In recent weeks, the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom have taken significant steps to relax of their sanctions on Syria, paving the way for long-awaited normalization of commercial relations and...more
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, recently concluded a landmark tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This was his first official...more
The Gulf Cooperation Council region (the GCC) is becoming an ever-more important destination for the global private credit market. In this client briefing we explore the region’s rising prominence as a key destination for...more
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is taking the plunge into gambling, with the publication of commercial gaming regulations and licensing materials. The good news for interested investors and licensees is that the regulatory and...more
The DIFC Prescribed Company Regulations 2024 (New PC Regulations) were enacted on July 15, 2024. Replacing the former PC Regulations 2019 (and the 2020 and 2022 amendments thereto), the New PC Regulations aim to streamline...more
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA or Kingdom) is a sovereign state located in the Middle East between the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf (sometimes referred to as the Persian Gulf) and is one of the member states of the Gulf...more
Family is the core of Arab society. It is no coincidence then that family businesses are the backbone of its economies. In fact, most private companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are family-owned (more than 60% and...more
INTRODUCTION - The successful closing of the up to $400 million debt financing secured by Tamara, led by Goldman Sachs and King & Spalding client Shorooq Partners, was a landmark deal in the evolution of private credit in...more
Carbon capture and storage is increasingly being put forward as a key part of reaching Net Zero. As the technology, regulation and market strategies evolve and new projects are commissioned around the world, Joe Clinton and...more
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, mid-market capitalization investors have a unique opportunity to acquire or establish Shared Service Centers for their portfolio companies. This would provide scale for...more
The annual IFN UK Forum 2023 was held in London in September 2023 and, once again, was a well-attended event, giving attendees a chance to connect and reconnect with colleagues, clients and friends alike from all over the...more
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region’s heavy focus on technology and innovation is dictating how privacy laws are administered, placing emphasis on protecting and supporting the rights of consumers, employees, and other...more
Despite global shocks and forecasts of a global recession, economies in the Middle East showed "extraordinarily fast" growth in 2022, according to the World Bank. The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)—the United...more
The rapid growth of ESG and sustainable finance in the GCC region offers substantial opportunities, but also entails significant associated risks. Introduction - The Gulf Cooperation Council1 region (GCC Region) is...more
For African economies living on the edge, can the Middle East provide the much-needed boost to the under-serviced Muslim population in Africa? ...more
As Covid-19 restrictions and quarantines lifted around the world in 2022, beginning to draw a line under two years of unpredictability and turbulence, one of the highlights has been the ability to reconnect with clients...more
The year 2021 and early 2022 proved eventful for compliance and white-collar crime in France, especially for anti-bribery and compliance activity. Agencies are continuing to build on Sapin II by incrementally defining...more
It has been reported that some asset managers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) expect stronger inflows amid growing demand for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and Islamic-compliant investments. The rise in...more
Compliance teams looking to stay ahead of the changing landscape need to be up to date on the latest developments. Join us for Global Compliance Updates in collaboration with the DIFC Academy, on 2–3 November 2021. This...more
As decarbonisation becomes increasingly urgent globally, GCC countries are looking to diversify their economies away from hydrocarbons while maintaining a central role in the global energy system. Given plentiful natural gas,...more
On 5 March 2021, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA) announced that all LIBOR settings will either cease to be provided by any administrator or will no longer be representative by 31 December 2021 or, for some...more
Much has been written about the role of hydrogen in the context of energy transition and the path to net zero. Putting aside for the moment the degree of investment and innovation required to get from where we are now to...more
Climate Change Litigation on the Horizon with Trump Environmental Overhaul - On July 16, 2020, President Trump’s Council on Environmental Quality (“CEQ”) published the long-awaited final rule revising the implementing...more
A few years ago, we reported that a wave of waste to energy (“WTE”) projects were expected in the Middle East. It now appears that the wave is about to break. From Saudi Arabia, to the UAE and to Oman, these planned projects...more
Legislation seeks to balance debtor and creditor needs and help businesses and investors operate with confidence in the Middle East. On 11 June 2019, the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) introduced a new...more