Rising Stars

Banking and finance in Tunisia

Eversheds El Heni (a member of Eversheds Sutherland)

Eversheds El Heni (a member of Eversheds Sutherland) leverages its transactional and advisory expertise to assist high-profile clients with work such as acquisitions, recapitalisations and major financing projects.  Practice co-head Fares El Heni is well placed to assist global clients with matters that fall at the nexus between financing and M&A work. The firm also possesses a strong contentious offering  and fellow co-head Raouf El Heni‘s longstanding experience in strategic litigation is particularly valued by clients from the insurance sector. Soundes Mejdoub departed in June 2022.

Practice head(s):

Fares El Heni; Raouf El Heni


Key clients

Star


IFC


The Tunisian Government


The World Bank


Maghrebia Insurance


Biat Assurance


Credit Agricole


Work highlights


  • Advising IFC in relation to three major financing projects worth circa US$54m and US$40m in the agricultural and financial services sectors.
  • Advising Crédit Agricole on its acquisition of the Vectorys group for Tunisia and Morocco.

Ferchiou & associés

A key destination for domestic and global lenders, Ferchiou & associés' wide-ranging banking and finance offering encompasses in-depth knowledge of asset finance, syndicated loans and credit facilities. The team’s firm grasp of the local regulatory landscape is highlighted by its work as local counsel for the EBRD and the African Development Bank on major financing projects. Senior managing partner Noureddine Ferchiou has a strong record in transactional work. He leads the practice alongside Omar Ferchiou, who frequently assists international financial institutions with issues such as the drafting of Tunisian security documents, and competition law expert Rym Ferchiou.

Practice head(s):

Noureddine Ferchiou; Omar Ferchiou; Rym Ferchiou


Key clients

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development


Invest International B.V.


Gamma Civic Ltd


African Development Bank (AfDB)


International Finance Corporation


Agence Française de Développement


Proparco


Work highlights


  • Advised Invest International B.V. on local aspects of the provision of a €40m loan facility to greenhouse horticultural company, Agro Care.
  • Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on local aspects regarding the increase of its financing granted to Land’Or Maroc Industries.

Meziou Knani & Khlif

Meziou Knani & Khlif is equipped to assist international clients with issues such as the implementation of loan agreements asset financing and project funding and praised for its ‘excellent legal expertise’. Practice co-head Ayoub Knani is regularly tasked with assisting international sponsors and lenders in relation to renewable energy projects in Tunisia. Ghazi Meziou and Omar Ben Slimane complete the leadership team. Amira Driss brings her comprehensive banking regulatory knowledge to bear on a wide array of financing mandates.

Practice head(s):

Ayoub Knani; Ghazi Meziou; Omar Ben Slimane


Other key lawyers:

Amira Driss; Eya Ben Younes


Testimonials

Excellent legal expertise is combined with structured procedure and an all-embracing consulting approach.’

Amria Driss, and Eya Ben Younes create a particularly pleasant consulting environment, are available at all times and are committed to the client to a particularly high degree. They are available with a high level of expertise in complex consulting fields and create a trusting client expertise.

Key clients

CREDION Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH (as management company of AfricaConnect GmbH & Co. KG)


African Export-Import Bank


Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries SA – NV


European Development Finance Institutions Management Company NV (EDFI)


Banque Sahélo-Saharienne pour l’Investissement et le commerce


European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)


Overseas Private Investment Cooporation (OPIC)


International Finance Corporation (IFC) (World Bank Group)


Société Générale


Tunis International Bank (TIB)


ABC Bank


Work highlights


  • Advised African Export-Import Bank on granting a loan to the Republic of Tunisia for an amount of $500m.
  • Advised the banking pool composed of IFC, EIB, Proparco, Standard Bank, DB and AFDB and OFID in the restructuring and renegotiation of the financing granted to TAV Tunisia (financing of Enfidha and Monastir airport concession).
  • Advised the bank BSIC on the granting of a loan to refinance Laico in the Central African Republic.

Boussayene Knani Law Firm

ISDA master agreements, bank guarantees to Tunisian subsidiaries and compliance with compliance with foreign exchange regulation stand out as areas of activity for the ‘complete and professional team’ at Boussayene Knani Law Firm.  Youssef Knani heads up the practice and is well placed to assist development banks with funding agreements and loan arrangements. Mehrez Boussayene is well versed in foreign exchange regulation matters.

Practice head(s):

Youssef Knani


Other key lawyers:

Mehrez Boussayene


Testimonials

‘Complete and professional team.’

‘The team is knowledgeable, courteous, and efficient.’

Key clients

German development bank KFW


BMICE BANK


BNA BANK


BIAT Bank


“ETAP” Tunisian National Oil Company


Banque de Tunisie


EBRD


Banque Fédérative du Crédit Mutuel (BFCM)


Tunisie Télécom


Ooredoo


“Bsic” Sahelo-Saharan Bank for Investment and Trade


Maersk


IPSEN LOGISTICS


Arab Turkish Bank


Ottobock


Work highlights


  • Acting as counsel for Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT) in connection with the ISDA Master Agreement between BIAT and Commerzbank.
  • Acting as legal counsel in a €108m funding agreement between the African Development Bank acting as administrator of the Special Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF) and Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité et du GAZ (STEG).
  • Acting as legal counsel in a €30m funding agreement between Banque Maghrébine d’Investissement et de Commerce Extérieur (BMICE) and Société Tunisienne de l’Electricité et du GAZ (STEG) for the financing of gaz imports from Algeria.

Global Lawyers North Africa in partnership with Gide Loyrette Nouel

Global Lawyers North Africa in partnership with Gide Loyrette Nouel‘s banking and finance team wins plaudits for its ability to assist global development banks and other financial institutions with a range of local law issues connected to overseas investments. The team is additionally well placed to advise multinational organisations with Tunisian subsidiaries on regulatory banking rules and governance issues. Anis Jabnoun is the key Tunisian contact. He has deep experience in bankruptcy procedures and cross-border investments.

Practice head(s):

Anis Jabnoun


Key clients

IFC


ALSF


Société Générale


European Bank of Reconstruction and Development


Work highlights


  • Advising African Legal Support Facility and the Government of the Republic of Tunisia in the development and tendering of two projects in the water sector.
  • Assisting the EBRD and the Government of Tunisia through the Office National de l’Assainissement and the Instance Générale de Partenariat Public-Privé with the development of two wastewater treatment plants in Gabès.
  • Advising the Société Générale Group on banking regulations applicable to its subsidiary as well as regulatory banking rules including governance.