Baker McKenzie LLP

bakermckenzie.com

Abeer Jarrar is a partner at Baker McKenzie based in Dubai. Abeer has over 20 years' experience in the Middle East. Having advised in recent years on some of the most high profile regional and international M&A and capital markets transactions, Abeer combines profound understanding of the legal environment and the distinct business culture of the Middle East and their interaction with international market practice. She is recognised for her ability to communicate effectively with the different stakeholders and to deliver cross border transactions of the highest quality and complexity in different sectors, including banking. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie in 2021, Abeer spent the last ten years at two magic circle firms. Abeer is a Fulbright scholar and holds a doctorate degree in law from Georgetown University in Washington DC. She serves as a board member of the MENA Advisory Board of Georgetown University School of Law. Abeer focuses on advising financial institutions, investment banking, local, regional and international corporate, private equity and family offices on cross border private and public mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings, public takeovers and equity capital markets transactions in the Middle East.

Chaya is a senior associate in the Dubai office with experience advising on conventional and Islamic banking and finance transactions across the Middle East and in the United Kingdom. Chaya advises both borrowers and lenders on conventional and Islamic finance transactions across a variety of sectors, with clients based in both the MEA region and the United Kingdom, and has background experience in construction, corporate and M&A matters. Chaya takes a keen interest in pro bono work and is a strong supporter of diversity and inclusion in the Firm. She also sits on the management board of BVL (formerly, Big Voice London), a London-based legal youth and social mobility charity, which seeks to give young people from non-fee paying schools a voice in law and legal policy.

Dino Wilkinson leads Baker McKenzie’s IP, technology and data practice in the Middle East. He is recognised as one of the leading technology lawyers in the region with top-tier team and individual rankings in Chambers Global Guide and the Legal 500. Dino Wilkinson is a partner based in the Abu Dhabi office. He has been operating in the Middle East for nearly 20 years and heads Baker McKenzie’s regional IP, technology and data practice. Dino is a trusted adviser to corporate clients throughout the Middle East on IT and outsourcing transactions, digital transformation, emerging technology regulation and data privacy laws. He has also been involved in the development of laws and regulation in this field, including the drafting of e-commerce, data sharing and privacy legislation. Dino’s expertise spans all types of technology-related contractual and compliance issues, including data protection, artificial intelligence, digital media and content. Dino is named in the Legal 500’s Hall of Fame for his longstanding involvement in market-leading work and described as a ‘real business partner’ who understands the industries he operates in.

James leads our Middle East and Africa Funds Group and sits on the Firm's Global Funds Steering Committee. He has experience in the formation of private equity and hedge fund structures, fund reviews and due diligence for investors, investment management and advisory agreements, information memoranda and other offering documents, and in advising on specific investment structures for asset classes. He also has extensive experience in advising both buyers and sellers in secondary transactions private equity and real estate fund interests, end of life portfolios and GP-led buyouts. As well as advising fund managers, he counts many large institutional investors amongst his clients. James co-leads the Firm's Sovereign Investor Group and its relationship with the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds with whom Baker McKenzie has an exclusive partnership for the provision of Legal and Regulatory knowledge services.

Joanna Matthews-Taylor