Full Profile
Sameh has advised on a number of large and complex mergers and acquisitions (M&A) transactions, working with clients operating in the energy, financial services, non-banking financial sector, healthcare, infrastructure, insurance, marine, real estate, retail and consumer, and technology sectors. His main clients include investment banks, sovereign wealth funds, private equity funds and multinational strategic corporations. In addition, Sameh advises SME/technology entrepreneurs and companies.
Sameh is a member of the Egyptian Bar Association. He completed the International Financial Law Programme at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2018 (Grade A-). Sameh graduated with a Master of Laws degree (LLM) in International and European Business Law from Université Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2009, and a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from both, Cairo University in 2008 and Université Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne in 2007.
Sameh has been recognised by The Legal 500 and has been ranked by IFLR 1000 as a rising star in M&A. He is fluent in Arabic, English and French.
Experience
- Advising as the lead counsel to Gig-Egypt on the transaction to acquire 100 per cent of AIG Egypt through a mandatory tender offer.
- Advising a consortium of financial investors led by Amethis and included SPE AIF I (SPE Capital Partners) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), on the acquisition of a 95 per cent stake of GlobalCorp for Financial Services.
- Advising the Sovereign Fund of Egypt on the USD 2 billion sale of state-held stakes in five EGX-listed companies including Commercial International Bank (CIB) and Fawry, and state-owned Abu Qir Fertilizers and Chemicals Company (AFC), Misr Fertilizers Production Company (MOPCO), and Alexandria Container & Cargo Handling to Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, ADQ.
- Advising Emirates NBD on the divestment of their non-banking financial services business in Egypt.
- Advising Suez Industrial Development Company (SIDC), a majority-owned subsidiary of Orascom Construction PLC (NASDAQ Dubai: OC; EGX: ORAS), on a project that aims to develop a 2.2 million square meter industrial park in West Cairo, along with an acquisition of 25 per cent stake of the project company.
- Advising Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, dually listed in Thailand and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and one of the world’s leading petrochemicals producers on its acquisition of Medco Plast for Packing and Packaging Systems, the largest manufacturer of PET from Gulf Capital’s portfolio company, Middle East Glass.
- Advising Unilever on their EUR 4.5 billion disposal of ekaterra, the holding company of the global teas business with a portfolio of 34 brands (including Lipton, PG tips, Pukka, T2 and TAZO) to CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII. Work also included restructuring of the business and its assets.
- Advising BLOM Bank SAL in connection with the disposal of a 99.4 per cent stake held in the share capital of BLOM BANK Egypt to Arab Banking Corporation, through a mandatory tender offer.
- Advising Hutchison Ports, the world’s leading port operator, on its agreement with the Egyptian Navy to develop and operate a new container terminal in Abu Qir, Egypt with total investment value in developing the new terminal estimated to reach USD 730 million.
- Advising Gulf Marketing Group (GMG) on its acquisition of Royal Sporting House (RSH), one of the largest multi-brands sports retailers in Southeast Asia from Dubai-based conglomerate, Al Futtaim Group. RSH operates over 550 sports retail stores and 10 warehouses across 12 countries including in the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, and employs nearly 8,000 people.
- Advising Hitachi on the USD 11 billion acquisition of ABB’s Power Grids unit. Work also included restructuring of the business and its assets.
- Advising Rhone Capital and its portfolio company, Wellbore Integrity Solutions, on the acquisition of fishing, remedial, manufacturing, and tubular rental businesses from Schlumberger in a 25 country carve-out transaction.
- Advising Cysiv, a US-based cyber security company on the 100 per cent acquisition of SecureMisr.
- Advising Saudi-based Al-Watania Information Systems (WiSys) on the 50 per cent acquisition of Spirit, a Egypt-based company providing SAP consulting and technology services.
- Advising a founder of Egypt-based Swvl, a prominent regional ridesharing bus transportation company, on the disposal of his shares in the business.
- Advising CI Capital on their 80 per cent acquisition of Reefy, Egypt’s leading microfinance institution.
- Advising Al Hail Holding, a major investment company headquartered in Abu Dhabi, in its acquisition of a majority stake in Orix Financial Leasing Egypt.
- Advising Olayan Financing Company on the EGP 512 million acquisition of El Rashidi El Mizan.
- Advising Saudi Arabian Japanese Pharmaceutical on its equity investment with primary/secondary offering of 51 per cent of Biopharma for Scientific Research and Pharmaceuticals.
