Abeer Jarrar

Abeer Jarrar

Partner
Baker & McKenzie LLP

Biography

Abeer Jarrar is a partner at Baker McKenzie based in Dubai. She has over 18 years' experience in the Middle East, with a particular focus on equity capital markets. Having advised in recent years on some of the most complex and high profile regional and international M&A transactions, Abeer combines profound understanding of the legal environment and the distinct business culture of the Middle East and their interaction with international market practice. Prior to joining the Firm, Abeer spent the last ten years at two magic circle firms in Dubai.

Abeer holds a doctorate degree in law from Georgetown University in Washington DC.

Practice Focus

Abeer has extensive experience advising sovereign clients, multinational corporates, family offices, investment banks and other clients on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, joint ventures, capital raising and IPOs in the UAE and the Middle East.

Representative Legal Matters

Prior to joining Baker McKenzie, Abeer advised on the following matters:

  • Advised Meraas on its conditional cash tender offer to acquire 100% of the share capital of DXB Entertainments PJSC, a publicly listed company on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) – the first cash tender offer in the UAE.

  • Advised Sorouh Real Estate PJSC on its USD 12 billion merger with Aldar Properties PJSC – the first ever public statutory merger in the UAE.

  • Advised PAL District Cooling, a leading district cooling business in Abu Dhabi, on the transfer of its district cooling business and simultaneous merger with the International Holdings Company PJSC, a publicly listed company on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).

  • Advised SHUAA Capital psc, a regional market-leading investment banking and capital markets institution listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), on its merger with the Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG), a leading investment group with assets under management of USD 11.5 billion.

  • Advised the Government of Sharjah on its strategic investment (by way of strategic investment) in Invest Bank, the ADX listed financial institution for USD 517 million.

  • Advised Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank PJSC on its USD 1 billion capital raise through a combination of a rights issue and a USD 750 million additional tier 1 sukuk issuance.

  • Advised Kuwait’s Al Kharafi family, through its investment company, Al Khair National for Stocks and Real Estate WLL, on the disposal of its 69% stake in Middle East fast-food operator Americana, formerly listed on Boursa Kuwait, for USD 3.4 billion.

  • Advised Finablr, the UAE-based global platform for payments and foreign exchange solutions, on the UAE legal component of Finablr IPO on the London Stock Exchange.

  • Advised Emaar Properties on certain aspects of the IPOs of Emaar Development and Emaar Malls on the DFM, including the provision of ongoing corporate sustainability and compliance-related advice.

  • Advised South Korea's NH Investment & Securities (as part of a three-member consortium of the world's leading infrastructure and sovereign wealth funds) on the signing of an agreement worth USD 20.7 billion to invest in ADNOC's natural gas pipelines infrastructure in the UAE.

  • Advised a consortium led by Mannai Corporation and EFG Hermes on its USD 445 million recommended cash bid for Damas International Limited, a leading Middle East jewellery and watch retailer and formerly listed on the Nasdaq Dubai.

  • Advised Emaar Hospitality, a subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, on the sale of five hotel assets to ADNH and related hotel management agreements.

  • Advised Khazanah Nasional Berhad on its equity investment in Hygienic Holding Group alongside Standard Chartered Private Equity.

  • Advised Aujan Industries on the reorganisation and sale of approximately 50% of its beverage business to The Coca-Cola Corporation for USD 980 million.

  • Advised the Carlyle Group on their strategic investment in Al-Nabil Food Industries Co Ltd, a frozen and chilled food products company in Jordan.

  • Advised the Carlyle Group on its 42% investment in Alamar Foods, the franchise operator of Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s fast food chain in the Middle East, owned by Saudi Arabia’s Al Jammaz family.

  • Advised Actis, a multi-asset emerging market investor, on the disposal of its entire shareholding in Emerging Markets Payments (EMP), a leading Africa and Middle East payments business.

Admissions

  • Jordan (2001)

Education

  • Georgetown University (Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) (PhD equivalent)) (2010)
  • University of Kent (Master of Laws) (1999)
  • University of Jordan (Bachelor of Laws) (1998)

Languages

  • Arabic
  • English