About

Founded in Jordan in the 1970s, London-based Hikma has always held strong ties with the Middle East and North Africa region. However, in the face of both a regional slowdown and a rapidly consolidating generic pharmaceuticals sector worldwide, it is increasingly moving away from its traditional manufacturing base and largest market. With regional sales dropping sharply, the first Arab company to export pharmaceutical products to the United States has completed its biggest deal ever by acquiring the US generic drugs unit of Boehringer Ingelheim. While the company’s geographical scope may have increased, the Middle East and North Africa legal team have remained a core part of its global strategy. Led by head of legal Zeid Uteibi, the team of 12 has contributed advice to its international expansion plans while playing a big part in a number of strategically important transactions in the Middle East. The team is recognised for helping Hikma to cement its place in an increasingly unsettled market and for negotiating the fluctuating regulatory regimes across the region, ensuring the company will be well placed to meet the challenge of an increasingly competitive pharmaceuticals market.