Dentons

Capital Markets, Corporate, Corporate Governance, Joint Ventures, Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity

Riaz is a senior associate in the corporate team and was admitted to practice as a solicitor in England & Wales in 2010. He first joined the firm in 2015 after having worked in London and Dubai for another leading international law firm. He has also worked in-house for a sovereign wealth fund in Doha, Qatar and as a corporate lawyer for a leading firm in Cairo, Egypt.

Riaz has a number of years of experience in the region focusing on all aspects related to M&A corporate and restructuring transactions, joint ventures and general corporate and commercial advisory matters, including distribution and franchise matters.

Riaz has acted on a number of corporate and commercial transactions in the Middle East and North Africa region representing corporate and private equity clients on acquisitions, disposals, mergers, reorganizations and general corporate/commercial matters.

Project Ion: Advising on the sale of a digital wallet company based in KSA and the UAE with multiple group companies in the region. The transaction involved the drafting of a share purchase agreement with multiple sellers, several target companies and multiple completion. Our role included advising the sellers on all aspects of the disposal. Renowned West Asian jewelers: Advising a well-known jewellery brand from West Asia on its disposal of its jewelry stores in the UAE and Qatar to an investor who will operate the business through a franchise arrangement in the wider GCC. This involved advising on all aspects of the transaction including drafting an SPA for the UAE and Qatar entities and drafting and advising on the franchise arrangements.* Luxury Italian brand: Advising a renowned luxury Italian fashion brand on its distribution and agency arrangements in the UAE. The matter involved advising on termination of its existing UAE agency arrangements, structuring advice for the most optimal company holding structure and drafting and negotiating the joint venture agreement with the local UAE agent, including advice on UAE onshore and free zone structures.* Petroleum Development Oman (PDO): Advising the country's largest upstream oil and gas operator, and the Ministry of Energy and Minerals on a complete restructuring of the government of Oman's interests in the critical Block 6 Concession and in PDO, including advising PDO on the set-up of a new, wholly government-owned, national energy company, Energy Development Oman SAOC (EDO) to step into the government's shareholding of PDO. KPS Capital Partners LP: Advising a renowned US private equity firm on its global transaction to acquire Lufkin Rod Lift Solutions from Baker Hughes. The transaction involved a due diligence of the local Oman entity, advising on completion mechanics, foreign investment approval and on completion of the local transaction. Major UAE district cooling provider: Advising on the acquisition of district cooling assets relating to a large mixed-use development in Oman. The transaction involved drafting the asset sale and purchase agreement for the district cooling business, advising on all regulatory aspects including competition advice and advising on all closing mechanics and procedures for the transfer of the assets, including the real estate and the plant and machinery. Japanese investment bank: Advising the Dubai office of this global investment bank on the acquisition of a stake in a listed company on the Muscat Stock Exchange. This involved advising on all aspects of the transaction, regulatory approvals and disclosure requirements including the drafting of all acquisition documents which included a share subscription agreement, information memorandum and a red flag due diligence report. Port terminal operator: Advising an international port operator on the sale of shares in a container port operating company in Oman to an investment fund. The transaction involved the drafting of a share purchase agreement, advising on all aspects of the sale and completion, an escrow arrangement and an earn-out mechanism. Confidential Chinese state-owned enterprise: Advising on all aspects of the acquisition and privatization of an electricity distribution company in light of the recent privatization law. Our role involved conducting the due diligence, advising on the overall legal framework including but not limited to the electricity sector, advising on litigation and corporate governance, reviewing and amending the SPA and SHA, advising on subsidy issues and all other transaction parameters. Leading global industrial gas company: Advising on the acquisition of an industrial gases business from a leading multi-service company. The transaction involved an asset acquisition of business assets as well as a merger clearance application to the Competition Protection and Monopoly Prevention Centre.

English

Solicitor, Senior Courts of England and Wales, 2010

London School of Economics and Political Science, 2004, LL.M., Masters of Law (Merit)

The College of Law, London, 2003, Legal Practice Course

The College of Law, London, 2002, Postgraduate Diploma in Law

Queen Mary University of London, 2001, BA (Honours)