Egypt

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Mr. Ayman Aouf, founder and CEO of Travel Aspect, in connection with obtaining the exclusive operational rights in Egypt from BRUSECO, a leading European mobility and chauffeur training and certification company. BRUSECO, represented by Mr. Paul Brussaard, specializes in executive chauffeur training and related driving professions and operates across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland. The company works alongside internationally recognized certification bodies, including DEKRA and CCV, to provide professional training and certification programs for chauffeurs and mobility professionals. The transaction marks an important milestone for Aspect Chauffeurs and represents a significant step towards introducing internationally recognized executive chauffeur training and certification standards to the Egyptian market. MBH advised the client throughout the transaction, including liaising between the parties, drafting and negotiating the franchise agreement, and advising on the establishment of the company that will hold and operate the BRUSECO license in Egypt. The MBH team advising on the transaction was led by Sherif El Hosseny (Partner and Head of Aviation) and included Saifallah Kadry (Senior Associate). We are proud to have supported Travel Aspect on this strategic transaction and to have contributed to bringing internationally recognized chauffeur training and certification standards to Egypt, further supporting the development of the country's mobility and transportation services sector. For more about Matouk Bassiouny, visit matoukbassiouny.com.

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/