Ali Awad

Ali Awad is a Partner at Al Tamimi & Company, based in the Dubai International Financial Centre. He is a Syrian national who joined the firm in 2002 and has extensive experience in the area of Banking and Finance Law.

Ali advises on the financial activities and corresponding licences, and assists in setting up financial institutions regulated by the UAE Central Bank and the Securities and Commodities Authority. He assists with regulatory mandates and examinations and works on the structuring, negotiation and execution of complex financing transactions and security creations.

He advises on new regulations and participates in negotiations, benchmarking, compatibility with enforceable legislation and drafting. He also advises on investment products, the applicable legal regime and regulatory implications, and on structuring funds and investment vehicles, including drafting and negotiating the transaction documents and licensing. He assists in registering foreign funds and advises on the applicable regulations.

His experience includes reviewing transactional structures and authority matrices, issuing capacity opinions, conducting due diligence as part of restructuring or acquisition mandates, advising on corporate governance including drafting and reviewing manuals, and advising on the marketing of foreign investment products and cross-border activities.

Since joining the firm, Ali has been involved in setting up and assisting on a continuing basis commercial banks, wholesale banks, finance companies, financial investment companies, money exchange companies and representative offices licensed by the UAE Central Bank, as well as brokerage companies, investment management companies, financial consultancy companies and promotion companies licensed by the Securities and Commodities Authority.

His recent experience includes advising and assisting to set up the first listed real estate investment fund in the UAE, participating in setting up several banks and branches of foreign banks, advising and assisting on the acquisition of RAK Insurance by RAK Bank, and advising, assisting and incorporating the new movable collateral registry. He is registered with the Legal Department of Dubai Ruler's Court and speaks Arabic and English.