Corporate Services

Compliance is becoming increasingly important across the Middle East and North Africa. Our Corporate Services team simplifies things, taking care of the legal and regulatory burden for clients.

Understanding the nuances of the legal landscape

Our clients choose Alpha Advocates and Legal Consultants because no one knows the nuances of the ten jurisdictions we operate in better than us.

We have long-standing good relationships with the governments and regulators across the region, which makes doing business easier for our clients. When regulations change, we are among the first to know.

Company secretarial support is becoming increasingly important, particularly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi where the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) both reference company secretarial roles in their rule books.

We can help, no matter what stage you are at – from entering the market and setting up to ongoing administration. We can also help family businesses by providing additional support when they may not have their own in-house resources.

A unique practice

We are unique in the region, as our team is exclusively made up of lawyers. That legal training ensures we provide work of the highest standards.

The expertise of our team, many of whom are multi-lingual and have worked internationally, delivers best practice. Our fees are competitive and we work very closely with experts from around the firm to provide a full service for every client.

Our corporate services offering

• Company secretarial support (e.g. calling, administrating, registering governing body meetings)
• Ensuring compliance with corporate law and governance framework
• Carrying out authorities/ regulatory filings
• Additional support for family businesses to maintain and update corporate records

 Examples of our corporate services work

• Assisting a Regional conglomerate in issuing and updating corporate registers of shareholders/ members as well as share certificates, throughout the process of an extensive corporate restructuring of their operations;
• Acting as a registered agent for a number of DIFC foundations under a wealth-protection structure of a family business;
• Assisting a global corporate with numerous e-portal registrations for ADGM SPVs in course of a corporate finance transaction.

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.

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.