Trends in Cross-Border Investment and Finance Structuring

Faizal is a UK qualified lawyer and for many years has worked and advised, and is a trusted advisor to institutions, corporates and families across the Middle East, Africa and India. Faizal specialises in banking and finance and has advised corporates, family offices and families including on their international investment and holding structures.

Brian is the resident managing partner in Trowers & Hamlins' Bahrain office and heads its corporate team in Bahrain as well its international funds practice. He has 20 years' experience working with clients from or investing in the GCC. He advises clients in respect of public and private company mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring and regulation (including corporate finance, company and group structuring, shareholders' and joint venture arrangements, constitutional documents and corporate governance) in addition to a broad range of commercial and contractual matters. Brian also advises a number of banks, private equity clients and sovereign wealth institutions in respect of Bahraini and offshore fund establishment in addition to international private equity investments and disposals. In addition, Brian works on development of board and management incentive platforms, employee benefit trusts, board charters and associated policies for several banking institutions.

Christopher is the Regional Director - Middle East at Fiduchi, responsible for Fiduchi Limited (DMCC Branch), Fiduchi's representative office in Dubai. He has extensive experience in the financial services industry in the Middle East and Europe, having spent over a decade working with Standard Chartered Bank in both Dubai and Jersey. Christopher was focused on private client business in the Middle East, dealing with the investment and fiduciary requirements of ultra-high net worth clients across the GCC and Levant. Since 2018, Christopher has been in charge of Fiduchi's Middle East business, having established the representative office in Dubai in 2019. Through his wide-ranging regional network, he has grown Fiduchi's client base in the region significantly and continues to do so. He is experienced in a broad spectrum of offshore trust and corporate services solutions.

Daniel Pacic joined Ogier Global in July 2023 as a Director and Middle East specialist. He is responsible for the development of the group’s presence and service offering in the UAE and wider GCC region, aimed at facilitating Governance, Risk and Compliance services for financially-regulated entities, fund administration services for SWFs, PE funds and VC funds as well as estate planning solutions for private clients and their families. Prior to joining Ogier, Daniel held senior management and Directorship positions at other service providers such as Vistra and Intertrust. He has had several articles featured in publications such as Sovereign Wealth Quarterly and has also made guest appearances on Dubai Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye FM / Dubai One TV. Daniel's family has been based in the UAE for over 50 years and he has extensive professional and life experience in the Middle East.

Ovais Naqvi is a PE leader and Venture Capital investor with a track record of investing in leading VC-invested companies in global growth markets. He has been an investor in “unicorns” exits Careem, Kitopi, NinjaVan and Big Basket. Ovais is a Partner at Rise Capital, a firm focusing on early-stage investing in growth markets with current investments including Kitopi in the GCC, Egypt’s Homzmart and MaxAB and Lat Am’s Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) market leader, Kueski. He founded Clear Mountain in 2020, a niche advisory firm that is focused on strategic growth, IPO planning and capital raising programmes. At the Abraaj Group between 2008 and 2018, he was part of senior leadership at K-Electric, a leading regional turnaround success story. Ovais has served on the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Future Council for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and was educated at the London School of Economics (LSE).

Rebecca is a Senior Associate based in Trowers & Hamlins' Dubai office. She advises high-net worth individuals and families, family offices and trustees on global estate planning, tax efficient investment structures and asset protection. She advises on succession structures with both a regional and international dynamic and is a registered DIFC Wills draftsman.

Richard has more than 30 years of professional experience in international markets, including Central Asia, the Netherlands and the UK. With that, he brings with him a wealth of experience, having worked with a high profile client portfolio, dealing with the tax authorities and supporting clients in reaching resolutions on complex and challenging matters. His diverse and extensive industry experience includes oil & gas, mining, renewables, financial services including private equity, sovereign wealth funds as well as working with high net wealth individuals. Richard holds two Dutch law degrees from the Catholic University of Brabant (tax law) and Erasmus University (civil and corporate law).

Shirin is a Senior Associate in Trowers & Hamlins' International Real Estate team in Bahrain. Shirin has been in the region since 2016, and since then has worked on various large scale projects including the Bahrain Affordable Housing PPP and the new international airport terminal in Bahrain; and development projects such as Diyar Al Muharraq, Riffa Views and Water Garden City. This has included community management structuring in light of the new legal framework for joint ownership in Bahrain. She also assisted in the establishment of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in Bahrain. Shirin also has extensive experience in the hospitality sector, acting for owners in the negotiation of hotel agreements with international operators such as Kempinski and Marriott.

Unkar is a Partner in Trowers & Hamlins' International Real Estate team in Bahrain. He has worked in Bahrain since 2014, having relocated after working for many years in the City of London where he assisted Pensions Funds with the management of their multi million pound property portfolios. Unkar has a wealth of both international and regional experience in advising on all aspects of commercial property, with a particular emphasis on landlord and tenant matters, hotels and hospitality and large scale mixed use developments. Since arriving in Bahrain, Unkar has assisted developers on some of the largest development projects within Bahrain, including Diyar Al Muharraq and Marassi Al Bahrain, and has provided assistance and advice for a large regeneration project in the heart of Manama. He also provided expertise to Bahrain Real Estate Regulatory Authority in the drafting of new laws to provide a regulatory framework for the Real Estate sector in Bahrain.

Yazmin built her professional foundation in top-tier Wealth Management firms in London before joining GSB. In 2019, she transitioned to the UAE, where she specializes in helping UK residents & expatriates plan, save, and invest for a secure future. Growing up in the Middle East, Yazmin has a unique insight into the financial planning needs of expatriates in the region. A certified professional with the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), she is a technical expert in Financial & Investment Planning, focusing on portfolio development, trust planning, and inheritance tax mitigation. As a Senior Partner of GSB, Yazmin also manages the in-house portfolio strategy, advocating an evidence-based approach.

Fatema is a Senior Executive in the Corporate Legal Department at the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), having joined in 2020. Fatema’s responsibilities include providing legal advice and support to EDB departments, drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts, and leading and supporting on strategic projects. She also works on legislative reform initiatives and ensures compliance with relevant legislation.

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