Latest news with #AddleshawGoddard
Mid East Info
a day ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Addleshaw Goddard advises on $80m financing deal for Orange Egypt
International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has successfully advised Banque Misr and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on an $80 million syndicated loan extended to Orange Egypt, a leading telecommunications operator in Egypt. The transaction marks a significant development in the country's telecommunications sector, as the financing will enable Orange Egypt to strengthen its infrastructure and acquire a 5G mobile operating license. This upgrade is expected to enhance mobile network efficiency by delivering faster data speeds and reducing network response times, benefiting consumers and businesses across Egypt. The financing consists of two tranches, with Banque Misr and EBRD each contributing 50% of the total amount. Both banks played vital roles in the transaction, demonstrating confidence in Egypt's growing digital economy and its alignment with sustainable development goals. By supporting Orange Egypt's 5G deployment, the financing highlights the broader significance of this initiative, as 5G technology is more energy-efficient than previous generations, contributing positively to efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of telecommunications infrastructure in Egypt. Sandeep Puri, Partner and Head of UAE Banking and Finance at Addleshaw Goddard, commented, 'We are honoured to have supported Banque Misr and EBRD in facilitating this financing for Orange Egypt's 5G rollout. The project not only reflects an important leap in the country's technological infrastructure but also aligns with sustainability measures for a cleaner future.' The Addleshaw Goddard team advising on the transaction was led by Sandeep Puri, supported by associate Maral Nafar. This transaction cements Addleshaw Goddard's reputation for providing comprehensive advisory services on high-impact deals across the MENA region, particularly in the telecommunications and banking sectors. About Addleshaw Goddard: Addleshaw Goddard is a global law firm with 2,800+ partners and employees across our 19 offices spanning key commercial centres around the world. Six in the UK – London, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen; eight in Europe – four in Germany and one in Ireland, France, Luxembourg and Spain; a further four in the GCC – Doha, Dubai, Muscat, and Riyadh; and one in Asia – Singapore. We have over 350 Partners and nearly 2,000 lawyers and fee-earners worldwide. In the Middle East we have more than 20 partners and close to 100 other fee earners.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
International law firm Addleshaw Goddard bets big on ADGM
30 June 2025 22:51 Khaled Al Khawaldeh (Abu Dhabi)Addleshaw Goddard, a high-flying, London-headquartered, international law firm, has opened its doors at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking its fifth office in the Middle East — a move reflecting both client demand and the emirate's transformation into a global business and digital assets Hickman, Head of Middle East at Addleshaw Goddard, described the launch as "strategically important" for cementing relationships with major Abu Dhabi-based clients, believing the time was ripe for law firms that may already have a presence in Dubai to expand their presence to the capital – especially as Abu Dhabi Inc, a colloquialism used to describe the enormous sovereign wealth fund and corporate ecosystem in the emirate, continues to grow."There is a lot of client demand for us to be in Abu Dhabi. We do a lot of work for major 'Abu Dhabi Inc' entities already, but historically, there's been reluctance to give material mandates to advisers not physically present in the capital," he told new office positions Addleshaw Goddard to seize opportunities not only in the UAE but globally, Hickman explained, as Abu Dhabi's state-backed investors look increasingly outward, the demand for legal services was only growing. "We anticipate more work for sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, and Abu Dhabi Inc when they deploy capital internationally. Being on the ground in Abu Dhabi lets us support them both at home and abroad."ADGM, the financial free zone on Al Maryah Island, has in recent years emerged as a serious peer to Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). While DIFC has been widely recognised as the Gulf's foremost financial centre, ADGM has differentiated itself by aligning closely with Abu Dhabi government to attract the kind of international businesses the emirate wants."What the ADGM has done, which sets it apart slightly from DIFC, is its coordination with Abu Dhabi authorities like ADIO and ADIA. They've introduced investment incentives to attract high-quality international players, and it's working - every time I visit, I see more Abu Dhabi Inc entities setting up shop," Anna Zeitlin, another partner at Addleshaw Goddard specialising in Fintech and Financial Services told both partners, ADGM's regulatory achievements have been a major draw. Hickman praised its "world-class legal jurisdiction" with English common law at its foundation, calling it a "trusted place to do business" with robust frameworks for dispute resolution. He said the adoption of English law gives investors and businesses legal predictability that many other emerging markets partners also noted how ADGM has evolved from simply hosting banks and international corporations to becoming a magnet for Abu Dhabi's biggest government-related entities — a signal of the free zone's increasing importance as a centre for both local and cross-border the most striking element of ADGM's evolution is its emergence as a global pioneer in digital assets regulation — an area where Zeitlin sees Abu Dhabi ahead of Dubai and most of the world. While Dubai has garnered headlines for creating VARA, its standalone virtual assets authority, Zeitlin emphasised that ADGM had already started developing a digital assets regime before Dubai finalised its approach."Some of the first digital asset players in the Emirates set up in ADGM, and it has been picky about attracting big, legitimate firms. Their regime wasn't imported from English law, it had to be developed from scratch, and it's probably a world leader," Zeitlin said. The strong response to ADGM's digital assets regime has prompted the free zone to expand physically from Maryah Island to neighbouring Reem Island to accommodate new Goddard itself is helping shape the next phase of ADGM's regulations."We work very closely with the FSRA, the financial regulator there, and we are helping them develop some of their new regimes that are coming up in the next few months," she ambitions don't stop with ease of doing business or attracting capital. According to Hickman, it has also taken the region's bankruptcy frameworks to new heights. He pointed to high-profile restructurings like NMC Health, where distressed companies redomiciled into ADGM to benefit from its modern insolvency regime."ADGM has created the leading bankruptcy regime in the Middle East, which supports not only business growth but also provides effective solutions when companies run into distress," he said. Though both partners acknowledge that UAE bankruptcy processes still lagged mature markets in terms of speed and certainty, they see ADGM's approach as a clear sign of Abu Dhabi's intent to provide a full-spectrum financial ecosystem.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Problem at work? You'll be hearing from my chatbot
People say nothing funny ever happens on LinkedIn and in my experience, people are right. But the other day, a colleague showed me a post on the site from a man named Chris who said he had started joining online meetings 30 seconds early, all the better to be discreetly recorded by the AI note-taking assistants now used to transcribe virtual meetings. He then starts screaming that he is on the Titanic, which has just hit an iceberg, and needs help pronto, before carrying on normally for the rest of the meeting. 'When the meeting ends,' he wrote, 'everyone gets an emailed transcript where the AI summary is: 'Chris hit an iceberg, is trapped on a sinking ship, and general Q2 pricing updates.'' READ MORE I enjoyed this story and hope it travels far because finally, someone may have found a good use for AI in the office. Obviously I hear constantly about the latest 'use case' in the 'AI space' that is going to make working life more productive, efficient and streamlined. I also realise that scientists at Google DeepMind were joint winners of last year's Nobel chemistry prize for an AI model that is already helping to speed up work on intractable problems such as antibiotic resistance and plastic pollution. In the right hands, artificial intelligence can be a force for great good. It's just that I keep coming across people like Sarah Harrop, who know how dire it can be in the wrong hands. Harrop is an employment partner at the Addleshaw Goddard law firm in London, which means she deals with claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination and other forms of mistreatment. IATA Director General Willie Walsh on airline profits, air fares and why the Dublin Airport passenger cap makes Ireland a laughing stock Listen | 35:56 Since the arrival of ChatGPT , she says there has been a distinct rise in the number of vastly more detailed, lengthy and outwardly credible correspondence to HR departments and employment tribunals. The documents often contain references to legal precedents and other references to the law that don't always turn out to be accurate, but take hours to sort through. 'We have seen examples where there are dozens and dozens of pieces of correspondence sent to the employment tribunal,' she told me. The length of the documents and the speed at which they are generated suggests they are almost certainly produced by robots rather than humans, she said, adding this causes 'significant pressure' for employers and tribunals. I can well imagine what a tedious and costly burden this can be for employers, and I am sure they are not alone. I mentioned Harrop's observations to a few people last week and quickly learnt that employees are by no means the only ones using AI to turbocharge complaints. A man who has been a school governor for many years said the volume and intensity of what were almost certainly AI-assisted complaints from parents had skyrocketed in the past 18 months. The complaints were often well crafted and included convincing references to legal precedents that made them hard to ignore, he said, even though the longest ones invariably turned out to be specious. I do not see this situation easing any time soon. The internet is now awash with sites offering to harness the power of AI to generate powerful, well-written complaints. I tested one designed for employees by telling it I wanted a letter about the extent to which male lavatories outnumbered female ones in a large office I recently visited. Within seconds, it spat back a brisk, grammatically correct and unnervingly persuasive indictment of what it called an unfair and discriminatory arrangement that 'presents a negative and potentially unprofessional impression' to female guests. I'm not going to deny that this induced a surge of gratitude, and the realisation that there must be many times when an AI-aided complaint is fully justified. Shoddy products, unfair parking tickets and malevolent employers are doubtless all grounds for a souped-up grievance letter. But a world in which those charged with handling complaints are buried beneath an avalanche of AI-generated verbiage of questionable legitimacy is not a good one. How tempting it must feel to stop diligently wading through the crud and go over to the dark side by simply using AI to respond. I don't suppose we will ever reach the point where we leave it to the bots to fight it out and get back to us once they are done. But then again, can we say for sure that we won't? – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Mid East Info
7 days ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Addleshaw Goddard secures license to operate in Abu Dhabi - Middle East Business News and Information
Firm expands into ADGM to support UAE's economic diversification and deliver world-class legal services across key sectors under Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – June, 2025: International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has announced that it has obtained its license to operate in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening its presence in the Middle East. The firm has also opened a new office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the capital's leading international financial centre. This milestone builds on the firm's strategic ambition to expand its footprint across the Middle East and support clients in one of the region's key economic hubs. Abu Dhabi's dynamic economy, underpinned by Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, prioritises reducing reliance on oil, fostering knowledge-based industries, and establishing a globally integrated business environment. Addleshaw Goddard's expansion into the capital aligns seamlessly with these goals, as the firm brings world-class legal expertise tailored to meet the diverse business needs of both local and international clients. This new office will serve as a critical resource, providing on-the-ground support for the firm's growing client base in sectors such as financial services, energy, infrastructure, and technology. It is also part of the firm's long-term vision in the Middle East, following other significant regional milestones, including the launch of its Riyadh office and celebrating over a decade of growth and operations in the Middle East. Robin Hickman, Head of Middle East at Addleshaw Goddard, said, 'Establishing a presence in Abu Dhabi is a vital step in our regional strategy and reflects our commitment to supporting our clients where they need us most. With Abu Dhabi's visionary economic plans and rapidly diversifying economy, this expansion enables us to play a key role in delivering legal solutions that drive growth and innovation.' With nearly 100 fee earners and 27 Partners across its Middle East offices, Addleshaw Goddard continues to push boundaries, doubling its regional income growth in recent years. The Abu Dhabi office will further cement the firm's position as a trusted partner, driving economic progress and supporting key industries in the region. About Addleshaw Goddard: Addleshaw Goddard is a global law firm with 2,800+ partners and employees across our 21 offices spanning key commercial centres around the world. Six in the UK – London, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen; eight in Europe – four in Germany and one in Ireland, France, Luxembourg, Poland and Spain; a further four in the GCC – Doha, Dubai, Muscat, and Riyadh; and one in Asia – Singapore. We have over 450 Partners and nearly 2,000 lawyers and fee-earners worldwide. In the Middle East we have 27 Partners and close to 100 other fee earners.
Arabian Business
25-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Addleshaw Goddard expands Middle East presence with new Abu Dhabi office
International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has received regulatory approval to operate in Abu Dhabi and opened a new office at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), deepening its presence in the UAE and expanding its footprint across the Middle East. The launch is part of the firm's regional strategy to support clients in key sectors, including energy, financial services, infrastructure, and technology. The Abu Dhabi office will provide on-the-ground legal support tailored to businesses operating within the capital's fast-evolving economic landscape. The move aligns with Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, the emirate's plan to diversify its economy, reduce reliance on hydrocarbons, and develop a globally competitive knowledge-based environment. 'Establishing a presence in Abu Dhabi is a vital step in our regional strategy and reflects our commitment to supporting our clients where they need us most,' said Robin Hickman, Head of Middle East at Addleshaw Goddard. 'With Abu Dhabi's visionary economic plans and rapidly diversifying economy, this expansion enables us to play a key role in delivering legal solutions that drive growth and innovation.' The firm's expansion into Abu Dhabi follows a series of regional milestones, including the launch of an office in Riyadh and more than a decade of operations in the Middle East. Addleshaw Goddard now counts nearly 100 fee earners and 27 partners across its regional offices and has doubled its Middle East income in recent years. The ADGM office will support local and international clients, offering legal services aligned with the UAE's economic diversification and investment goals, offering legal services that support the UAE's economic diversification efforts and investment ambitions.
