Stephenson Harwood Middle East LLP

Banking & Finance

Michael is a structured finance (conventional and Islamic) lawyer specialising in numerous sectors including sport, projects/infrastructure and transportation.

Michael acts as trusted adviser to clients in the sports, renewable energy and power, transportation, and luxury asset (including art) sectors.

He advises banks, private credit funds, developers, lessors, owners and operators on domestic and cross-border structured finance, debt and equity finance, leasing and capital markets transactions, both conventional and Islamic, as well as restructurings and workouts.

He has worked in sports finance for over 15 years, often introducing the sector and its financing structures to clients and firms, and advising on loan and receivables financings, infrastructure financings, secondary debt trades, and regulatory advice.

In renewable energy and project-related financings, he specialises in structured portfolio financings within the distributed solar and C&I segments across the GCC, with strong relationships with developers and funders, and transactions spanning the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Michael is considered an Islamic finance specialist, advising on transactions including Murabaha, Ijara and Sukuk structures across trade finance, leasing, project/PPP and capital markets transactions, including financings with both conventional and Islamic tranches. Islamic structuring also forms a key part of his practice and advisory services to clients.

In transportation, he advises shipping companies, airlines, financiers and lessors on non-contentious commercial matters, sales, novations, financing and leasing structures and restructurings.

English