Full Profile

Previously General Counsel of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), he has also held roles as a senior Projects Team member for a prominent Saudi Arabian law firm and as Co-Head of the Saudi Practice Group of an international law firm. In mid 2008 he established an independent Saudi law office in Riyadh, prior to partnering with Clyde & Co in early 2009.

Abdulaziz advises on ground-breaking Islamic finance structures and major project finance deals with clients ranging from petrochemical companies to banks.

In addition to advising on some of the largest Islamic financing deals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz has, through his work in the public and private sector, extensive experience advising multinational and Saudi corporations in relation to foreign direct investments, incorporations, privatizations, compliance and regulatory regimes.

Abdulaziz served as senior Saudi counsel to ECA's conventional and Islamic lenders in connection with a USD 8.5 billion petrochemical project (recognised as a 'Project Finance Deal of the Year' by IFLR) and the first ever Sukuk approved by the Capital Market Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (awarded 'Deal of the Year ' by Islamic Finance News).

Experience

• Common Lenders' lead Saudi law counsel to, inter alia, JBIC, conventional and Islamic lenders for Petro-Rabigh, a USD 8.5 billion refinery and petrochemical project at Rabigh including advice in structuring/devising novel Islamically compliant structures fitting within a larger conventional financing (awarded Project Finance Deal of the Year 2006 by Euromoney/IFLR).
• Senior Saudi Arabian common counsel to the arranger in connection with structuring the first ever Sukuk approved by the Capital Market Authority in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for an aggregate issue of SAR3 billion (USD 800 million, awarded Deal of the Year 2006 by Islamic Finance News).
• Senior Saudi Arabian counsel to the arranger Saudi banks in advising on structuring, documenting and negotiating novel Islamic financing structures in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including Sukuk al Ijara and Sukuk al Mudaraba.
• Senior Saudi Arabian common counsel to conventional and Islamic lenders in connection with a petrochemical project in the Kingdom, Yansab, including advice in connection with assisting in structuring/devising novel Islamically compliant structures fitting into a larger conventional financing (awarded Petrochemicals Deal of the Year 2006 by Euromoney Magazine Middle East) featuring the largest ever Islamic Financing (USD 847 million) in any multi-sourced project financing globally).
• Advising on the documentation for a USD 526 million polypropylene Al Waha project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (awarded Middle East Islamic Deal of the Year 2006 by the Project Finance Magazine).
• Advising a major international insurer in relation to the structuring and documentation of its takaful options.
• Advising a Saudi company in connection with the issuance of SAR 250,000,000 Sukuk.
• Senior Saudi Arabian common counsel in connection with Shuaiba IWPP and Shuqaiq IWPP, advising Offtaker, Water and Electricity Company, and its shareholders Saline Water Conversion Corporation.
• Senior Saudi Arabian common counsel in connection with the privatization of the Riyadh Water and Waste Water Department.
• Advising a real estate developer in connection to a forward lease arrangement (Ijarah Maosoufah Bil thimmah) with an Islamic bank.
• Advising a major construction company in relation to the financing of a (SAR1,000,000,000) Murabaha arrangement for a hotel project in Makkah.
• Senior Saudi Arabian common counsel in connection with hotel projects in Makkah.
• Advising lenders on a large scale Islamically compliant real estate development transaction involving Islamically compliant structures.
• Advising a major bank in Norway on an Islamic finance structure for the ownership of real estate.
• Senior Saudi Arabian Lawyer in connection with conducting the due diligence review of Mobily's business in relation to telecommunications, regulatory, commercial/corporate, insurance, litigation and property documents.
• Advising a major international telecommunication company in connection with its bid for a second fixed phone licence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and on the Islamic finance documentation.
• Advising a major international telecommunications company in connection with its Islamic financing for its bid for the second mobile licence in Qatar.
• Advising a major telecommunications company in its acquisition of shares using a Murabaha structure.
• Advising Saudi Arabian company in its JV arrangement in the business of manufacturing of line pipes.
• Advising two major international hotel operators in connection to its Hotel Management Agreement in Saudi Arabia.
• Advising major Japanese company in its USD 60 million joint venture in Saudi Arabia.
• Advising lenders on a refinancing of aircraft based on a Diminishing Musharakah structure.
• Advising a major international port operator in connection with its bid to operate one of the Saudi Ports based on a 15-year lease.
• Advising a major entertainment company in connection with its IPO.
• Advising an international security system firm in its joint bid with Saudi Arabian contractor to build and operate several security buildings
• Acting as a local counsel for LeBLANC International PTE Limited on the sale of 49% of the share capital of Al BabtainLeBLANC Telecommunications Systems Ltd to Al Babtain Power and Telecommunications Company (a jointstock company listed on Tadawul).
• Acting as local counsel  for Motorola in connection to the sale of its network unit to Nokia; which includes the advise on Saudi labour law; companies law; foreign Investment law and Sharia’ah law.(in progress.)
• Acting as a local counsel for a leading IWPP Saudi Arabian company in connection to the sale of 50% of its piping and coatings divisions in Saudi Arabia places a combined value on the businesses of circaSAR 433 million.
• Legal Corporate/litigation advisor  for National Water Company, a government owned company.
• Advising Local Cement Company in its capital increase of (SAR 540 million) for listing in the stock exchange (in progress)
• Advising major international rail company, Balfour Beaty, in its joint  bid for civil works of a new rail road in the KSA.
• Advising major international business solution in its bid for a government project.
• Advising international Fund on an acquisition of shares in a Saudi Arabia Mining Company.
• Advising the Saudi Arabian Company “the Buyer” on an acquisition of shares in a Saudi Arabia Mining Company.
• Advising the telecommunication regulator (CITC) on several matters in connection to the telecommunication laws and regulations and representing CITC in major claims.
• Assist several foreign companies in different sectors to establish legal presence in the KSA which includes, hotel, construction, IT ,consultation. insurance.
• Senior Saudi Arabian counsel in the negotiation of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Treaties.