Trends in Cross-Border Investment and Finance Structuring – Jeddah

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.

Abdulrahman Alfuhaid, a distinguished legal practitioner, and Co-Founder of Mithaq Law Firm, established in 2021. As a Partner and Head of the Corporate Division, he plays a central role in driving the firm’s strategic growth and leading some of its most complex corporate mandates. His practice is rooted in extensive experience with joint ventures, corporate governance, compliance frameworks, restructurings, and mergers and acquisitions—particularly in high-stakes or regulated environments. Abdulrahman’s work extends beyond legal advisory. He actively oversees the operational management of Mithaq’s offices in Dammam and Riyadh, guides internal capacity building, and is instrumental in forming and maintaining relationships with institutional clients and partners. His leadership has helped establish Mithaq as a trusted firm for both domestic and cross-border corporate matters. Beyond Mithaq, Abdulrahman holds advisory and board roles with several regional and international organization

Meshari AlSuhaimi, a licensed Saudi lawyer and Associate at Mithaq Law Firm, where he focuses on corporate transactions and regulatory advisory. His practice spans mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and cross-border investments, with a particular emphasis on deals involving foreign investment, private equity, and banking. Known for his clarity and practical mindset, Meshari brings a structured approach to navigating complex commercial arrangements under both Saudi and international legal frameworks. He plays a key role in supporting large-scale corporate projects, often advising clients on structuring, documentation, risk management, and compliance. His ability to blend legal precision with commercial insight makes him a reliable legal advisor for businesses operating across diverse sectors, including e-commerce, financial services, and investment.

Mohamed A. Aljasim is the Managing Director and Founder of Blueprint Business Advisory and a Senior Advisor at Mithaq Advocates & Legal Consultants. With over two decades of experience in investment and strategic advisory, he has led and executed complex transactions across the GCC, MENA, and Europe, covering sectors such as energy, infrastructure, healthcare, aviation, education, and real estate. Prior to founding Blueprint, Mohamed held senior executive roles including Chief Investment Officer at Ibdar Bank and Capital Management House, where he directed high-stakes mergers, capital raises, and turnaround strategies for distressed portfolios. His track record includes structuring landmark Sharia-compliant transactions, cross-border investments, fund formations, and managing relationships with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and institutions. Mohamed has been instrumental in closing deals involving major infrastructure assets, aviation financings, and prominent real estate exits.

Ali brings over 16 years of international legal experience, with a strong focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, project finance, deal structuring, and regulatory compliance. He has advised on a wide range of complex M&A transactions across multiple jurisdictions, representing both buyers and sellers, and has led due diligence, negotiation, and post-acquisition integration efforts for high-profile strategic and financial investors. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies, sovereign-owned enterprises, defense-sector conglomerates, major financial institutions, development finance institutions (DFIs), and global private equity funds. In cross-border settings, Mr. Gillani has developed and executed transaction strategies that reconcile legal, tax, and regulatory frameworks across diverse markets, ensuring risk mitigation and value preservation. His transactional portfolio includes multi-billion-dollar infrastructure, energy, transport, and industrial projects.

Rajah leads the Jersey Private Capital & Trusts group and advises local and international fiduciaries, family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals on wealth structuring and asset protection. With over 20 years of experience in both private practice and in house, she delivers bespoke solutions for international families and family offices on establishing, managing, and winding up trusts, foundations, and related structures across Jersey, Guernsey, England & Wales and Bermuda law. Rajah leads the Middle East desk for the Channel Islands, focusing on international business development in the Middle East, coordinating with multiple offices. Rajah is a committee member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) Jersey Branch, and she regularly speaks in the Middle East, London, Jersey and Bermuda.

A Director at independent firm Praxis, Darren leads teams across private wealth and corporate services, with a clear focus on cross border structuring for Middle East clients. A member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners since 2005, Darren has more than 25 years' experience in the offshore fiduciary services industry. He began his career working for bank-owned and independent trust companies, including an independent, emirates-focus firm in Jersey. He started travelling to the region in 2016 as part of his senior role at a managed trust company for a Middle East bank. Working closely with high-net-worth families and corporate clients, Darren manages a variety of complex structures across various jurisdictions, including GCC.

Ismael Hajjar is a UAE based partner specialising in international tax & wealth structuring, family office and private capital advisory. He started his career in Europe and has been serving international families for over 16 years. He relocated to the UAE in 2013 and is currently acting as a trusted advisor to a number of successful families across the Middle East region. He is leading PwC Tax and Legal service offering to private clients, entrepreneurial & royal families and family offices in helping them understand and manage their global affairs, overcome cross-border tax challenges and identify opportunities to achieve their family and business objectives. Prior to joining PwC, Ismael was acting as head of Private for another big four firm and was responsible for the design and execution of the overall firm strategy for private companies and their owners across all service lines.

Mithaq Law Firm is a Saudi-based legal practice established in 2021 by founding partners Ziyad Alqassim and Abdulrahman Alfuhaid. With offices in Dammam and Riyadh, Mithaq has rapidly grown into a respected name in the legal sector, known for its focus on high-quality legal counsel and its ability to navigate both local and international legal complexities.

 

The firm comprises a team of more than 25 lawyers with deep expertise across a wide range of practice areas, including corporate law, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, venture capital, private equity, and regulatory compliance. Mithaq also advises on litigation, arbitration, real estate, employment matters, and sector-specific regulations.

 

Mithaq’s clients include leading companies in construction, retail, logistics, investment, healthcare, and family-owned businesses. The firm is built on core principles of excellence, integrity, and a client-centric approach. Its team is driven by collaboration, continuous learning, and a commitment to providing practical, strategic legal solutions.

 

In addition to its local work, Mithaq maintains a strong international reach, advising on cross-border transactions and representing clients with interests across the GCC, MENA, and other global jurisdictions. Mithaq continues to evolve as a modern Saudi law firm with regional influence.