Egypt

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to El Sayyad Group in connection with reviewing and negotiating agreements related to the opening of Rove Hotels in Egypt. Rove is a dynamic hospitality brand affiliated with Emaar Group, and this transaction marks its first entry into the Egyptian market. This strategic collaboration brings Rove's contemporary lifestyle hospitality concept to Egypt, further enriching the country's growing tourism landscape and aligning with the government's broader vision to expand hotel capacity and attract diverse international brands. The MBH team advising El Sayyad Group was led by Hazem ElGuindi (Partner) and included Shaimaa El Fahmy (Senior Associate), with Valor Partners acting as strategic advisor to El Sayyad Group. We extend our congratulations to El Sayyad Group and Rove Hotels on this exciting milestone, and to our dedicated team for their support in facilitating this transaction. For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Halan for Consumer Finance (“Halan”) in connection with an EGP 2,214,000,000 (Two billion two hundred fourteen million Egyptian Pounds) securitization transaction.  This transaction represents the fifth issuance of Capital’s seventh securitization program, amounting to an aggregate of EGP 11,500,000,000 (Eleven billion five hundred million Egyptian Pounds). The MBH team advising on the securitization was led by Mohamed Abdel Fattah (Partner and Head of Capital Markets), Imane Raouf (Partner), and included Abdel Reheem Ashraf (Senior Associate), Mariam Goubran (Associate), and Ahmed Ayman (Associate). CI Capital was also involved in the transaction as the financial advisor, Baker Tilly as the auditor, Capital Securitization Company as the securitization company, and Middle East Rating & Investors Service (“MERIS”) as the rating agency. We would like to extend our gratitude to all the stakeholders involved and to our dedicated team, whose hard work and commitment made this transaction possible. This landmark deal is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation in the financial sector and advancing economic development. As we move forward, we remain committed to supporting the growth of consumer finance in Egypt and contributing to the empowerment of communities through access to much-needed financial resources. For more about Matouk Bassiouny, visit matoukbassiouny.com.

We are pleased to announce that the Litigation team at Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) has secured a landmark victory in a high-stakes, long-running dispute in favor of NESCO Egypt for Tourism Investments, involving a total exposure exceeding EGP 4 billion. The dispute started in 2011, when the company initiated proceedings seeking a declaration of non-liability in relation to alleged indebtedness claimed by one of Egypt’s largest banks. The banks subsequently filed counterclaims seeking repayment of the loan amount together with various forms of accrued interest. In 2021, a judgment was rendered at first instance against the company, ordering repayment to three major banks, inclusive of compounded and variable interest, bringing the total adjudicated liability to over EGP 4 billion—exceeding the principal amounts originally claimed. At the appellate stage, our firm was instructed to assume representation of the client at a critical juncture, notably after the Cairo Court of Appeal had reserved judgment on the appeals filed by the company, the banks, and a major real estate development company. We promptly submitted a motion to reopen pleadings, supported by compelling legal arguments and evidence demonstrating the necessity of enabling the client to fully present its defense. The Court of Appeal granted our motion and ordered the reopening of pleadings. During the subsequent hearing, our team advanced comprehensive legal arguments and strategic defenses, seeking the complete annulment of the first-instance judgment and a declaration that the court lacked jurisdiction. In a significant development in 2024, the Court of Appeal ruled in our favor, setting aside the first-instance judgment and determining that jurisdiction properly rested with the Cairo Economic Court. While this constituted a major procedural and substantive success, the dispute continued following referral to the competent court. Over the ensuing period, we diligently represented the client before the Cairo Economic Court, submitting detailed pleadings and robust defenses. The court ultimately upheld our position and dismissed the banks’ claims in their entirety. This outcome represents a decisive and comprehensive victory for our client and underscores MBH’s proven ability to successfully navigate complex, high-value disputes and deliver exceptional results under demanding circumstances. The MBH team that handled this matter was led by Dr. Mohamed Shehata (Partner and Head of Litigation & TMT), Reda Morsy (Legal Director), Dr. Tamer Sayed (Legal Director), Khaled Shedid (Legal Director), Eslam Abdeldayem (Counsel), Abdelrahman Hassan (Senior Associate), Mohamed Hanafy (Associate), Abdelrahman Agha (Associate), and Yara Abdelaleem (Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/

Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) is proud to announce a significant achievement by its Litigation team, successfully securing a landmark victory in a complex cross-border criminal dispute involving asset exposure exceeding EGP 1 billion. MBH represented one of Lebanon’s most prominent families in a multi-jurisdictional matter arising from a series of fraudulent transactions targeting extensive landholdings across Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. Investigations uncovered a sophisticated scheme involving the forgery of multiple powers of attorney, which were unlawfully used to facilitate the sale and disposal of key real estate assets in both Egypt and Lebanon. MBH was engaged at a critical stage of the dispute and promptly undertook a comprehensive legal and factual assessment. Upon identifying strong evidence of criminal conduct, our team initiated coordinated legal action, including the filing of criminal complaints and the submission of extensive evidentiary records before the Public Prosecution. Over a two-year period, MBH’s team led all aspects of the proceedings before the Public Prosecution, including drafting detailed submissions, attending investigative sessions, and solidifying legal arguments supported by documentary evidence. These efforts culminated in the successful referral of the principal perpetrator to trial before the competent Felony Criminal Court. In a decisive outcome, the court issued its judgment convicting the defendant of forging official documents and unlawfully using them, sentencing him to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment. This landmark judgment underscores MBH’s capability to navigate complex, high-stakes criminal matters across multiple jurisdictions. It represents a decisive victory for the client, securing substantial assets and reinforcing the rule of law against sophisticated fraudulent schemes. The MBH team that handled this matter was led by Dr. Mohamed Shehata (Partner and Head of Litigation & TMT), Reda Morsy (Legal Director), Eslam Abdeldayem (Counsel), Ayman Sedik (Legal Director for Criminal Enforcement & Intelligence), Mahmoud Ghanem (Senior Associate), Hamada Farahat (Senior Associate), and Mohamed Hanafy (Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, please visit our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.