Lamyaa Gadelhak

Lamyaa Gadelhak

Partner
Helmy, Hamza and Partners

Biography

Lamyaa Gadelhak is partner at Helmy, Hamza & Partners, Baker McKenzie Cairo, where she co-heads the Banking & Projects Practice Group. She has over 15 years of experience working on the entire spectrum of banking and finance and developing critical projects in energy, mining, infrastructure, environmental markets, and climate change. Lamyaa has been at the forefront of Baker McKenzie's efforts to expand the Firm's expertise in other jurisdictions, including in Africa.

In the area of projects, Lamyaa advises on project development and financing, as well as on regulatory and corporate matters. She also provided her unique perspective in several publications on renewable energy, banking and finance, emissions trading, climate change, and carbon capture and storage. In addition, she was among the first members of the Firm's EMEA Banking & Finance Steering Committee and EMEA Financial Institutions Working Group. Lamyaa currently serves on the steering committees for Baker McKenzie's global project finance and Africa initiatives. She also participates in BakerWomen, a recent initiative to advance female professionals at Baker McKenzie. Lamyaa constantly receives top rankings from publications like Chambers Global, Legal 500, and IFLR, which recognize her many achievements.

Lamyaa received her bachelor's degree in 2014 from Cairo University's Faculty of Law. She then completed her master's degree in business law in 2005 and her master's degree in international and European business law in 2007, both at the Universite Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. She was admitted to the Egyptian Bar Association in 2005.

Practice Focus

Lamyaa advises on project development and financing, as well as regulatory and corporate matters. 

Representative Legal Matters

Banking & Finance/Energy, Mining and Infrastructure

  • Represented the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) in connection with 200 MW Kom Ombo solar PV project.

  • Acted as a sponsor counsel for ACWA Power in connection with three solar PV power plant projects under the second round of the feed-in tariff program. The three projects have a total capacity of 165.5 MW at a total investment value of USD 190 million 75% of the project cost is financed through a non-recourse project debt from European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. The remaining 25% will be coming through equity capital from the sponsors.

  • Represented the project companies sponsored by Acciona Energia S.A, Swicorp and TBEA Xinjiang Sunoasis Co., Ltd. in connection with three solar energy projects each of 50MW participating in the Second Round of the Egyptian feed-in tariff scheme. Global Multilateral Deal of the Year Award: Egypt Solar 2017 – Project Finance International Magazine.

  • Acting as local counsel to Carbon Holdings in relation to its USD 10 billion mega petrochemical complex by Tahrir Petrochemical Corporation in the North West Gulf of Suez Special Economic Zone to be financed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Korea Insurance Corporation.

  • Represented African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in a USD 150 million Revolving Facility Agreement dated 15 March 2019 and made amongst El Sewedy Electric S.A.E as Borrower.

  • Acted as local counsel to the Standard Charted Bank (as original lender and mandated lead arranger) in connection with USD 100 million term loan facility to African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

  • Acted as local counsel for Standard Chartered Bank (as agent, mandated lead arranger and original lender) in connection with USD 300 million short term facility to African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).

Environmental and Climate Change

  • Working with other lawyers of the Firm in the climate change practice group discussing Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) opportunities in Egypt. Also, assisting Partner from Sidney Office in accessing potential CDM project for a client in Egypt (confidential).

  • Represented Egypt hydrocarbon Corporation in connection with the Service Agreement on the reduction of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions under the CDM.

  • Represented TriOcean Carbon & Renewable Energy S.A.E. as potential project developer in connection with various solar concentration plant projects in Egypt.

Professional Honors

  • Leading Individual by Legal 500 in Banking and Finance, Energy and Projects and Infrastructure, 2022 and 2023
  • Band 1 by Chambers Global 2023 in Banking and Finance and Projects and Energy
  • Market Leader by IFLR1000 in Banking and Projects Finance, 2022
  • Band 2 by Chambers Global Banking & Finance, 2018 and 2019
  • Next Generation Lawyer by Legal500 Energy, 2019
  • Band 2 by Chambers Global Banking & Finance, 2018
  • Band 3 by Chambers Global, Banking & Finance, 2017
  • Up and coming lawyer by Chambers Global, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Institute for Energy Law of the Center for American and International Law - Member

Admissions

  • Egypt (2005)

Education

  • University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne) (LLM International and European Business Law) (2007)
  • Cairo University (Bachelor of Law) (2004)
  • University of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne) (Maitrise in Business Law) (2004)

Languages

  • Arabic
  • English
  • French
  • Speaker, "Law Talks '18 Raising the Bar," The Law Magazine, November 2018

  • Co-author, "A Legal Perspective on Egypt's Energy Sector", Law Today Magazine, Q3 2017

  • Speaker, "Women in the Legal Profession," Legal Web II conference, March 2017

  • Interview in "Law Vibes Section of Legal Web II," Post Conference Report, March 2017

  • Speaker, "Renewable energy panel," Euromoney Conference, 2010

Firm Committee Memberships

  • Professional Development Committee - Member, Cairo office
  • EMEA Banking & Finance Steering Committee - Member