Abbas Khan

Partner

Abbas Khan holds an LLB (Hons) (First Class) from the University of Buckingham and a BCL from the University of Oxford. Abbas leads the corporate and commercial practise of the Firm. Abbas has about 9 years of Saudi Arabian transactional experience. He joined Feras Al Shawaf Law Firm from Trowers & Hamlins where he was a Senior Associate. Abbas is a UK qualified lawyer specialising in corporate and commercial matters, particularly relating to private equity transactions; M&A; and structuring of foreign investment in Saudi Arabia. Abbas understands the regulatory as well as commercial aspects of corporate transactions, securities markets and financial instruments through his experience at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan; and the Middle East. Abbas has advised a number of domestic and international clients on issues of government procurement laws. Abbas has advised the Pakistani Government, IPPs, telecom and construction companies on large-scale transactions.

Selected relevant experience:

Advised the Ministry of Water & Power, Government of Pakistan with respect to the setting up of 550 megawatt combined cycle power project by Middle East based sponsors.

Higher Rights of Audience (Civil Proceedings)n

Advising a renowned Saudi Arabian group on joint-venture arrangements on solid waste-management sector joint-ventures with two separate Indian entities. The project envisages energy production facilities in due course.

Advised an emerging Saudi Arabian Construction Company in sub-contracting a SAR 1.7 billion lump sum construction contract to a leading international construction company; and negotiated the subcontracting arrangements and drafting the subcontracting agreement in addition to advising on various labour law and visa issues ancillary to the transaction.

Member of the team advising a pre-qualified bidding consortium for the Ras Al Zour IWPP, with an estimated capital cost of US$ 3bn, on various Saudi Arabian legal compliance issues.

Advised a Saudi Arabian investment, real estate development and trading company, in relation to the corporate structuring of the project in connection with a SAR 2.6 billion real estate project in Saudi Arabia comprising of four separate developments in different cities of Saudi Arabia.

Advised Zain MTC, the third GSM license holder on incorporation issues as a key member of the team incorporating the open Joint Stock Company with the capital of fourteen thousand million Saudi Riyals (SAR 1,400,000,000) following the success of their 6 billion US dollar bid. The open joint stock company was incorporated in a record time within a minimum time-span from the Constituent General Assembly till the completion of incorporation.

Advised Sahara Group, a Netherlands based European entity with respect to the compliance and regulatory regime concerning foreign investment in Saudi Arabia and obtaining merger approval from Communication and Information Technology Commission for the acquisition of a 70% stake in a Saudi Arabian entity.

Advised Henkel KGaA, a leading European chemical group in formalizing the acquisition of a majority stake in a Saudi chemical industry entity; and advising on the termination of its distribution arrangements in KSA.