Khaled Al Assaf

About Khaled Al Assaf

Khaled is an associate in our corporate team based in Dubai. He advises on public and private cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, regulatory matters, capital markets and corporate restructurings.

Having practised law and advised on trasactions in three Middle Eastern jurisdictions (Jordan, Qatar and the UAE), Khaled has significant knowledge of the regulations and common practices of the region.

Khaled is fluent in Arabic and English.

Recent work

• The Emirate of Dubai (as issuer's counsel) on the carve-out of the Emirate's paid public parking facilities into a public joint stock company and its listing (as of 21 March 2024) on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). The expected market capitalisation at the listing of 24.99 per cent of the Government of Dubai is expected to be in excess of AED6 billion.
• Invest Bank P.S.C. on its capital restructuring plan, which included the provision of a guarantee worth AED 3 billion by the Government of Sharjah for a certain loan and asset portfolio, a step that is the first of its kind in the UAE. 
• First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) on the sale of 100% of its property management arm, FAB Properties to Provis Real Estate Management, a subsidiary of Al Dar Properties. The deal value is c. US$100 million.
• Oman Insurance Company (Sukoon) on its acquisition of a c. 93% per cent stake in Arabian Scandinavian Insurance Company through an off-market bilateral deal under the special deal regime of the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).
• Kuwait Finance House on its cross-border acquisition by way of a share swap of Ahli United Bank in Bahrain. The consolidation is set to create the largest banking entity in Kuwait with assets of $94bn.
• The Founder of DAMAC Properties on his $599mn public tender offer for the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of DAMAC followed by a squeeze out of minorities and de-listing of DAMAC.
• Sohar International Bank SAOG on its merger with HSBC Bank Oman SAOG – the merger is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023.
• Chalhoub Group, the largest luxury retail operator in the Middle East, on its acquisition of a majority stake in Threads Styling, a London-based digital luxury retailer and personal shopping platform.
• * Masraf Al Rayan on its merger with Al Khaliji Bank. The merger is the first merger of publicly listed banks in Qatar, creating one of the largest Sharia-compliant banks in the region with over QAR182 billion in assets.

* Lawyer experience prior to joining Freshfields.