Matouk Bassiouny

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny (“MB”) acted as legal counsel to Development Partners International’s Nclude Fund in connection with its participation in Nawy’s USD 52 million Series A funding round. The Series A round will enable Nawy to accelerate product development, integrate AI into its operations, and pursue its vision of acquiring smaller businesses. The MB team advising on the transaction was led by Mohamed Essam (Partner, Head of Corporate and M&A UAE Offices and ECVC) and included Moustafa Rizk (Senior Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy has advised Turin Egypt and its investors (SPE Capital-managed fund SPE PEF III, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Tanmiya Capital Ventures and British International Investment, the UK’s development finance institution) in connection with the sale of 100% of the share capital of Tamweely Financial Services S.A.E. to e-finance for Digital and Financial Investments S.A.E., an EGX-listed company, for an upfront consideration of approximately EGP 4.8 billion, comprising 146.1 million newly issued e-finance shares and EGP 956.4 million in cash.The transaction represents one of the largest exits to date in Egypt’s non-banking financial services sector, bringing together one of Egypt’s largest digital financial infrastructure platforms and one of its fastest-growing MSME lenders.Tamweely is an FRA-regulated microfinance lender that has expanded its offering to include SME lending, leasing and micro-insurance. Established in 2017, it operates a nationwide network of approximately 250 branches across 24 governorates and has disbursed approximately EGP 20 billion in financing to more than 600,000 clients. The acquisition provides e-finance with direct access to Tamweely’s established MSME lending platform and further strengthens its position in Egypt’s digital and financial services sector.The transaction is structured as a combination of cash consideration and a share swap in e-finance, comprising 146.1 million newly issued e-finance shares at EGP 26.34 per share, representing approximately 4% of e-finance share capital, together with cash consideration of EGP 956.4 million and a deferred cash consideration linked to the achievement of agreed FY2026 and FY2027 net income targets. The structure required the alignment of four institutional sellers, including two development finance institutions, as well as the coordination of private M&A protections with listed-company disclosure and valuation requirements. Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy advised on the transaction structure and led the negotiation of the share purchase agreement and the ancillary transaction documents. Completion remains subject to the approval of the Financial Regulatory Authority and the Egyptian Competition Authority and is expected to take place in the second half of 2026.“We were pleased to support our client and its institutional investors on this complex transaction, which brought together multiple sellers and required careful coordination across M&A and capital markets considerations,” said Tamer El Hennawy, Partner and Co-Head of Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A.The Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy team was led by Tamer El Hennawy, Partner and Co-Head of Capital Markets and Corporate and M&A, and Hazem El Guindi, Partner, with Senior Associate, Shaimaa El Fahmy and Associate, Dior Assaf. For more information, please contact [email protected] more information about the deal: https://enterpriseam.com/egypt/2026/08/12/e-finance-to-acquire-tamweely-for-as-much-as-egp-5-bn/

We are delighted to announce that Matouk Bassiouny’s International Dispute Resolution team secured a favourable judgment in a cross-border dispute before the Abu Dhabi Global Market (“ADGM”) Court of First Instance. The case arose from a technology-based joint venture, involving issues of contractual enforceability, personal guarantees, and the strategic use of interim remedies in the ADGM Courts. The court awarded our client full recovery of the claimed amount, plus interest and costs. Notably, in its judgment on costs, the court acknowledged the relevance of success fee arrangements as a means of facilitating access to justice, stating that “the Letter of Engagement can be seen as a means by which [our client] was able to bring his claim” and that the court “should not disincentivize arrangements that are designed to ensure that litigants are able to commence and prosecute genuine and viable claims”. The team advising on this case was led by Ahmed Tony (Partner), supported by Youssef Nassar (Senior Associate) and Alia Elraey (Associate). Commenting on the case, Ahmed Tony said: “This latest success reflects the strength of our common law disputes practice and our firm's commitment to deliver cost-effective, high-quality legal support for clients navigating the region's common law court systems”. Led by Founding Partner and Group Head of Dispute Resolution, F. John Matouk, our International Dispute Resolution team brings extensive experience in representing clients before the ADGM and DIFC Courts in the UAE. Our team is common law qualified, with F. John Matouk admitted in New York, Ahmed Tony in England and Wales, Youssef Nassar in New York, and Alia Elraey in England and Wales. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive legal services, we collaborate with specialist barristers to ensure our clients receive the highest quality representation throughout the litigation process. For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny UAE (“MB UAE”) acted as legal counsel to Raseedi in connection with acquiring Kashat, along with its subsidiary, Pharos Microfinance, a nano-financial services provider. Raseedi is a smart mobile app for dual SIM users in Egypt that helps optimize mobile consumption by providing personalized offers, tracking usage, and managing subscriptions, allowing users to save on calls and data. This strategic acquisition will enable Raseedi to expand its product offerings by introducing instant loan services to its portfolio, empowering small and sole-proprietor business owners to access quick, flexible financing with the ability to apply for instant cash loans of up to EGP 3,000, disbursed within five minutes, and with a short repayment cycle of 1 to 3 months, all designed to help support the financial needs of underserved businesses. The MB UAE team advising on the transaction was led by Mohamed Essam (Partner and Head of FinTech & ECVC) and included Moustafa Rizk (Associate) and Mahmoud Ezzat (Associate).   For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.  

We are pleased to announce that Stefano Beghi has joined Matouk Bassiouny as Of Counsel in the Corporate and M&A practice group in our Dubai office. Stefano brings over three decades of experience advising clients across the EMEA region on corporate, commercial, and M&A matters. Having worked extensively in Asia and the UAE for almost fifteen years, he offers a strong command of the local legal environment, complemented by a global outlook and cross-border execution capabilities. Stefano previously served as a partner in the international M&A practice at Seyfarth Shaw, held senior partner roles at Gianni & Origoni, where he helped lead operations in Italy, India, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, and also spent a decade with Ernst & Young and Andersen Legal in Europe. His cross-border capabilities and cultural fluency make him a trusted advisor to multinationals navigating high-value transactions and strategic investments. We are confident that Stefano’s joining will further strengthen our regional offering and enhance the value we deliver to clients across industries and borders. For more on Stefano’s background and expertise, visit: https://matoukbassiouny.com/counsel-profile/stefano-beghi/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as the legal counsel to Triquera B.V. (“Triquera”), the majority shareholder of Minapharm Pharmaceuticals (“Minapharm”), in connection with the subscription of a minority stake by Admaius Capital Partners (“Admaius”), an Africa-focused private equity investor. The investment—executed through Admaius’s investment vehicle, Virunga Healix Limited—is intended to support Minapharm’s regional biotech expansion. Triquera and Admaius will partner to advance the development and manufacture of complex genetically engineered therapies. The collaboration aims to broaden access to high-quality, affordable recombinant proteins, reflecting both parties’ commitment to innovation and inclusive healthcare by scaling distribution networks across underserved markets in Africa and the Middle East. The MBH team advising on the transaction was led by Omar S. Bassiouny (Founding Partner and Group Head of Corporate and M&A) with support from Salma El Refaie (Senior Associate) and Mayar Sharafeldin (Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

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.The investment round was led by venture capital firms; Silicon Badia and Hub 71. Synapse Analytics seeks to address the socioeconomic challenge of financial inclusion and access, by providing intricate and cutting-edge AI software to enhance financial decisions such as credit scoring, cross-selling, and dynamic pricing, among other ancillary activities. The MB UAE team advising on the matter was led by Mohamed Essam (Partner and Head of Fintech & Emerging Companies and Venture Capital) and Moustafa Rizk (Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/. For any assistance on venture capital fundraising, please feel free to contact [email protected]    

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Catalyst Partners in connection with the establishment of Egypt’s first Special Purpose Acquisition Company (“SPAC”) according to resolution No. 2323 of 2024. This significant milestone follows the issuance of Financial Regulatory Authority (“FRA”) board of directors’ resolutions No. 140 and 148 of 2024. Egypt’s first SPAC will be named Catalyst Partners Middle East (“CPME”), and has been established with an issued and paid-up capital of approximately EGP 10 million. CPME will focus on acquiring companies in the non-banking financial services and financial technology sectors, with a particular emphasis on companies engaged in finance, diverse financial services, and payment platforms. The MBH team advising on the transaction was led by Mohamed Abdel Fattah (Partner and Head of Capital Markets) and included Khaled Abdelwahab (Senior Associate). Head of Capital Markets, Mohamed Abdel Fattah, commented saying: “The FRA amendments contribute to removing all obstacles that stood in the way of establishing SPAC companies, and it is expected that the coming period will witness the establishment of more SPACs, which in turn will enhance the activity of acquisitions and mergers on the Egyptian Stock Exchange, and open the door to institutions, funds, and investors with strong financial solvency in pumping more investments into companies that have growth opportunities.”   For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.  

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny’s (“MB”) arbitration team secured a significant victory for one of Egypt’s largest companies providing offshore marine and oil support services. The dispute arose out of a subcontract agreement for diving support vessel (“DSV”) subsea construction works related to a pipeline replacement project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (“KSA”). The arbitration case was brought under the rules of the DIFC-LCIA and governed by Saudi law against a listed Asian company specializing in engineering design of offshore oil and natural gas development projects, represented by an international law firm. Following extensive proceedings and multiple phases of pleadings, in addition to several witnesses and experts’ evidence, the Tribunal issued its award granting our client its declaratory claims in addition to an entitlement of more than USD 6 million as well as arbitration costs. The Tribunal has further dismissed all counterclaims brought against our client exceeding USD 77 million. The team that secured this remarkable win consisted of Dr. Amr A. Abbas (Partner and Regional Head of Arbitration and Co-Head of Competition), Mohamed Sallam (Counsel), Mohamed Samy (Counsel), Khaled Abuo El Wafa (Senior Associate), Maha Zain (Senior Associate), Hany Omran (Associate) and Eman Hussein (Associate). Dr. Abbas commented: “This important result for our client— in a high-stakes dispute that included complex technical and legal issues—reflects our team’s expertise and unwavering commitment to delivering strategic, high-quality representation. This victory is a further testament to our regional expertise in handling complex disputes governed by different laws in the region, after having already secured arbitral wins over the past year under Lebanese, Qatari, Omani, and UAE laws.”    For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny (“MB”) acted as legal counsel to Money Fellows, Africa’s leading fintech digital platform, on its USD 13 million financing round, advising on all legal aspects of the transaction, including structuring, negotiation, and documentation, to ensure a smooth and compliant execution aligned with the company’s growth objectives and digital strategy. This strategic expansion increases the company’s total investment to over USD 60 million since its founding, fueling the continued development and modernization of its digital platform. The new round was co-led by Al Mada Ventures (“AMV”) and DPI Venture Capital via the Nclude Fund, with strong participation from Partech and CommerzVentures. The MBH team advising on the transaction was led by Mohamed Essam (Partner, Head of Corporate and M&A UAE Offices and Head of ECVC) and included Moustafa Rizk (Senior Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny has obtained judgment before the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Court of First Instance recovering more than AED 11 million for its client on an AED 5 million loan advanced in December 2014. Most notably, the DIFC Court confirmed two significant principles for lenders and litigants: it confirmed that a debtor cannot rely on the passage of time to avoid repayment where he has concealed his own wrongdoing, and that the DIFC Courts will make good the true cost of delay by awarding compound interest.The Defendant denied ever receiving the funds and contended that the claim was time-barred. Following a two-day trial, H.E. Justice Sir Jeremy Cooke found that the AED 5 million had been advanced, that the Defendant’s evidence was “not credible”, and that his intentions were “fraudulent”. Applying section 32 of the English Limitation Act 1980, the Court confirmed that where a claim is based upon the defendant’s fraud, or where facts relevant to the claim have been deliberately concealed, time does not begin to run until the claimant discovers the fraud or concealment, or could with reasonable diligence have discovered it. On the facts, the fraud could not reasonably have been discovered more than six years before the claim was filed.On the award of interest, the Court held that interest “should run at a rate which is genuinely compensatory for being kept out of the use of the money, which means a compounded rate”, and awarded 9% per annum, compounded, from the date repayment fell due. Unlike onshore UAE law, where Article 88 of the Commercial Transactions Law prohibits compound interest, the DIFC Courts may award compound interest where the facts justify it.The team advising on this case was led by Ahmed Tony (Partner), supported by Youssef Nassar (Senior Associate) and Alia Elraey (Associate), together with Counsel Sajid Suleman of Outer Temple Chambers.Commenting on the judgment, Ahmed Tony said: “The main challenge in this case was limitation. Our success in this case shows that a limitation defence should not be accepted at face value before the facts behind the delay are properly examined. We are pleased to have supported our client throughout and to have obtained a favourable judgment.”Led by Founding Partner and Group Head of Dispute Resolution, John Matouk, our International Dispute Resolution (IDR) team advises on complex cross-border disputes across the region and brings extensive experience in representing clients before the ADGM and DIFC Courts in the UAE. Our team is common law qualified, with Ahmed Tony admitted in England and Wales, Youssef Nassar (Senior Associate) in New York, and Alia Elraey (Associate) in England and Wales. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive legal services, we collaborate with specialist barristers to ensure our clients receive the highest quality representation throughout the litigation process.For more about Matouk Bassiouny, visit our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.The full judgment is available at: https://www.difccourts.ae/rules-decisions/judgments-orders/court-first-instance/karthi-keyan-venkataramana-v-ahmed-mohammad-abdul-rahman-ali-2025-difc-cfi-110.Case Reference: Venkataramana v Ali, DIFC CFI-110-2025, Judgment of H.E. Justice Sir Jeremy Cooke dated 15 July 2026.

We are pleased to announce the joining of Mr. Ayman Heikal as Partner and Head of Capital Markets in the UAE. Ayman has more than 26 years of capital markets expertise in the UAE, where he served as the legal consultant for the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), His Excellency the Minister of Economy, and the Ministry of Economy. He also served as a legal consultant and member of the board of trustees of the Corporate Social Responsibility Fund “MAJRA”. During his tenure in the UAE, Ayman drafted and negotiated numerous drafts of federal commercial, economic and capital market laws, and their executive regulations and implementing decisions. He was also involved in the drafting of the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries Unified Guidelines in the field of commercial and economic laws. His areas of expertise include public and private offerings, company establishments, M&As, capital increases and reductions, strategic partnership counseling, restructuring, liquidation, and bankruptcy. Omar S. Bassiouny, Founding Partner and Group Head of Corporate and M&A, says, “We are confident that Ayman’s expertise and skills will be an invaluable asset to Matouk Bassiouny’s clients and look forward to continued evolution in our regional capital markets practice for many years to come.” For more on Ayman's latest updates visit: https://matoukbassiouny.com/partner-profile/ayman-heikal/.  

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) acted as legal counsel to Beltone Holding (“Beltone”), a leading financial services provider, in connection with its landmark all-cash capital increase of EGP 10.5 billion. This transaction marks Beltone’s largest capital increase to date, following its record-breaking EGP 10 billion capital raise in 2023—the largest in the history of the Egyptian Exchange (“EGX”) The MBH team advising on the matter was led by Mohamed Abdel Fattah (Partner and Head of Capital Markets), and included Mohamed Galal (Counsel), Khaled Abd El-Wahab (Senior Associate), and Mohamed Qabel (Senior Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.   معتوق بسيوني وحناوي يُقدم الاستشارة لشركة بلتون القابضة في ثاني أكبر زيادة رأس مال بقيمة 10.5 مليار جنيه مصري يسعدنا أن نعلن أن مكتب معتوق بسيوني وحناوي قد عمل كمستشار قانوني لشركة بلتون القابضة وهي إحدى الشركات الرائدة في تقديم الخدمات المالية، في زيادة رأسمالها بقيمة 10.5 مليار جنيه مصري والتي تمت عبر اكتتاب نقدي. وتُعد هذه الزيادة ثاني أكبر زيادة رأسمال تنفذها بلتون، بعد زيادة رأس المال القياسية التي نفذتها في عام 2023 بقيمة 10 مليار جنيه مصري، والتي كانت تعد الأكبر في تاريخ البورصة المصرية. وقد تم تغطية الزيادة بنسبة 98% من خلال جولتي اكتتاب، مع مشاركة كبيرة من المستثمرين الأجانب والمؤسسات الدولية. ويعكس هذا الإقبال الكبير من المستثمرين الثقة المتزايدة في الرؤية الاستراتيجية لبلتون وآفاق نموها على المدى الطويل وسيتم توظيف عائدات الزيادة في رأس المال بشكل استراتيجي لدعم توسع بلتون عبر منصاتها المختلفة، مع التركيز على الدخول في أسواق ذات نمو مرتفع، وتعزيز القدرات الرقمية القابلة للتوسع، وتوسيع نطاق المنتجات والخدمات، واستقطاب الكفاءات العليا. ترأس فريق معتوق بسيوني وحناوي الذي قدم المشورة بشأن الصفقة محمد عبد الفتاح (شريك ورئيس مجموعة أسواق رأس المال) وضم الفريق أيضاً محمد جلال (مستشار)، خالد عبد الوهاب (محام أول)، ومحمد قابيل (محام أول). .

Dubai, UAE | 22 July 2025 MB secures EUR 1 million victory for PGM Technologies in DIFC cross-border dispute We are delighted to announce that Matouk Bassiouny’s (“MB”) International Dispute Resolution team successfully obtained a favourable judgment for PGM Technologies in a cross-border breach of contract case before the Dubai International Financial Centre (“DIFC”) Courts. The dispute arose from a breach of contractual obligations, payment defaults, and the enforcement of agreed terms. The DIFC Court awarded our client full recovery of EUR 1,000,000, together with contractual interest at 5% per annum from the date of breach, post-judgment interest at the same rate until payment, and costs totalling USD 100,752.28. The team advising on this case was led by Ahmed Tony (Partner), supported by Youssef Nassar (Senior Associate) and Alia Elraey (Associate). Led by Founding Partner and Group Head of Dispute Resolution, F. John Matouk, our International Dispute Resolution team brings extensive experience in representing clients before the ADGM and DIFC Courts in the UAE. Our team is common law qualified, with F. John Matouk admitted in New York, Ahmed Tony in England and Wales, Youssef Nassar in New York, and Alia Elraey in England and Wales. As part of our commitment to providing comprehensive legal services, we collaborate with specialist barristers to ensure our clients receive the highest quality representation throughout the litigation process.         For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny (“MB”) acted as legal counsel to Spark Education Platform (“SEP”) in connection with securing a landmark strategic partnership with First School Management (“FSM”), the global advisory arm of GEMS Education (“GEMS”). This strategic collaboration will introduce GEMS-branded schools to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, expanding access to high-quality education through a range of international curricula across the GCC. The deal marks a significant milestone in SEP’s wider plan to raise educational standards throughout the region. The MB team advising on the deal was led by Mohamed Esam (Partner, Head of Corporate and M&A UAE and FinTech ECVC) and included Moustafa Rizk (Senior Associate). 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 Neosky Aircraft and Requisites Chartering DWC (“Neosky”), a UAE-based company specializing in aircraft chartering and related services, in connection with its USD 13,250,000 acquisition of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft from AMC Airlines (“AMC”), a Cairo-based charter airline. We advised on all legal aspects of the transaction, including the negotiation and execution of transaction documents, coordination with the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, the deregistration of the aircraft in accordance with both Egyptian and international aviation conventions, the transfer of title from AMC to Neosky, and the delivery terms of the aircraft. This acquisition highlights Neosky’s strategic expansion, enhancing its service offerings and fleet capabilities in the region’s air charter market. The MBH team advising on the transaction was led by Sherif El Hosseny (Partner and Head of Aviation) and included Nourhane Hamdy (Senior Associate) and Saifallah Kadry (Senior Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.

We are pleased to announce that Matouk Bassiouny (“MB”) acted as legal counsel to DPI Venture Capital, the venture arm of Development Partners International (“DPI”) on leading Sylndr’s Series A funding round via Nclude Fund. As the lead investor, DPI Venture Capital through the Nclude Fund continues to support mission-driven founders delivering transformative, technology-led solutions across Africa and the Middle East. With a capital injection of USD 15.7 million from all investors, Sylndr plans to accelerate its operational expansion, deepen its technology capabilities, and broaden its suite of services for both consumers and dealers. The MB team advising on the transaction was led by Mohamed Essam (Partner, Head of Corporate and M&A UAE Offices and ECVC) and included Moustafa Rizk (Senior Associate) and Ahmed Hatem (Associate). For more about Matouk Bassiouny, check out our website at https://matoukbassiouny.com/.