David is an experienced corporate lawyer advising clients on complex, high-value and cross-border M&A transactions, business and commercial matters, corporate structuring and governance issues.

David is a qualified Solicitor (England & Wales) and Practitioner of Law (UAE) and, with over a decade of experience, he advises on M&A transactions, private equity and venture capital investments, share and/or asset acquisitions/disposals, joint ventures, legal due diligence, commercial contracts, corporate restructuring and corporate governance throughout MENA, the United States, Europe and Asia.

He has represented a range of clients, including private and listed companies, ultra high net worth individuals and family offices, sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds, banking and financial institution involving transactions across all industry sectors.

In addition, David has developed a specific interest in the energy sector. In oil and gas, he advises clients on oil and gas transactions across the upstream, midstream and downstream value chain and the related legal documentation including PSAs, JOAs, JV/shareholders agreements, and oil and gas sales and transportation agreements. In renewables, David’s power project experience includes advising on EPC and O&M contracts, PPAs, and various project and corporate structuring documentation for solar PV and wind farm projects.

David also brings a clear understanding of the synergies between commercial acumen, risk mitigation and practical solutions as demanded by in-house general counsel and legal teams having been seconded to a national oil company, an upstream oil company, a renewable energy private equity fund and an ultra high net worth family office.

Relevant Experience

• Seconded to a national oil company as Special Legal Counsel for ten months to advise on all corporate and commercial legal matters in connection with the company’s downstream diversification and digital transformation strategy.
• Seconded to an upstream oil company as Senior Legal Counsel for eight months to advise on various corporate and commercial matters including group structuring, PSAs renegotiation, corporate governance and compliance matters.
• Seconded to a renewable energy private equity fund as Senior Vice President (Legal) for three months to advise on various corporate transactions, general commercial matters, and group financing and capital raising.
• Seconded to an ultra high net worth family office to advise on various corporate investments, commercial, structuring, governance and compliance matters.

• Represented a renewable energy private equity fund in the acquisition and financing of the 20.5 MW Ma’an solar PV project in Jordan.
• Advised a renewable energy private equity fund in establishing a private equity fund in Turkey.
• Represented a renewable energy private equity in the asset purchase of a 50 MW wind farm project in Jordan from a Chinese state owned entity.
• Represented an international oil company in the acquisition of an upstream asset in Asia from a national oil company via an auction process.
• Represented a leading operations and management company in the acquisition of an UAE based O&M company with operations across the GCC.
• Advised a major investment bank in the joint venture of a metal storage and logistic company (accredited by the London Metal Exchange) with operations across the U.S. and Europe.
• Advised an international oil company in the disposal of its oil and gas operations in Kazakhstan via an auction process.
• Advised a United Kingdom hedge fund in the admission of major EU energy exchanges and grid/system transmission operators.
• Represented KSA investment fund in the acquisition of one of the top five waste management and environmental solutions companies in the Middle East.
• Advised an ultra high net worth family office in the global restructuring of a group of multi-national companies with annual revenue exceeding $6 billion offering various franchised products.
• Advised a premier retail group (located in BVI and UAE) in the restructuring of 40 companies (prior to a potential equity investment of $500 million by a third party) operating 50+ international franchises across MENA.
• Advised a global car manufacturing brand with commercial arrangements including vehicle dealership arrangements, supply chain arrangements, employment law issues, trading and local law compliance issues and financing arrangements.
• Advised a major defense contractor in the business expansion throughout the MENA and Asia, including advising on corporate structuring, commercial contracts and both contentious and non-contentious employment matters.
• Advised a leading heavy machinery manufacturer in structuring and implementation of joint ventures (contractual and corporate) and the appointment of commercial agents, distributors and franchise holders in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan.

Bar Admissions

Education
L.P.C., BPP Law School, with Commendation, 2007M.A., Law, University of Bristol, with Commendation, 2006M.A., University of Edinburgh, Architecture, 2004

• UAE Distribution and Agency Agreements, UAE Legal Q&As, Practical Law Company
• UAE Memorandum of Understanding, UAE Legal Q&As, Practical Law Company
• UAE Share Purchase – Due Diligence, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• Intra-group Reorganisation, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Share Purchase, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Share Purchase – Ancillary documents, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Boilerplate Clauses, UAE Legal Q&As, Practical Law Company
• UAE Consumer Contracts, UAE Legal Q&As, Practical Law Company
• UAE Asset Purchase, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• How to Conduct Due Diligence, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Asset Purchase – Due Diligence, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Asset Purchase – Ancillary documents, Middle East Legal Practice Notes, LexisNexis
• UAE Supply Contracts, UAE Legal Q&As, Practical Law Company
• UAE Foreign Direct Investment Law, Middle East Legal Insight, LexisNexis
• 21st Century Silk Road, Feature Article, The Oath Legal Journal
• Acquisition of a Private Business or Company in the UAE by a Foreign Buyer Checklist, Practical Law
• Earn-out, Locked Box and Retention: Private Acquisitions in the UAE, Practical Law