Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy > Cairo, Egypt > Firm Profile
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy Offices
12 MOHAMED ALI GENAH STREET
GARDEN CITY
CAIRO
Egypt
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Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy > The Legal 500 Rankings
Egypt > Banking and finance Tier 1
Considered by some as ‘the best law firm in Egypt’, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy is ‘highly knowledgeable and engaged’ with regard to all bank, non-banking financial institution and capital markets matters. The practice continues to maintain its traditional focus on large-scale financings, as well as expanding into new niche areas such as advising local banks on security perfection and sanctions-related restructuring. Regional managing partner and head of finance and projects Mahmoud Bassiouny is a trusted advisor to international commercial banks and export credit agencies. Ashraf Hendi is a key contact for project and equity finance transactions, and counsel Nadia Abdallah is well versed in significant transactions in the energy, logistics and infrastructure sectors.Practice head(s):
Mahmoud Bassiouny; Ashraf Hendi
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Best law firm in Egypt. Highly knowledgeable and engaged. They act as partners to our firm and not just service providers. We use them for all our legal matters with respects to banks, NBFIs and capital markets activities (e.g. securitisations).’
‘Competent, with extensive experience. Able to come up with good solutions. Standouts include Mahmoud Bassiouny.’
‘Excellent team. They are our go-to firm for all banking and finance queries and matters in Egypt. They are very responsive and solution-oriented.’
‘Mahmoud Bassiouny is in our view one of the best banking and finance lawyers in Egypt. He is super available and is the person we approach for complex financing matters.’
‘Nadia Abdallah is a very safe pair of hands and provides excellent advice on complex matters.’
Key clients
Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E.
National Bank of Egypt
Banque Misr
Banque du Caire SAE
Eurogate
Arab African International Bank
Maridive
SACE SpA
HSBC Bank Middle East Limited
Happag Lloyd
Work highlights
- Represented Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E., a consortium comprising ENGIE, Toyota Tsusho, and Orascom Construction, in connection with the development, design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of a 500MW wind power plant project located on the Gulf of Suez.
- Represented Maridive in connection with the restructuring of USD 219,370,176 Islamic and conventional facilities availed respectively by a syndicate of banks (Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Arab African International Bank, Arab International Bank (Cairo), Mashreq Bank, Industrial Development Bank and Sharjah Islamic Bank) and the EBRD.
- Represented the lenders in connection with a EGP 6,373,000,000 long-term financing extended to First Design for Urban Investment and Development S.A.E. (the borrower) under an asset purchase and development transaction, involving the Arab Company for Projects and Urban Development S.A.E. in its capacity as seller and asset manager.
Egypt > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1
Described by one client as ‘the best law firm in Egypt’, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy is consistently involved in high-value and complex corporate transactions across a broad range of sectors. Founding partner and practice co-head Omar Bassiouny is highly sought after by local and international clients to advise on public and private M&A, capital markets and private equity transactions. Co-head Tamer El Hennawy is a ‘first-class lawyer’ who regularly handles high-value acquisitions in the energy, manufacturing and real estate sectors.Practice head(s):
Omar Bassiouny; Tamer El Hennawy
Testimonials
‘Best law firm in Egypt. Highly knowledgeable and engaged. They act as partners to our firm and not just service providers.’
‘Competent with extensive experience. Able to come up with good solutions.’
‘The advice and support provided to our business and group entities by Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy has been of a high quality, relevant to our requirements and more importantly helped us to make the appropriate decisions that have contributed to the success of our group entities.’
‘I would strongly recommend MBH as a trusted partner for providing expert advice and support on a wide range of legal and compliance matters. This is complemented by their wide range of services, making them highly ideal for any corporate looking to appoint a single trusted source for legal compliance expert advice and support.’
‘They have exceptional lawyers and legal advisors. Tamer El Hennawy is first-class lawyer and legal advisor, having unique experience in commercial, corporate, and M&A. Very knowledgeable, trustworthy, and articulate. Very transparent and able to handle complex issues.’
‘I have been using Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy for many years, and they are by far the most reliable, efficient, and customer-focused legal firm in Egypt. They hire highly skilled lawyers, are focused on the customer’s needs, are commercially balanced, are willing to work hard to deliver on time, and deliver excellent advice and documentation.’
‘A very strong team. Outstanding partners and associates.’
Key clients
National Paints
Edita Foods
Adnoc
MNT Halan
Saint Gobain
Actis and Mainstream Renewable Power
GB Auto
AD Ports
Zahran Marekt
Beltone Financial Holding
Work highlights
- Advised Agthia Group PJSC in connection with its acquisition of a majority stake in Abu Auf Group.
- Advised Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for Distribution PJSC in connection with the acquisition of a 50% stake in TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt LLC.
- Advised AD Ports Group in connection with its USD 140 million acquisition of a 70% equity stake in International Associated Cargo Carrier B.V., which wholly owns two Egypt-based maritime companies, Transmar International Shipping Company and Transcargo International S.A.E.
Egypt > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 1
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy’s arbitration practice houses a team of 'highly experienced lawyers who specialise in dispute resolution'. The group has an excellent track record in acting for clients in prominent arbitration proceedings concerning investment treaties, as well as commercial and sports law disputes. The department has extensive experience in handling DIAC, ADCCAC, CRCICA, ICC and LCIA arbitration proceedings. Firm founding partner John Matouk heads up the disputes practice, and has expertise in advising on complex cross-border arbitration work; head of arbitration Amr Abbas is a 'first-class lawyer' with 'unique expertise in investment arbitration matters'. Ahmed Abdelhakeem and Mohamed Sallam are singled out for their contributions.Practice head(s):
John Matouk; Amr Abbas
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Matouk Bassiouny have been our trusted Egyptian legal advisors for several years, successfully navigating us through a difficult and long sale process of a large and complex manufacturing business located in Egypt. They have continuously gone above and beyond to bring us to the point of delivery.’
‘Ahmed Abdelhakeem has been instrumental in guiding us through a complicated sale process, advising on the possible disputes and litigious risks associated with each stage of the transaction. Ahmed has been our representative and voice in Arabic during the negotiations with the sellers and has remained consistently impressive in his field.’
‘The advice and support provided to us by Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy has been of a high quality, relevant to our requirements and more importantly helped us to make the appropriate decisions. I would strongly recommend MBH as a trusted partner for providing expert legal/regulatory advice and support on a wide range of legal and compliance matters. ’
‘They have exceptional lawyers. Amr Abbas and Ahmed Abdelhakeem are first class lawyers having unique experience in investment arbitration matters. Very knowledgeable, trustworthy, and articulate. Very transparent and able to handle complex issues.’
‘We were highly impressed with the team members’ high qualifications, exceptional professionalism, dedication, and ethics. They are very organized, attend to every detail, and prepare for all possible problems, even what would seem unlikely.’
‘MB team was formed of several impressive individuals. They were dedicated and worked with us for long hours, and they were always very organized and focused on details and how to preserve our interest throughout the dispute.’
‘Having had the distinct privilege of observing and interacting with the Dispute Resolution: Arbitration practice of Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (MBH), I am fully confident in rating their services a solid 10/10. This is not a score I give lightly, but after understanding their methods, expertise, and overall dedication to the field, it’s clear that MBH’s team stands out in the crowded legal landscape.’
‘Each member of the team, from the most junior associate to the seasoned partners, exhibits a passion and dedication to their craft that is both rare and commendable.’
Key clients
GB Auto S.A.E.
Reliance Heavy Industries
Chengdu Design & Research Institute of Building Materials Industry Co. Ltd
International Holding Project Group and Other Kuwaiti Investors
Nogoom Football Club (“NFC”)
The Producers
Egyptian Resorts Company (“ERC”)
ZPEC Egypt LLC
Egypt > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 1
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy's 'deep knowledge and expertise in Egyptian law and litigation procedures is outstanding'. The litigation practice is regularly instructed by international and regional clients in a wide range of complex matters, including contentious corporate work, white collar criminal matters, and competition and antitrust issues. Founding partner John Matouk heads up the department and has extensive experience in handling cross-border disputes in local courts. Mohamed Shehata's workload includes telecoms, finance, energy, IP and employment disputes. Momen Rezk is singled out for his contributions.Practice head(s):
John Matouk; Mohamed Shehata
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The dispute resolution litigation practice at Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy stands out as an exemplary model of legal precision, innovation, and client commitment.’
‘Individual brilliance shines bright at MBH. The professionals I’ve had the privilege to interact with aren’t just experts in their field, they’re visionaries and genuine problem solvers.’
‘MBH understands the needs of their client. They understand the law and relevant legal rules that governs a given problem or situation. They know how to provide the correct and proper legal support. One of MBH’s most important key strength is that they understand what the client want and act accordingly in a legal professional manner.’
‘MBH’s team enjoy high level of communication skills, which contributes positively in the overall experience with them. ’
Key clients
Al Khartoum State, the Government of Sudan
Orascom Construction Industries (OCI)
Airbus SAS
MAERSK Drilling Holding Singapore (MDHS), Egypt Branch
Etisalat Misr
Pfizer
Genting Casinos Egypt Limited
IHS Towers Company
Melia Hotels International
Merge Plus
Groupe Atlantic
Misr International University
Ora Developers Egypt for Real Estate Investment S.A.E.
Al Ahram Beverages (ABC)
Huntleigh Nesbit Evans Limited
Skoda Auto (Volkswagen Group)
Nissan Motor Egypt
Reliance Heavy Industries S.A.E.
Egyptian Resorts Company
John Bean Technologies Corporation (“JBTC”)
Aldahra Agriculture Egypt (“ADE”)
C. & J. Clark International Limited (“Clarks”)
Hilton
AXA
Soyven
Cargill
Inertia
Alcazar Energy Egypt Solar
TCI Sanmar
Misr Beni-suif Cement
Kuwait Wadi Elnile Urban Development Company (Kuwadico)
ENAP Sipetrol S.A.
I.V.L Dhunseri Polyester Company S.A.E
Uber
Telecom Italia Sparkle
Work highlights
- Represented Orascom Construction Industries in a complex tax dispute, valued at EGP 7 billion, against the Egyptian Tax Authority.
- Acting for Merge Plus in a shareholders dispute.
Egypt > Energy Tier 1
Working in conjunction with the firm’s corporate and M&A and dispute resolution teams, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy assists clients with projects, transactions and disputes related to oil and gas and renewables. Managing partner Mahmoud S. Bassiouny leads the project finance offering and offers extensive energy and infrastructure experience, having regularly acted for international commercial banks and major energy companies. Counsel Nadia Abdallah continues to strengthen her reputation for investments in renewables and upstream and downstream oil and gas.Practice head(s):
Mahmoud S. Bassiouny
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
TSFE Infrastructure & Utilities Sub Fund
Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E.
Groupe SEB
Lekela Egypt Wind Power BOO S.A.E.
Dragon Oil
Actis
Work highlights
- Acted as the legal counsel to the TSFE Infrastructure & Utilities Sub Fund in connection with the negotiation of framework agreements with more than 15 developers to develop facilities for renewable energy, green hydrogen/green ammonia manufacturing and storage.
- Represented Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E., a consortium comprising Engie, Toyota Tsusho and Orascom Construction, in connection with the development, design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of a 500 MW wind power plant project located at the Gulf of Suez.
- Represented Groupe SEB in connection with the negotiation of a power purchase agreement and related usufruct agreement with Infinity Power for the construction, operation and maintenance by Infinity Power of a rooftop solar power plant facility at Groupe SEB’s factory premises.
Egypt > Projects and infrastructure Tier 1
Regional managing partner Mahmoud Bassiouny heads up the finance and projects team at Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy, which has a solid track record in handling the project finance aspects of energy and utility projects. Energy, telecoms, transport and ports are key sector strengths for the department, and the group is increasingly active in the renewable energy and utilities sectors in the jurisdiction. Nadia Abdallah is singled out for her contributions.Practice head(s):
Mahmoud Bassiouny
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
TSFE Infrastructure & Utilities Sub Fund
Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E.
AD Ports Group
Groupe SEB
Lekela Egypt Wind Power BOO S.A.E.
El Moher Car Trading, Import and Commercial Agencies (Abou Ghaly Motors)
Sky Investment for the Ownership and Management of Projects S.A.E.
Deutsche Bahn International Operations GMBH
Sky Ports S.A.E.
Work highlights
- Acted as Egyptian legal counsel to the TSFE Infrastructure & Utilities Sub Fund in connection with nine separate framework agreements with developers to develop renewable energy facilities.
- Represented Red Sea Wind Energy S.A.E. – a consortium comprising ENGIE, Toyota Tsusho, and Orascom Construction – in connection with the development, design, construction, financing, operations and maintenance of a 500MW wind power plant project.
- Acted as counsel to Sky Ports S.A.E. regarding the design, construction, management, operation, maintenance and re-delivery of a multi-purpose terminal located at East Port Said port.
Egypt > Employment Tier 2
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy provides ‘clear and succinct employment advice’, with a particular strength for contentious and non-contentious labour law matters related to restructuring and M&A. The practice is jointly led by the experienced team of Tamer Fawki and senior associate Susan Romana, both of whom cover the spectrum of day-to-day employment matters, spanning employee contracts, social insurance, HR policy, personal investigations and redundancies.Practice head(s):
Tamer Fawki; Susan Romana
Testimonials
‘Individuals are quite available and supportive in our business needs.’
‘Prompt assistance and efficient guidance.’
‘Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy provide clear, concise and commercial advice. They are true commercial partners rather than simply providers of legal services.’
‘Susan Romana has a clear and detailed understanding of local law and gets right to the heart of employment law issues.’
‘The team provides clear and succinct advice, that is helpful and timely.’
‘Susan Romana supported on a transaction and was responsive whilst providing legally sound advice.’
‘A well-versed and experienced team.’
Key clients
Remote
Snap Inc.
Allyant
Tabuk
Total Eren
VFS Global
Wabtec
Xylem
Ziwo
Capgemini
China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited (C-Sail)
Work highlights
- Advised Remote on employment related legal compliance matters and assisted the client with setting up operations in Egypt, including on the social insurance registration of the entity.
- Advised Snap Inc. on employment related legal compliance matters in relation to the outsourcing of employees.
- Advised Allyant on employment related legal compliance matters, including work authorisation of expats, and assisting with the work stream of social insurance registration of company directors.
Egypt > Intellectual property Tier 2
With extensive expertise across both contentious and transactional areas of IP law, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy is known for its strength in a number of key sectors of the Egyptian economy, spanning agriculture, software development, food and beverages, electronics and renewables. Legal director Menna Elsherif has a strong track record for IP prosecution, as well as experience of handling due diligence on trade mark, patent, copyright and industrial design matters. She co-heads the practice with Omar Bassiouny and Tamer El Hennawy.Practice head(s):
Menna Elsherif; Omar Bassiouny; Tamer El Hennawy
Key clients
Al-Ahram Beverages Company
Blink Finance
Gianaclis Vineyards Company
Zed Sports Investments
Ora Developers Egypt for Real Estate Investments
Zed Entertainment
Zed for North Coast Development
Arqaam Capital Holding
Halan for Technologies and Services
Work highlights
- Representing Blink Finance as the IP agent and assisting the client with the registration of its brand portfolio in Egypt.
- Acting as the IP counsel to Gianaclis Vineyards Company on all IP-related matters, including the trade mark prosecution and portfolio management of over 500 trade mark applications filed in the name of the company.
- Acting as IP counsel to Halan for Information and Technologies on all IP-related matters, including obtaining all necessary operational licences for carrying out information technology services, and the registration of its mobile application and computer programme in addition to trade mark prosecution and portfolio management.
Egypt > TMT Tier 2
At Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy, the TMT practice regularly acts for a number of prominent tech and telecoms companies on high-value transactions and day-to-day operations in the Egyptian market. Mohamed Shehata is well versed in handling contentious matters, and acts for clients in complex telecoms disputes before Egyptian courts, arbitral tribunals and regulatory bodies. Counsel and corporate specialist Mohamed Essam is a key name for fintech work.Practice head(s):
Mohamed Shehata; Mohamed Essam
Key clients
Lnddo
Capgemini
Ziwo
Wabtec
Helpoo
Hago Singapore
Kuaishou
Khazna
Kashier
Snap Inc.
Granite
Global Corp
TBS Venture
Belmazad
Split
Stake
Halan for Technology & Services
Money Fellows
Lucky
Nymcard
Blnk
Yoco
Cellulant
Swype
Raseedi
Liwwa
Pharos Consumer Finance
Work highlights
- Representing Etisalat Misr in tax litigation involving the NTRA.
- Advising Nymcard on its operations in Egypt, including fintech licensing matters.
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy > Firm Profile
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy was established in 2005 and has since developed into a premier full-service business law firm in Egypt, and the MENA region. We pride ourselves in our people as well as in the strong and long-lasting relationships we have built with our corporate and institutional clients over the years. We also deeply value the bonds and synergies we have formed with numerous tier-one international law firms with whom we routinely team up in providing the highest level of legal services to our clients in the most significant, high-value and sensitive transactions, projects and disputes in Egypt and the region.
Trained both locally and internationally in both civil and common law systems, our lawyers are fully conversant in English, Arabic and French. We are ideally placed to advise on high-profile, high-value complex matters.
- Egyptian law expertise & international experience. Our lawyers are licensed to practice in Egypt and also have gained extensive international exposure having studied or worked abroad. As we routinely advise international corporations, we are deeply ingrained with international best practices.
- Commercial approach. We are result-oriented. Our role is to act as your business advisor, identifying and resolving key issues from a legal, commercial and sector-focused perspective.
- Strong relations with Egyptian Regulatory Authorities. Our Firm maintains strong working relationships with local Egyptian authorities.
- Top-ranked law firm. Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy is consistently ranked as a top-tier law firm by prominent legal publications.
Our lawyers are fully committed to understanding our clients’ businesses and needs. We are organized within four main practice groups and routinely work on the following types of matters:
Capital Markets
- Bond issuing
- Funds management
- IPOs
- Privatizations
- Capital Increase
- Secondary offerings
- Listings and delisting
- Dual securities listings
Corporate and M&A
- M&As
- Corporate restructurings
- Joint Ventures
- General Corporate Advisory
- Corporate Establishments
- Company Secretarial
- Venture Capital & Start-Up Legal Incubation
- Anti-trust
- Intellectual Property
- Employment
- Data privacy/ICT & Media
- Financial technology
- Tax
Dispute Resolution
- Litigation
- Administrative Law
- Contract Disputes/Agency & Distribution
- Enforcement
- IP Litigation
- Labor & Employment
- Product Liability
- Securities
- Tax & Customs
- Investment Treaty Arbitration
- Commercial Arbitration
- Sports Arbitration
- FCPA-related investigations
- Domestic & International investigations and claims
- Transnational organized crime
- Financial crime
- Anti-money laundering
- International judicial cooperation
- Anti-trust regulatory investigations
- Regulatory filings
- Mediation and negotiations
Finance & Projects
- Asset Finance
- Corporate & Investment Grade Lending
- Derivatives & Structured Finance
- Islamic Finance
- Leveraged & Acquisition Finance
- Project Structuring
- Project Development
- Project & Infrastructure Finance
We have also developed core sector focus capabilities organized into 18 specialized sector groups:
- Aviation
- Banking
- Consumer Goods & Retail
- Education
- Energy & Water
- Healthcare
- Heavy Industries
- Hospitality
- Insurance
- Life Sciences & Pharmaceuticals
- Non-Banking Financial Institutions
- Private Equity
- Public Procurement
- Real Estate
- Sports
- Technology, Media & Telecommunication
- Transport & Logistics
- FinTech & ECVC
As the leading law firm in Egypt, our resources, expertise, and experience are second to none in the market. Our teams provide top-tier legal advisory services while consistently creating value for our clients.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Corporate and M&A | Omar S. Bassiouny (Founding Partner and Group Head of Corporate and M&A) | [email protected] | |
Dispute Resolution | John Matouk (Founding Partner and Group Head of Dispute Resolution) | [email protected] | |
Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A | Tamer El Hennawy (Partner and Co-Head of Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A) | [email protected] | |
Finance & Projects | Mahmoud S. Bassiouny (Regional Managing Partner and Group Head of Finance & Projects) | [email protected] |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Dr Amr A. Abbas | Partner and Head of Arbitration and Co-Head of Competition. | View Profile | |
Ms Nadia Abdallah | Counsel | View Profile | |
Dr Mohamed Al Degwy | Partner and Head of Competition | View Profile | |
Mr Amr Baggatto | Partner. | View Profile | |
Ms Nahla Djabi | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Amr Ehab | Partner. | View Profile | |
Mr Tamer El Hennawy | Partner and Co-Head of Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A. | View Profile | |
Mr Sherif El Hosseny | Partner and Head of Aviation | View Profile | |
Ms Menna Elsherif | Legal Director and Head of Intellectual Property. | View Profile | |
Mr Mohamed Essam Sid-Ahmed | Partner and Head of FinTech & ECVC | View Profile | |
Mr Tamer Fawki | Partner and Head of Employment & Labor | View Profile | |
Mr Ahmed Abdel Hakeem | Partner. | View Profile | |
Mr F. John Matouk | Founding Partner, Head of New York Office and Group Head of Dispute… | View Profile | |
Mr Momen Rezk | Partner. | View Profile | |
Mr Mahmoud S. Bassiouny | Regional Managing Partner and Group Head of Finance & Projects | View Profile | |
Mr Omar S. Bassiouny | Founding Partner and Group Head of Corporate and M&A | View Profile | |
Mr Islam Saeed | Partner and Head of Libya Country Desk | View Profile | |
Dr Mohamed Shehata | Partner and Head of Litigation. | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 28 Fee Earners : 177 Support Staff : 103Languages
Arabic English FrenchMemberships
Meritas TerraLex Privacy Rules GGI Geneva Group International AG Zürich (GGI) Arisotic Law AllianceMatouk Bassiouny & Hennawy > Firm Profile
Matouk Bassiouny is a leading full-service MENA law firm with over 230 lawyers operating out of its offices in Cairo, Egypt (Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy), Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (Matouk Bassiouny), Khartoum, Sudan (Matouk Bassiouny in association with AIH Law Firm), and Algiers, Algeria (Matouk Bassiouny in association with SH-Avocats).
Matouk Bassiouny’s MENA offices are supplemented by a New York satellite office dedicated to enhancing the firm’s international Dispute Resolution services in addition to two country desks covering Libya and South Korea.
Our lawyers specialize in advising multinationals, corporations, financial institutions and governmental entities on all legal aspects of investing and doing business in the MENA region. Trained both locally and internationally in civil and common law systems, our lawyers are fully conversant in English, Arabic, French and Korean.
Our firm stands out in the market due to our unique capabilities and resources, which can be tailored to the specific legal and commercial needs of our clients.
Regional resources. Our firm includes more than 230 lawyers and 34 partners. We have a support staff of over 120. Our four offices are strategically located to better serve our clients’ business interests across the entire MENA region. Additionally, our firm is consistently investing in the latest knowledge-sharing technologies that help expedite our work process.
Local law expertise with international quality. Our lawyers are experts in local law and licensed to practice and plead across our jurisdictions. Our lawyers have also gained extensive international exposure having studied or worked abroad. As we routinely advise international corporations, we are deeply ingrained with international best practices.
In-depth sector understanding. Our firm collectively has access to a vast amount of knowledge and experience. We harness this information via our 18 sector-focused groups that support our practice groups. We are therefore able to deliver legal services catered to the industry-specific needs of our clients.
Commercial approach. Our mission is to find the most innovative and cost-effective solutions for our clients, as we understand that our clients need to derive maximum value from their legal spending. We do this by maintaining a proactive commercial approach to all our legal services.
Preferred MENA region legal advisor. Our firm is the preferred choice of multinational and local blue-chip clients, and we routinely partner with top-tier international law firms.
Top-ranked law firm. Matouk Bassiouny is consistently ranked as a top-tier law firm by prominent legal publications.
Our lawyers are fully committed to understanding our clients’ businesses and needs. We are organized within four main practice groups and routinely work on the following types of matters:
Capital Markets
- Bond issuing
- Funds management
- IPOs
- Privatizations
- Capital Increase
- Secondary offerings
- Listings and delisting
- Dual securities listings
- Securitization
Corporate and M&A
- M&As
- Corporate restructurings
- Joint ventures
- General corporate advisory
- Corporate establishments
- Company secretarial
- Venture capital and start-up legal incubation
- Anti-trust
- Intellectual property
- Employment
- Data privacy/ICT and media
- Financial technology
- Tax
Dispute Resolution
- Litigation
- Administrative law
- Contract disputes/agency and distribution
- Enforcement
- IP litigation
- Labor and employment
- Product liability
- Securities
- Tax and customs
- Investment treaty arbitration
- Commercial arbitration
- Sports arbitration
- FCPA-related investigations
- Domestic and international investigations and claims
- Transnational organized crime
- Financial crime
- Anti-money laundering
- International judicial cooperation
- Anti-trust regulatory investigations
- Regulatory filings
- Mediation and negotiations
Finance and Projects
- Asset finance
- Corporate and investment grade lending
- Derivatives and structured finance
- Islamic finance
- Leveraged and acquisition finance
- Project structuring
- Project development
- Project and infrastructure finance
We have also developed core sector focus capabilities organized into 18 specialized sector groups:
- Aviation
- Banking
- Consumer goods and retail
- Education
- Energy and water
- Healthcare
- Heavy industries
- Hospitality
- Insurance
- Life Sciences and pharmaceuticals
- Non-banking financial institutions
- Private equity
- Public procurement
- Real estate
- Sports
- Technology, media and telecommunications
- Transport and logistics
- FinTech & ECVC
As the leading law firm in the MENA region, our resources, expertise, and experience are second to none in the market. Our teams provide top-tier legal advisory services while consistently creating value for our clients.
Staff Figures
Partners : 34 Fee Earners : 230+ Support Staff : 120Languages
Arabic English French KoreanMemberships
Meritas TerraLex Privacy Rules GGI Geneva Group International AG Zürich (GGI) Arisotic Law AlliancePress Releases
MBH advises Connect Money on securing its license from the CBE
10th September 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Connect Money,MBH advises Tasaheel on their EGP 3.831 billion securitization transaction
29th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Tasaheel for Financing S.A.E. (“Tasaheel”) in connection with an EGP 3.831 billion social sustainability securitization transaction.MBH advises Halan on two securitization transactions amounting to EGP 2.790 billion
29th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Halan for Consumer Finance S.A.E. (“Halan”) in connection with an EGP 1.171 billion and an EGP 1.619 billion securitization transactions.Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy advises Noatum Maritime on its acquisition of a majority stake in Safina B.V.
27th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal counsel to Noatum Maritime S.L.U (“Noatum”) – a leading multinational group in transport and logistics services,MBH advises Otsuka on CIB’s exit from EOP
27th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Otsuka Holdings (“Otsuka”),Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy advises Lucky One on its USD 3 million funding round
9th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the lead transactional legal counsel to Lucky One,Matouk Bassiouny UAE advises Synapse Analytics on its funding round securing USD 2 million
5th August 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny UAE (“MB UAE”) acted as the lead transactional legal counsel to Synapse Analytics in connection with securing USD 2 million from its funding round and handling all matters concerning its legal efficacy, negotiation, and closing.MBH advises Act Financial on completing the first IPO in Egypt since 2022 valued at EGP 1.04 billion
31st July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the lead legal counsel to Act Financial in connection with completing its EGP 1.04 billion IPO,MBH advises MNT-Halan on its 100% acquisition of Tam Finans
30th July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to MNT-Halan, a leading force in Egypt's FinTech sector and the country’s first unicorn in connection with its 100% acquisition of the market-leading finance company in Turkey,MBH advises MNT-Halan on its USD 157.5 million significant funding round
30th July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to MNT-Halan,MBH advises Belmazad on its strategic partnership with Banque Misr
11th July 2024 We are thrilled to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy ("MBH") acted as the legal counsel to Belmazad - Egypt’s first digital public auction platform - in connection with its strategic partnership with Banque Misr, who is the lead investor.Matouk Bassiouny UAE advises Bokra on its pre-seed funding round securing USD 4.6 million
5th July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny UAE (“MB UAE”) acted as the lead transactional legal counsel to Bokra in connection with securing USD 4.6 million from its pre-seed funding round and handling all matters concerning its negotiation and closing.Matouk Bassiouny UAE advises Connect Money on its seed funding round securing USD 8 million
4th July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny UAE (“MB UAE”) acted as the lead transactional legal counsel to Connect Money in connection with securing USD 8 million from its seed funding round and handling all matters concerning its legal efficacy, negotiation, and closing.MBH successfully secures a favorable CRCICA ad-hoc arbitral award for one of the largest master developers in the Red Sea
3rd July 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) Arbitration Group has successfully secured a favorable ad-hoc arbitral award in an arbitration hosted by CRCICA for one of the largest master developers in the Red Sea.MBH advises on 5 aviation transactions worth millions of dollars
21st May 2024 We are delighted to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy’s (“MBH”) Aviation team acted as the Egyptian legal counsel to World Star Aviation and ST Engineering Aerospace Resources Pte. Ltd. ("ST Engineering”) in connection with leasing an Airbus model A320-214 aircraft to Air Cairo and leasing an Airbus model A320-232 P2F to Sky Vision respectively,MBH advises Valstar Investment on the entire stake sale in Valstar and Kemipharm
13th May 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the international legal counsel to Valstar Investment in connection with the sale of the entire stake in Luxembourg-based Valstar S.A. (“Valstar”),MBH successfully secures an EGP 195 million favorable settlement for Misr Beni Suef Cement Co.
29th April 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) Litigation Team has successfully secured a favorable settlement for Misr Beni Suef Cement Co. after prolonged disputes before the Egyptian courts.MBH advises Admaius on its acquisition of a significant minority stake in Parkville
22nd March 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal counsel to Admaius Capital Partners (“Admaius”) - an experienced African-focused private equity fund operating across several growth markets – in connection with its acquisition of a significant minority stake in Parkville Holding B.V.MBH advises Amethis on its investment in BBI Group
15th February 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Amethis in connection with its minority stake acquisition, through Amethis MENA Fund II, in BBI Group, a leading data management consultancy in the MENA region.MBH advises Azorra on its acquisition of 12 aircraft from EGYPTAIR
6th February 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal counsel to Azorra - a well-known aircraft leasing company - in connection with the acquisition of 12 Airbus A220-300s from EGYPTAIR to complement its current A220 orderbook.MBH advises ZCP on its investment in Solva
15th January 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the international legal counsel to ZCP, an investment firm backed by the Sawiris family,MBH advises TSFE on its Framework Agreement entered with ACWA Power to develop Egypt’s Green Fuel market
4th January 2024 We are delighted to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the Egyptian legal counsel to the TSFE Infrastructure & Utilities Sub Fund (“TSFE”) for itself and acting on behalf of the New and Renewable Energy Authority,MBH secures a remarkable win for a global market leader in the oil and gas industry
4th January 2024 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny and Hennawy (“MBH”) Arbitration Group has achieved remarkable success by securing a favorable settlement for a global market leader in the oil and gas industry, operating worldwide in all oil and gas industry-related activities and drilling of wells.Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy advises EBank on their EGP 2 billion medium-term facility agreement with Abd El Salam El Feky & Partners
19th December 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal advisor to the Export Development Bank of Egypt (“EBank”) acting as the initial lead arranger and issuing bank in syndication with the National Bank of Kuwait (“NBK”),Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy advises Touma Company on the EGP 435 million MTO on Dice
28th November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal counsel to Touma Company for Commercial and Industrial Investments (“Toma Company”) – in alliance with Mr. Majid Samir Touma in connection in submitting a mandatory tender offer on 90% of the total shares of Dice Readymade Clothes Company LLC’ (“Dice”).MBH advises Khazna on its JVA with Benya to bring Egypt’s first hyper-scale data center worth more than USD 250 million
21st November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal advisor to Khazna Data Center Holdings Limited (“Khazna”) on its Joint Venture Agreement (“JVA”) with Fiber Misr for Telecommunications and Information Technology S.A.E. (“Benya”) in connection with the establishment of the first hyper-scale data center in Egypt’s Maadi Technology Park with a combined investment totaling more than USD 250 million.MBH advises Mitsui & Co. on its investment in Wadi Group
21st November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal advisor to Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (“Mitsui & Co.”), a global leading trading and investment group in its investment in Wadi Poultry S.A.E. and related subsidiaries (“Wadi Group”), a leading group in Egyptian agribusiness.MBH advises Mashroey on their EGP 407 million Securitization Transaction
21st November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Mashroey Trading Company S.A.E. (“Mashroey”) in connection with an EGP 407 million securitization transaction.MBH advises Hassan Allam Construction and other affiliates on a USD 200 million facility granted by Afreximbank
20th November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal advisor to Hassan Allam Construction and a number of its affiliates within Hassan Allam Group in respect of a USD 200 million facility granted by the African Export-Import Bank (“Afreximbank”). This facility will fortify Hassan Allam’s expansion efforts in Africa and the Middle East. MBH represented Hassan Allam Group in respect of the transaction, reviewed the loan agreement, finance and security documentation, and negotiated these on behalf of Hassan Allam Group with Afreximbank and its legal advisor. The MBH Team advising on the transaction was led by Mahmoud Bassiouny (Regional Managing Partner and Group Head of Finance & Projects) and assisted by Iman Nassar (Senior Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/ For further press-related inquiries please contact Sara Afifi ([email protected]).MBH Advises AAIB on their EGP 3.5 billion medium-term facility contract with Tatweer Misr
14th November 2023 We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal advisor to the Arab African International Bank (“AAIB”) in respect of an EGP 1.7 billion and 1.8 billion financing granted to Tatweer Misr to cover part of the project’s construction and development costs of Bloomfields and Il Monte Galala respectively.Matouk Bassiouny welcomes Head of Korea Desk and signs an MOU with BKL
18th September 2023 We are delighted to announce the launch of our Korea desk and the joining of Ms. Jiyoung Bae as Partner and Head of Korea Desk.Legal Briefings
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Employees vs independent contractors under Egyptian law
Employers often find themselves in need of hiring independent contractors to meet certain business needs. Moreover, independent contractors are generally attractive to employers, as they offer flexible working arrangements without the responsibilities that arise from hiring employees. However, as an in-house lawyer, you are always apprehensive of the risk of misclassification of contractors as employees, …
Comparative Guides
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Egypt: Lending & Secured Finance
Published: April 2024
Authors: Ashraf HendiIman Nassar
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Lending & Secured Finance laws and regulations applicable in Egypt.
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Egypt: Competition Litigation
Published: August 2024
Authors: Dr. Mohamed Shehata Dr. Amr Abbas Mariam Metwally Hesham El Wakeel Mohamed Abdelhay
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Competition Litigation laws and regulations applicable in Egypt.
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United Arab Emirates: Corporate Governance
Published: February 2024
Authors: Jirayr Habibian
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Corporate Governance laws and regulations applicable in United Arab Emirates.
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