Stephen Knight

Stephen Knight is a Partner at Dentons in Abu Dhabi, serving as Head of the Middle East Banking and Finance practice, specializing in Banking and Finance Law. He has more than 20 years of experience advising grantors, sponsors, borrowers, and lenders on a wide range of finance transactions, including infrastructure and BOT/PPP projects across healthcare, education, retail, leisure, hospitality, and power and water financings. He advises on both conventional and Islamic finance structures under English law and UAE law.

Stephen has been involved in numerous landmark transactions, including advising on the US$1.5 billion project financing and development of the Hafeet Rail project, the GCC's first cross-border rail project; advising Aldar Properties on its AED 9 billion (US$2.45 billion) sustainability‑linked syndicated revolving credit facility; advising Etihad Rail PJSC on the financing of its Passenger Project using the LMA's Green Loan principles; and advising Shuaa Energy 2 PSC on the refinancing of the DEWA III Solar Power Project. He also advised on the first sustainability‑linked loan in the global aviation sector for Etihad Airways PJSC and on First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC's financing of Masdar Green REIT's platform using the LMA's Green Loan principles.

He holds an LL.B (Hons) from Durham University (2001) and completed his LPC at Nottingham Law School (2002). He qualified as a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2004.

Stephen is ranked in Band 2 in Banking and Finance by Chambers & Partners Global (2026) and as Highly Regarded by IFLR1000 for Project Finance and Banking and Finance. He is also recognised as a top‑tier lawyer by Who's Who Legal: Project Finance.