Rafiq Jaffer

Rafiq Jaffer is a Partner in Al Tamimi & Company's Banking & Finance department, having worked at the firm for over 15 years. His primary practice area is Banking and Finance Law.

Prior to rejoining the firm, he was Head of Legal at Barclays Bank in India, where he led the legal team responsible for wholesale lending (including External Commercial Borrowing), trade finance and cash management.

He specialises in bank lending and debt capital markets transactions using both conventional and Islamic structures.

He is recognised by IFLR1000 as being Highly Regarded in the areas of Banking, Debt Capital Markets and Islamic Finance. Chambers has ranked him in the following categories: Debt Capital Markets (Middle East Wide), Debt Capital Markets (UAE) and Banking & Finance (Saudi Arabia).

His recent experience includes acting as KSA counsel for the sponsors in connection with the Jubail 3A seawater desalination plant (KSA), the seawater intake and outfall facilities and associated facilities and infrastructure, including drafting and perfecting the security documents relating to the USD 700 million financing and advising on various licensing issues. He advised GreenSaif Pipelines Bidco S.à r.l. (a BlackRock-related entity) as Saudi Arabian legal counsel in relation to the establishment of a USD 11.5 billion GMTN Programme and the issuance of USD 3 billion Notes under the programme, as well as USD 1.5 billion Sukuk issued by TMS Issuer S.à r.l.

He has also advised on the USD 4 billion trust certificate programme by Al Rajhi Banking and Investment Corporation as Saudi Arabian legal counsel to the dealers, and the USD 4 billion trust certificate issuance programme for Banque Saudi Fransi. He assisted Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) with drafting its corporate lending, trade finance, sustainable finance and security documentation; assisted Al Rajhi Capital on structuring and drafting a Market Making Agreement and a Securities Lending and Borrowing Agreement; and assisted First Abu Dhabi Bank (KSA Branch) with regard to its factoring and supply chain finance products.

Other matters include acting for Al Jomaih Energy & Water Company (KSA) and Almar Water Solutions B.V as sponsors' counsel on the Zuluf Water Treatment Project in KSA; acting for ACWA Power Company as sponsors' counsel on the refinancing of the Shuaibah Water and Energy Company project; acting for ACWA Power Company as sponsors' counsel on the Ar Rass Solar Energy Company 700MW solar power generation project in Al Qassim, KSA; and acting for ACWA Power Company as sponsors' counsel on the Layla Solar Company 91MW project in Al-Aflaj governorate, Riyadh.

He holds an Executive LL.M (Securities & Financial Regulation) from Georgetown University (2022), an LL.M in International & Commercial Law from The University of Buckingham (1998) and an LL.B (Hons) from The University of Buckingham (1997). He was admitted to the Law Society of England & Wales in 2007 and to the Bar Council of India (Karnataka State) in 1999. He speaks English and Hindi.