Qasim Aslam > Dentons > DUBAI, United Arab Emirates > Lawyer Profile
Dentons Offices

LEVEL 18, BOULEVARD PLAZA 2
BURJ KHALIFA DISTRICT
P.O. BOX 1756
United Arab Emirates
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Qasim Aslam

Work Department
Banking and Finance, Islamic Finance, Acquisition Finance, Commercial Banks Energy Financial Institutions, Project Finance Real Estate Finance Restructuring, Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Position
Qasim is a partner in the Banking and Finance practice.
He has international Islamic finance, project finance and structured finance experience, including transactions throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. He acts for regional, international and Islamic financiers as well as multi-lateral agencies and corporates.
Qasim is also the Head of Islamic Finance – Middle East. He is recognised in the international Expert Guides “Best of the Best” for Islamic Finance, international Expert Guides “Banking, Finance and Transactional Guide” as one of The World’s Leading Islamic Finance Lawyers, and also as a Leading Individual with Tier 1 ranking in the Legal 500 directory.
Career
- Salik road toll securitisation: Advising Citi, Emirates NBD and others on the ground breaking US$800million multi-source securitisation of the Salik toll road system in Dubai – the world’s first Islamic road toll financing – (winner of multiple awards including Middle East Transport Deal of the Year, Project Finance Magazine Award and Structured Finance Deal of the Year for Islamic Finance News).
- Emirates Steel Industries (ESI) refinancing: Acting on its US$1.3 billion refinancing utilising a hybrid corporate/project financing structure as well as an integrated Ijara arrangement (Mining and Metals Deal of the Year by Infrastructure Journal).
- Petro Rabigh Phase II expansion: Advising Sumitomo Chemical on the US$8 billion expansion of a refining and petrochemical complex in Saudi Arabia through conventional and multiple sophisticated Islamic structures – (numerous awards include PFI International’s Petrochemical Deal of the Year and EMEA Finance Chemicals Deal of the Year).
- Limitless Islamic restructuring: Acting for the financiers’ co-ordinating committee in the high profile international US$1.2 billion Islamic refinancing to this UAE developer utilising bespoke Mudaraba and Ijara structures.
- Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (Malaysia): Advising on the award-winning Islamic commodity murabaha facility of US$100 million to The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD). Bringing together the Far East and the Middle East, this is the first cross-border transaction by a Japanese bank to an Islamic multilateral international financial institution.
Languages
English
Memberships
Scotland, admitted 1996
Senior Courts of England and Wales, 2005
Education
University of Glasgow, 1994, LLB, (Hons)
Lawyer Rankings
United Arab Emirates > Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending)
Highly regarded for its expertise in the energy, infrastructure, and real estate sectors, Dentons is a go-to firm for a diverse range of clients, including major industry players, regional and international banks, multilateral agencies, and governments. The firm is increasingly active in ‘green’ initiatives, advising on green facilities, updating sustainability-linked provision frameworks, and assisting with green funds work. Group lead Stephen Knight is praised for his ‘in-depth knowledge of project financing‘ and oversees transactions across the Middle East. Qasim Aslam helms the Islamic finance practice and is a trusted advisor to regional banks, while Nathaniel Armstrong, who is also proficient in Islamic finance, is noted for his work in the shipping, aviation and real estate sectors. Umera Ali is dually focused on the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Alex Roussos left the firm in 2025.
Lawyer Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Banking and finance: Corporate finance (including Islamic lending)
- Capital markets
- Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation
- Dispute resolution: compliance and investigations
- Employment
- Infrastructure and projects (including project finance)
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Real estate
- Shipping
- TMT