Middle East - United Arab Emirates
Norton Rose Fulbright
A near-unrivalled one-stop shop due to its ability to act on fund formation, execution and investments, Norton Rose Fulbright‘s client roster includes sovereign wealth funds, investment holding companies, and financial institutions. The practice is led by Zubair Mir and Geoffroy Hermanns, who stand out for their knowledge of the market and wider region. Matthew Shanahan adds expertise in regulatory knowledge. Recently, the group has acted on a range of Shari-ah compliant sub-funds, the establishment of an array of sector-focused funds, particularly energy, and assisted with major investments into funds. The team is lauded for it’s ’proficiency across the ranks’, and associate Shakir Mogalia notably stands out as an integral supporting presence on multiple mandates, working across a range of asset classes such as private equity funds, real estate funds, and debt funds.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team is experienced, resourceful and very knowledgeable.’
‘Geoffroy Hermanns is very knowledgeable and experienced. His turn around time is beyond exceptional. Always happy to take calls at any time and ready to provide advice over and beyond the topic at hand.’
‘We turn to the NRF funds team for their full range of capabilities in investment funds, particularly the launch and transactional phases – they manage our most strategic and sensitive cross-border transactions. The team stands out for their proficiency across the ranks – from partner to associate, each individual is responsive, concise and provides commercially sound advice.'
'They are undoubtedly one of the best funds teams in the Middle East.'
'Outstanding service all around, Zubair is delivery and solution-focused; a hugely experienced adviser.’
‘Zubair is the head of the practice. He is practical, commercial and focussed on achieving the best results! He is also extremely collaborative and knows how to develop client relationships.
- 'Geoffroy quickly grasps our needs and is committed to ensuring we navigate any potential issues quickly! He is known for his responsiveness and we trust his advice whole-heartedly.’
Key clients
- Chimera Investment / Capital
- Royal Group
- G42 Asset Management
- Mashreq Capital
- Arqaam Capital
- National Bonds Corporation
- KHK Partners
- Arise International
- Bahrain Mumtalakat
- Credit Suisse
- Emirates NBD Asset Management
- EFG Hermes
- Dubai Islamic Bank
- International Holding Company
Work highlights
- Advised Chimera on the establishment of three additional Shariah-compliant sub-funds as well as the first non-Shariah-compliant sub-fund for an onshore public fund pursuing an ETF (exchange traded fund) strategy that is regulated by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and is being currently listed.
- Advised on the establishment of Africa Transformation and Industrialization Fund Limited Partnership (ATIF), a closed-ended, exempted fund currently registered with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Rising stars
Next Generation Partners
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Zubair Mir, Geoffroy Hermanns