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- Haris Meyer Hanif

“He is dynamic, innovative and does really interesting work”
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Dubai
ICD Brookfield Place, Level 13 DIFC, PO Box 506569Dubai
T +971 50 459 2898
F +971 4 5099 111
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Haris is the head of finance for our Global Transactions team in MENA.
He is a leading lawyer in the region, as reflected in his Band 1 ranking for Banking & Finance UAE by Chambers and Partners.
Haris focuses on restructuring and insolvency matters, acquisition and event-driven financings and private debt transactions across the Middle East and Africa, usually at the more complicated end of the spectrum.
He has acted on some of the most innovative restructurings and financings in the region and is known for taking a commercial approach to executing transactions.
back to tab navigationRestructuring and insolvency example matters:
- Advising Fidera on a confidential special situations mandate.
- Advising Hayfin Capital on its landmark financing of a luxury residential development (Imperial Avenue in Downtown Dubai) using a highly novel and creative approach, involving multiple creditors and requiring the collaboration of the real estate regulator.
- Confidential mandate relating to a high-profile UAE Central Bank regulated business.
- Confidential mandate relating to a key healthcare asset in the UAE, initially under the aegis of the Financial Restructuring Committee and now in a court-supervised process.
- Advising the largest lenders to Dubai Drydocks in relation to its financial restructuring and acquisition by DP World. This deal won ‘Deal of the Year’ awards.
- Advising Alcoa Corporation on a debt-to-equity conversion of Ma’aden Rolling Company’s debt through the issuance of new shares to the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of KSA. This deal also won 'Deal of the Year' awards.
- Advising OSN, one of MENA's largest broadcasting networks, on its debt restructuring opposite a wide syndicate of international, regional and local lenders, which included the injection of an additional subordinated facility by a new lender.
- Advising LafargeHolcim, a global leader in building materials, on the restructuring of the project financing arrangements of its joint venture in the UAE, Lafarge Emirates Cement, with a large syndicate of international, regional and local banks.
- Advising Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries / Julphar on the restructuring, refinancing and upsizing of multiple bilateral credit lines through the establishment of new, long-term, conventional and Islamic facilities on commercial terms consistent across all financiers.
- Advising a ministerial committee of the government of Saudi Arabia on a restructuring of systemic importance and dispute prevention work concerning a major conglomerate with businesses across the region.
- Advising a prominent international financial investor on the provision of an emergency liquidity facility to PwC as liquidators of ABRAAJ Holdings against a complex background and court proceedings in the Cayman Islands. The facility was afforded priority protection through the Cayman Islands court process.
- Advising The Investment Dar on its innovative US$1.2bn restructuring of its existing debt (involving sukuk, bilateral loans and syndicated facilities) by way of a settlement-in-kind offer. The Investment Dar owns significant stakes in various businesses, including Aston Martin.
- Advising a leading financial institution on the restructuring of a well-known education business based in the UAE involving multiple credit facilities at varying levels each with recourse to different assets.
- Advising Cerberus and Olive Rock on their acquisition of a stake in UEMedical, the operator of 21 hospitals and healthcare facilities across the GCC, from a distressed owner.
Acquisition finance example matters:
- Advising General Atlantic on its $260 million Series D investment in Sun King (formerly Greenlight Planet), the largest provider of solar energy products for off-grid homes in Africa and Asia.
- Advising Warburg Pincus and General Atlantic on the financing of their joint acquisition of a stake in Network International, a leading payment solutions provider in the Middle East and Africa.
- Advising Goldman Sachs on the financing of a major Saudi Arabian investor's acquisition of a 50% stake in a joint venture with PepsiCo in Jordan and associated refinancing of its Saudi operations.
- Advising TPG and a global emerging markets financial sponsor on their Islamic financing for their joint investment in Kudu, a leading restaurant group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Advising Omantel on the financing of its public acquisition of a stake in Zain, a company listed on the Kuwait stock exchange.
- Advising Tunisie Telecom on the financing of its public acquisition of a majority stake in GO, a company listed on the Malta stock exchange.
- Advising Network International on a multi-source (Islamic and conventional) financing for its acquisition of Emerging Markets Payment Solutions from growth markets investor, Actis.
- Advising Alpek Polyester, the global integrated polyester-based business unit of Alfa SAB de CV, on the finance aspects of its acquisition of OCTAL for $620 million. OCTAL is a major producer of PET sheet and resin globally.
- Advising GFH Financial Group on the financing elements of its acquisition of a stake in AMA International University and the provision of financing for the purchase of a stake in the same by another shareholder.
- Advising Holcim Group on the financing elements of the sale of its business in India to Adani Group for $10.5 billion.
- Advising Chalhoub Group, the largest luxury retail operator in the Middle East, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Threads Styling, a London based digital luxury retailer and personal shopping platform.
- Advising Affinity Partners on its Series C investment in EMPG, the largest classifieds player in emerging markets with 217 million monthly visits to its platforms (including Dubizzle and Bayut).
Direct lending example matters:
- Advising Ruya Partners on a mezzanine financing for Starzplay, a leading video-on-demand streaming service in the Middle East.
- Advising Ruya Partners on a financing for Energia, a Saudi-based energy solutions and equipment rental business, for the acquisition of new assets, refinancing of near-term maturities and growth capital.
- Advising NBK Capital on a growth financing facility for Moove, an African mobility fintech company and Uber's exclusive vehicle supply partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Advising Jadwa Mezzanine Financing Opportunities Company on an Islamic mezzanine facility for the parent company of LSE listed ADES International Holding PLC.
- Advising NBK Capital on an Islamic mezzanine acquisition facility for GC Reach to acquire a significant minority stake in a KSA based HR and manpower supply company, Emdad Human Resources, making GC Reach one of the largest recruitment and outsourcing services in the Middle East.
- Advising GC Credit Opportunities, EBRD, AFC and IFC, amongst others, on their investment, by way of a convertible mezzanine financing, in Carbon Holdings, Egypt’s largest downstream oil and gas holding company.
- Advising Permira Debt Managers on a confidential financing involving a regional asset.
- Advising NBK Capital on an Islamic mezzanine facility provided to a subsidiary of Bait Al Batterjee Group for the development of private hospitals in Egypt and Morocco under the ‘Saudi German Hospital’ brand.
- Advising GC Credit Opportunities on a mezzanine financing (with equity kicker) provided to Olive Group (subsequently acquired by Constellis), a security company operating largely out of the GCC and Iraq.
- Advising NBK Capital on an Islamic mezzanine facility in connection with the acquisition by a sponsor of an education business in Saudi Arabia.
- Advising GC Credit Opportunities on a mezzanine facility (with equity kicker) made available to Amana Holdings Limited, a healthcare facility operator in the UAE.
- Advising NBK Capital on an acquisition facility made available to the Kuwait LBO Fund on its acquisition of a stake in a bakery business in Kuwait.
- Advising GC Credit Opportunities on its initial and follow-on investments in AMAK Petroleum, which is an Egyptian-based petroleum company with operations in Syria and Libya, by way of a mezzanine facility (with equity kicker).
- Advising NBK Capital on an Islamic mezzanine facility made available to a leading energy rental business operating in Saudi Arabia.
- Advising Investbridge Capital on a mezzanine financing for an investment in a UAE based real estate development company.
- Advising a regional financial investor on its debt investment into a UAE based serviced office business.
General banking and corporate finance example matters:
- Advising Newcastle United Football Club on a financing provided by HSBC and Deutsche Bank.
- Advising multiple SWFs and GREs in the GCC and their lenders on a variety of debt financing transactions (often widely syndicated) amounting to tens of billions of dollars in each of 2020 and 2021.
- Advising National Energy Services Reunited Corp., a NASDAQ listed leading provider of oilfield services in the MENA region, on its ESG-linked $860m multicurrency term and revolving credit facilities.
- Advising Metito Holdings Limited, a leading global provider of sustainable water and wastewater treatment solutions across 18 countries in Africa, Middle East and South-East Asia, on a sustainability-linked $120m multicurrency financing.
- Advising First Gulf Bank on its merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi, creating the largest bank in the MENA region (now First Abu Dhabi Bank).
- Advising Al Hilal Bank on a three-way merger with ADCB and Union National Bank creating the third largest bank in the UAE.
- Advising Abu Dhabi Polymers Co. Ltd (Borouge), a joint venture between a leading GRE and Borealis, on its debut $500m revolving credit facility.
- Advising flydubai on a US$500M syndicated multi-source (Islamic and conventional) financing. The facilities incorporated a wakala structure and were backed by IATA Clearing House receivables, a structure believed to be a first in the Middle East.
- Advising a major consortium of international and regional financiers on the c.$1.25bn multi-source (Islamic and conventional) financing for GEMS Education, the leading educational platform across 14 countries, in which Blackstone, Fajr Capital and Mumtalakat were (at that time) investors.
- Advising Emirates NBD Capital Limited and Emirates Islamic Bank PJSC on a AED550M multi-source (Islamic and conventional) financing for Emirates Healthcare Development Company, the owner of Saudi German Hospital, Dubai.
- Advising National Energy Services Reunited Corp. on a US$450m multicurrency term and revolving credit facilities arranged by HSBC, Mashreqbank, APICORP and Saudi British Bank.
- Advising National Bank of Abu Dhabi (now part of First Abu Dhabi Bank) on its acquisition of a portfolio of Indian loan assets valued at almost $1bn from Royal Bank of Scotland.
Dubai
ICD Brookfield Place, Level 13 DIFC, PO Box 506569Dubai
T +971 50 459 2898
F +971 4 5099 111
Profile quotations
Impressive ability to cut through the extraneous issues to focus on the real problems.
Our go-to person on anything complicated
Client-centric and has exceptional people skills
Highly responsive, very client friendly, and very commercial in his approach.
Extremely responsive, accommodating and knowledgeable.