Helmy, Hamza & Partners (member firm of Baker & McKenzie International) offers a ‘diligent and alert’ banking and finance practice in Egypt, which is ’highly knowledgeable’ across the gamut of acquisition, project and real estate finance, as well as bank lending, derivatives and regulatory matters. The Cairo-based team caters to a particularly broad span of clients, with a focus on major players in the financial services, renewable energy, transport and petrochemical sectors. Managing partner and practice co-head Mohamed Ghannam has vast experience of advising international and Egyptian governmental bodies. Co-head Lamyaa Gadelhak brings extensive expertise in project finance in the energy, mining and infrastructure sectors, while Mohamed Elharmy is a trusted advisor to numerous commercial lenders, ECAs, sponsors and borrowers.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They are reliable and business-minded.’

  • ‘Lamyaa Gadelhak is innovative and very responsive.’

  • ‘The team is diligent and alert, ready to take action with great knowledge, so it feels like any client can rely on the team with trust. They are disciplined and organised, bringing a high level of analysis of any subject and detailed recommendations wherever necessary.’

  • ‘Very supportive and have ideas that are outside the box.’

  • ‘Trusted and have robust knowledge.’

  • 'The banking and finance field is highly complex and is regulated heavily which sets it apart from many other sectors. Baker & McKenzie were able to provide deep knowledge in such a complex field very easily and were ready to answer any questions that we had.'

  • 'We valued Mohamed Ghannam's prompt communication and responses to all enquiries, along with his extensive knowledge in the field.'

Key clients

  • ACWA Power
  • African Development Bank
  • African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim Bank)
  • Ahli United Bank (Uk) Plc
  • Alsubh Solar Power S.A.E
  • AMEA Power LLC
  • Arab African International Bank (AAIB)
  • Arab Banking Corporation
  • Arab International Bank
  • Attijariwafa Bank
  • Bank Of America Merrill Lynch
  • Banque Du Caire
  • Banque Misr
  • Baraka For Trade & Investment
  • BayWa R.E. Solar Projects Gmbh
  • Bechtel Egypt S.A.E.
  • Bechtel Limited
  • BLOM Bank SAL
  • Branch Of NJSC Naftogaz Of Ukraine
  • British American Tobacco Co., Egypt
  • Egypt Hydrocarbon Corporation S.A.E
  • Egypt Kuwait Holding Co., S.A.E
  • Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC)
  • HSBC Bank
  • Hutchison Ports Europe Ltd
  • International Finance Corporation (IFC)
  • Marakez Delta For Real Estate Projects
  • Mashreq Bank
  • MUFG Bank
  • National Bank Of Egypt
  • National Egyptian Railway Industries Company (NERIC)
  • National Service Projects Organization (NSPO)
  • New Renewable Energy Authority (NREA)
  • Orascom Development Egypt (ODE)
  • Rand Merchant Bank
  • Rawasy For Urban Development S.A.E
  • Rising Sun Energy S.A.E
  • Russian Industries Overseas Egypt Rio Llc
  • Sunrise Energy
  • The Egyptian Ministry Of Finance
  • The Sovereign Fund Of Egypt

Work highlights

  • Acted as the Egyptian legal counsel to AMEA Power on the development and financing of a 500MW wind farm located in Ras Ghareb, near the Gulf of Suez, with a total investment cost of USD 709 million.
  • Acted for Banque Misr and Arab African International Bank (AAIB) as lenders’ counsel on a real estate facility granted to Al Alamia For Real Estate Investment, a fully owned subsidiary of Hassan Allam Group company.
  • Acted as English law and Egyptian law counsel to the National Bank of Egypt as a facility agent and leader of a syndicate of 24 banks, in relation to the financing and structuring of a security package for Evergrow, a leading local and regional company in the specialty fertilisers field.

Lawyers

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Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mohamed Ghannam, Lamyaa Gadelhak

Other key lawyers

Mohamed Elharmy