Antoine Cousin > White & Case LLP > Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates > Lawyer Profile

White & Case LLP ‘possesses deep expertise and ability, combined with an extremely high level of service’. Active on mandates across the region, with particular attention on the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the team is able to cover the gamut of projects work, including premium M&A and financings, capital markets transactions and complex litigation. The group has also seen a significant volume of big-ticket mandates pertaining to hydrogen ventures, overseeing the financing and construction of greenfield facilities. The team is jointly led by several experienced practitioners, with Antoine Cousin, Ivan Paskal and Adam Pierson standing out due to their extensive activity across a number of projects. Pierson and Cousin are among the preeminent company advisors to Saudi Aramco, where they have been engaged with the industry giant’s power, water and utilities enterprises, whereas Paskal has spearheaded a wide assortment of matters that include NEOM projects and pre-IPO restructurings. Alexander Malahias is a financing expert and retains close connections to major regional financial institutions, while Din Eshanov, who relocated to Abu Dhabi in 2023, brings further expertise in project development.

Frequently instructed by international financial institutions, premium sponsors, and governments institutions for project financing expertise, White & Case LLP work on an array of blockbuster developments, spanning conventional and renewable energy ventures, social and transport infrastructure builds, and utility developments. Instututional relationships across the region gives the firm access to NEOM projects in Saudi Arabia, railway and passenger station extensions in Abu Dhabi, and novel financing arrangements in the MENA region. The practice is jointly chaired by a number of lawyers, including Adam Pierson, who is regularly sought out by oil and gas giants for his asset expertise and transactional capabilities. Yasser K. Riad is renowned for his far-reaching cross-border project financing practice, possessing comprehensive understanding of various assets, while Antoine Cousin is noted for his expertise in the power, water and utilities sectors. Alexander Malahias stands out for his work in tourism infrastructure projects, working with sovereign wealth funds on joint ventures and financing transactions, while Ivan Paskal is chiefly engaged on energy-related matters. Din Eshanov – who relocated to Abu Dhabi from Riyadh in 2023 – is a key figure for NEOM-related work.

Helming high-profile deals for a mix of leading industry players, White & Case LLP excels across the entire range of financing mandates with notable strength acting on landmark energy and infrastructure projects alongside construction and real estate developments. An enviable client list includes private credit and direct lending entities who view the firm as a go-to in the region for relevant financing advice, as well as premium financial institutions – both domestic and international – and major publicly-traded companies. The firm fields a string of experienced practitioners as team heads, including the Dubai-based Claire Matheson Kirton who is prominent adviser to government related entities on both conventional and Islamic financing; Debashis Dey, who complements his cross-border prowess with expert knowledge of Islamic financing and capital markets; and William Watson who has established strength in debt financing. Acting out of Abu Dhabi, Alexander Malahias is the fulcrum of the group’s considerable project financing offering, sharing the workload with Antoine Cousin who is a formidable PPP adviser. Adam Pierson wields a commendable regional practice, working for clients such as NEOM Company, Saudi Aramco and the Ministry of Water and Irrigation for Jordan, while Yasser K. Riad has experience acting on energy deals across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

White & Case boasts extensive experience and prowess in Saudi Arabia’s banking and finance arena. Adam Pierson, based in Abu Dhabi, leads the team, advises Saudi Aramco on multiple complex projects. Ivan Paskal is a key figure in strategic transactions and infrastructure funds for energy companies, while Alec Johnson also excels in energy and green finance. Infrastructure clients turn to Din Eshanov for his expert advice on project and construction agreements; he is the firm’s global relationship partner for NEOM. The team is further strengthened by Abu Dhabi-based Alexander Malahias and Antoine Cousin.