Baker McKenzie Wins Mergermarket Financial Services M&A Industry Award

Leading international law firm Baker McKenzie has been voted “Middle East Financial Services M&A Legal Adviser of the Year” at Mergermarket‘s Middle Eastern M&A Awards 2018 in Dubai on 9 April 2018. Now on its third year, the awards hosted by Mergermarket, a leading news and intelligence service for mergers and acquisitions, recognised the top banks and law firms supporting M&A in a range of sectors in the region.

Baker McKenzie was also shortlisted in three other categories: “Middle East & North Africa M&A Legal Adviser of the Year”, “Consumer M&A Legal Adviser of the Year” and “Industrials & Chemicals M&A Legal Adviser of the Year”. The Firm’s Middle East M&A practice was voted ” Telecoms, Media & Technology M&A Legal Adviser of the Year” by Mergermarket last year.

Regularly ranked in the top 10 in Middle East M&A league tables, the Firm has been involved in a series of major and complex transactions over the past 12-18 months, including helping regional banks, private banks and insurance companies to efficiently and effectively execute successful strategic acquisitions and disposals across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey. Baker McKenzie advised LGT Group on the USD 20 billion acquisition of ABN AMRO’s private banking operations in Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore, a consortium of investors on the USD 1.12 billion acquisition of a stake in Jordan’s Arab Bank Group, and Allianz Group on its acquisition of shares in Allianz Saudi Fransi Cooperative Insurance Company – the first time a foreign strategic investor has been allowed to acquire a stake in a company already listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange.

“We are delighted to have won the “Middle East Financial Services M&A Legal Adviser of the Year” award at Mergermarket‘s Middle Eastern M&A Awards this year. This continued recognition of Baker McKenzie’s Middle East M&A practice is a testament to our reputation as a go-to firm for support on cross-border transactions,” said George Sayen, Head of Baker McKenzie’s Saudi Arabia focused Corporate/M&A practice.

Omar Momany, UAE Head of Corporate & Commercial at Baker McKenzie Habib Al Mulla added: “With positive macroeconomic deal drivers accelerating acquisitions and consolidations across the Middle East, we are pleased that clients continue to seek the sector-specific, pragmatic advice we provide to help them realise their strategic goals.”