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Recognised as one of the MENA region’s leading corporate lawyers with extensive roots in technology, media and communications, Abdullah has over 27 years’ experience in corporate law practising in London and the Middle East specialising in M&A, corporate finance, venture capital and special situations.
Abdullah is a corporate specialist with particularly deep experience of cross-border M&A, venture capital and commercial advisory work. His deal list extends to more than 100 venture capital financing transactions as well as several multi-billion-dollar strategic M&A transactions including sell-side and buy-side mandates in addition to many private equity and principal investing acquisitions and disposals.
Abdullah’s clients include public and private companies, sovereign wealth funds, banks, private equity funds, venture capital firms and family offices and the transactions he has led have involved assets across 33 developed and emerging markets across the globe. In recent years, Abdullah has gained an unrivalled experience in regional and international venture capital financing transactions and is one of the most experienced venture capital lawyers in the region.
In addition to his transactional experience, Abdullah has represented clients in a number of high-profile turnaround, restructuring and bankruptcy matters and other ‘special situations’ or financial distress mandates.
Since 2022 | Partner and Head of Corporate MENA, Taylor Wessing |
2019 – 2022 | Partner, Head of Corporate, Al Tamimi & Company, Dubai |
2014 - 2019 | Partner, Baker Botts LLP, Dubai |
2011 – 2014 | Partner, Head of UAE, Trowers & Hamlins, Dubai |
2005 – 2011 | Partner, Head of International TMT, Trowers & Hamlins, Bahrain |
2000 – 2005 | Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright, London & Bahrain |
1996 - 1998 | Associate, Hill Dickinson, London |
1996 | Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales |
1994 | Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, College of Law, London |
1993 | LLB (Hons), University of Westminster |
Global Venture Capital Guide 2021 (co-author of UAE chapter) Arabian Business 2017: Cybersecurity in the Middle East, the legal perspective M&A in the Middle East: A Practical Regional Guide 2013 (author of UAE chapter) |
2021 – present: Board member, Middle East Venture Capital Association (MEVCA) 2021 – present: Best Practices Committee, Middle East Venture Capital Association (MEVCA) 2022 - present: Co-chair, Legal Advisory Committee, Middle East Venture Capital Association (MEVCA) 2019 – present: Mentor, Endeavor Middle East 2018 – present: All-star Mentor, Techstars 2016 – present: Co-founder & Chairman, Dubai Angel Investors, Dubai |
English |
Arabic |
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