Our practices
Mergers and acquisitions
Ranked as a Tier 1 firm for corporate and M&A work by Chambers Global, Legal 500 and IFLR1000, we combine extraordinary ability with cross-sector expertise.
Ahsan Zahir Rizvi
Hasan Anwar Rizvi
We have worked on some of the most complex mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and corporate reorganisations in the Middle East and Pakistan.
With clients operating in a multitude of industries, jurisdictions and business sectors, our lawyers have ranked as top advisors in handling the highest number and dollar volume of deals.
We have developed expertise in the energy, banking and finance, pharmaceutical and telecom sectors and our lawyers are dedicated to performing innovative and groundbreaking work.
Acting for large corporations, investment funds, institutional investors, family business groups, investment banks and private equity firms as well as boards, management and shareholder groups, our services cover the full spectrum of negotiated and contested mergers and acquisitions. We have a strong record advising on takeover bids and shareholder contests and use our corporate and litigation lawyers to advise senior management, owners and boards of directors.
Our approach is to work closely from the outset with all parties to move deals forward. As the complex nature of mergers and acquisitions requires a multidisciplinary mindset, we often assemble a supporting team of tax, competition, real estate, intellectual property and employment lawyers to advise on the various aspects of the transaction.
Practice areas
- Acquisitions
- Asset purchases
- Carve-outs
- Corporate finance
- Divestitures
- Entry and exit deals
- Escrow arrangements
- Exchangeable share transactions
- Joint ventures
- Leveraged and management buy-outs and buy-ins
- Mergers
- Private equity
- Schemes of arrangement
- Share purchases
- Spin-outs
At a glance
- Agility Logistics and France Telecom (joint venture): purchase of shares in Korek Telecom Iraq, including the establishment of the investment holding structure in the DIFC (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- Al Mulla Group: acquisition of ‘The Holiday Inn Express’ chain in Dubai from Dubai International Capital and Ishraq Holdings (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- Alcazar Capital Limited: corporate restructuring (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- Emirates Financial Services/Emirates NBD Capital: development and private placement of a school project in Dubai (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- Start Consult and Crystal Foods Limited: acquisition of shares in Dofreeze LLC (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- The Carlyle Group: restructuring and disposal of shares in General Lighting Company, Saudi Arabia (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- The Carlyle Group: UAE aspects of Carlyle’s investment in Alamar Foods, Saudi Arabia, including restructuring and disposal (pre RIAA Barker Gillette).
- The Catalyst Group: USD 150m acquisition of F&B sector entity in the GCC.
- Tricap Investments: a number of investments and acquisitions in the GCC, Far East and Africa.
