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  • Home
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  • Abdullah Mutawi
Abdullah Mutawi
Abdullah Mutawi

Abdullah Mutawi

Partner

  • Dubai UAE
  • London UK
Contact Me Today
+971 43 09 1031
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Featured award

Outstanding Contribution Award

Chambers Middle East Awards 2025

Scroll to featured award

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.

Expertise

Services and Groups

Venture capital
Corporate/M&A & capital markets
Private equity
M&A
Investment funds

Sectors

Technology, media & communications

Dealonomics

Developed in collaboration with Bayes Business School, our Dealonomics report explores the trends shaping cross-border M&A and what they reveal about the future of dealmaking.

Access the report

The Corporate Collection

The Corporate Collection

Explore our extensive experience helping clients navigate cross-border M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions and read how we've delivered deals that made a difference. 

Find out more

MENA Venture Law Guide 2024

The MENA Venture Law Guide offers expert analysis and information on the latest developments and trends in MENA venture capital funding.

Access guide

MENA Exit Guide

Selling your business: a guide for founders and management teams in the Middle East

A comprehensive guide to preparing your business for sale including information on understanding buyers and navigating the sale process.

Find out more

CV

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

Career

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

Education

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

Publications

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)
 

Memberships & Associations

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
 

Additional languages

English Arabic

Awards

Outstanding Contribution Award

Featured

Chambers Middle East Awards 2025

Chambers Global 2024

Band 1 Individual Ranking for Venture Capital

Experience

Advising Grant Thornton UAE

Advising Grant Thornton UAE on its business combination with Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, joining a multinational platform of advisory and audit firms established by Grant Thornton Advisors with Grant Thornton Ireland earlier this year, backed by an investor group led by US private equity firm New Mountain Capital. The move strengthens the platform’s UAE presence and expands its cross-border advisory, tax, and audit capabilities across key financial and growth sectors.

Press release
Abdullah Mutawi

US$1.5 billion business combination

Represented a blank check company on its business combination with a tech-enabled urban mass transit platform, with proceeds of US$400 million and valuing the combined listed entity at US$1.5 billion.

Abdullah Mutawi

$450 million PIPE financing

Represented a sovereign-backed non-profit global foundation on its participation in the $450 million PIPE financing of a publicly-traded acquisition company as part of a $3.3 billion transaction, resulting in the acquisition of a Munich-based electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft maker.

Abdullah Mutawi

European investment group on $300 million acquisition of leading MVNO telecom operator

Represented the buyer in a complex and high value acquisition of a leading Middle East and Africa mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) with operations in several of the region’s key jurisdictions.

Abdullah Mutawi

US$125 million divestment of minority stake in regional franchise

Represented regional retail giant on the divestment of 40% of its regional franchise to DIFC private equity firm valuing the franchise at US$ 125 million.

Abdullah Mutawi

Participation in the $38 million Series B financing of UK health tech platform

Advising on a $38 million primary Series B equity financing and a secondary acquisition of shares in a UK-headquartered telemedicine platform using artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality to enable clinicians to remotely interact in a live procedure or assessment from start to finish.

Abdullah Mutawi

Abdullah's news & insights

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Venture capital

Advising Sylndr on its US$15.7 million Series A funding round

20 May 2025

by Abdullah Mutawi and Samy Elsheikh

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Corporate/M&A & capital markets

Advising Grant Thornton UAE on its business combination with Grant Thornton Advisors LLC

24 April 2025

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Corporate/M&A & capital markets

Taylor Wessing advises Enviroserve on its sale to Tadweer Group and DUBAL Holding

22 May 2024

by multiple authors

Click here to find out more
View Abdullah's insights

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