Concentration

Summary

Representative Engagements

• PCCW – counsel to operator in structuring its relationship with consortium of Saudi Arabian companies on successful bid for 2nd fixed line license in Saudi Arabia and follow on work leading to IPO of 35% stake in new Saudi joint stock company to hold the license
• PCCW – counsel to operator in structuring its relationship with consortium of Qatari and international companies on bid for 2nd fixed line license in Qatar
• Wataniya International – counsel in acquisition of significant minority stake in Saudi Arabian telcom company for “push to talk” mobile services and negotiation of Management Agreement with the company 
• Samba Financial Group – counsel in restructuring its relationship with Citibank upon expiration of a 23-year technical management arrangement and sale by Citibank of its 20 percent stake in Samba Financial Group
• Consortium – counsel on bidding on four IPPs to be built on a build-operate-own-transfer basis for Saudi Aramco
• Al-Hamra Power LLC – representation of the sponsor in the development and financing of a 133-megawatt gas-fired captive combined power and reverse osmosis desalination in the Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah, the United Arab Emirates
• Consortium – counsel on bidding on Saudi Landbridge east-west rail project involving the construction of over 1,000 kilometers of new-build rail on a 30-year build-operate-transfer basis
• Saudi banks – counsel to senior lenders in respect of a $36 million project finance loan for the Equestrian Club hotel/resort complex in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Saudi banks – $90 million Islamic finance facility for construction of a petrochemical plant in Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia
• International oil companies – advice on Saudi Gas Initiative (SGI-1 and SGI-2) upstream gas projects in Saudi Arabia
• Oilfield services companies – joint venture, mergers and acquisitions and related activities in Saudi Arabia
• Nokia Group – joint venture in Saudi Arabia for GSM infrastructure projects
• U.S.-Saudi offset joint venture – technology transfer agreement with a European telecom company valued in excess of $100 million
• Consortia – counsel on bidding on second GSM telecom license and data license in Saudi Arabia
• Leading Japanese company – security package for construction of a petrochemical project in Saudi Arabia

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

Publications

• Saudi Arabia country chapter, Financial Services Regulations in the Middle East (2nd Edition), Oxford University Press 2008 (with Babul Parikh & Aminta Paiva, co-authors)
• Saudi Arabia: An Opportunity—New Ways of Doing Business, Middle East Economic Digest (MEED), March 2006 (Robert Jordan and Nabil Issa, co-authors)
• "Investing in Saudi Arabia," Middle East Economic Digest, September 14, 2001
• "Oil, Gas and the Internet," Oil & Gas Journal, June 18, 2001 (Evan Berlack and William Nix, co-authors)
• "Doing Business in Saudi Arabia," Global Counsel 3000, 2000 Edition

Speeches and Presentations

• Co-Chair & Presenter, "Anti-Corruption Enforcement and Compliance", American Conference Institute Dubai Summit, October 2009
• "China's New Energy Focus: Strategic Partnership With Saudi Arabia," Energy Security: Implications for U.S.-China-Middle East Relations, presented by the Shanghai Institute for International Studies and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy–Rice University, Shanghai, July 2005
• "Saudi Gas Initiative, Round 2: Will the Sequel Be Better Than the Original?" IQPC Conference, Dubai, UAE, October 2003
• "Saudization and Training: Challenges and Opportunities," International Association of Drilling Contractors, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, December 2001
• "Legal Analysis of an Energy Conversion Agreement for an Independent Power Project," 7th Middle East Power Generation Summit, Dubai, UAE, November 2001 (with Steven Miles)
• "Legal Issues in Technology Transfer and Human Resources Development," 2nd Saudi Arabian Energy Conference, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 2001
• Panelist: "E-Commerce in the Construction Industry," with MDC Systems, London, June 2001
• "Laws of E-Commerce: Protection of Rights and Interests," 2nd Annual Saudi Arabian E-Business Conference, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 2001
• Panelist: "Restarting the Stalled Project," MEED Conference, with MDC Systems, New York, November 2000