Ben Phillips

Over the past eleven years, Ben has advised a significant number of clients across the Middle East and North Africa region, primarily focusing on the GCC and Egypt.

Ben has advised on complex international tax matters, including multi-jurisdictional group restructuring and reorganisations in the Middle East region.

In addition, Ben has vast experience of advising on buy-side and sell-side deals including drafting legal provisions in the contractual documentation and negotiating provisions with opposite counsel.

Ben also advises on the impact of Pillar Two in the Middle East region, focusing on compliance, restructuring and governance of the global minimum tax framework. Ben provides domestic corporate tax advisory support, including advising a number of clients on the introduction of corporate tax in the UAE.

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Advised on the tax provisions of the contractual documentation on Brooge Energy’s divestment in BPGIC Group to Gulf Navigation Holding PJSC.
• Advised CVC DIF on the tax provisions, including the Pillar Two, in the sale and purchase agreement on the USD 1.03 billion investment in National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed).
• Advised Gulf Data Hub on the tax provisions to be included in the sale and purchase agreement, and negotiated the provisions with Buyer’s legal counsel, on its disposal of a stake in its data centres to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.
• Advised Affinity Holdings Private Limited on the tax provisions to be included in the sale and purchase agreement, and negotiated the provisions with consortium’s legal counsel, on its USD 1.01 billion disposal of a healthcare asset to a consortium.
• Advised a leading underwriter on the tax provisions for a warranty and indemnity insurance policy to be provided on multiple M&A deals in the Middle East region.
• Advising a prominent family on an acquisition of a hotel in Dubai, covering tax due diligence, tax structuring and the tax provisions in the sale and purchase agreement.
• Tax due diligence, acquisition structure and SPA support on the acquisition of a UAE based, MENA operating, telecommunication operator.

Restructuring and international tax structuring

• Tax advisory on a significant investment by a UAE sovereign wealth fund in a global environmental commodities exchange and their re-domiciliation from Singapore to the UAE.
• Advised a leading fashion house on its Middle East structure as it re-evaluated its legal arrangements with its local partner.
• Advised an e-commerce platform on the proposed investment in UAE real estate, including the application of the UAE domestic minimum top up tax regime to the proposed investment.
• Restructured a UAE headquartered group in respect of its obligations under the UAE domestic minimum top up tax regime.

Tax advisory

• Providing ongoing tax advice to a leading financial institution on its tax obligations in the Middle East.