subscription for USD 5m junior debt in PEG Africa to finance its distribution of Solar Home Systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal.