SALEGAL - Key Persons
Azhar has a diverse international background, with experience living and/or working in Oman, Austria, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Malaysia. He was called to the Bar of England and Wales and has a wealth of experience in the legal profession, with a particular focus on corporate, banking and capital markets.
Prior to joining SAlegal, Azhar worked in the banking and project finance practice group of the Kuala Lumpur office of a prominent international law firm - Baker & McKenzie - gaining experience in major project financing and debt capital market transactions.
Azhar also worked as in-house legal counsel for the Malaysian stock exchange, during which time he was involved in drafting regulations for securities and derivatives trading, listing requirements for IPOs, and developing alternative capital market fund raising platforms.
Azhar provides expertise to clients on a range of legal matters, including banking, capital markets, company laws, contracts, corporate governance, corporate restructuring, employment, foreign investment, formation of companies, listing requirements for IPOs, mergers & acquisitions, shareholder disputes and regulation of public listed companies and general regulatory compliance issues.
Azhar has been involving in, amongst others, the following matters:
Acting as the local law advisor to a government entity in relation to the construction of an independent water and power plant (IWPP).
Advising on the development of a chemical processing company, through a joint partnership between a leading European institution and a government-linked investment holding company.
Assisting with an asset transfer and share sale of the Omani subsidiary of an international engineering company, as part of a multi-billion dollar global restructuring exercise.
Assisting a global logistics company in an asset carve-out exercise for its subsidiary in Oman and the establishment of a new company.
Assisting with the establishment of a joint stock public company (SAOC) for a government-linked company, in order to spearhead a soybean production plant with an investment of around OMR38 million.
Advising a prominent tourism development company on cross-border financing of up to OMR50 million to expand its portfolio of hotel properties.
Assisting with the dissolution of a joint venture which was established to undertake a national highway project.
Advising on the construction of a USD100 million hi-tech alloy wheel manufacturing plant and preparing / reviewing contracts related to the same.
Assisting a renowned educational institution to undertake a major tender awarded by the Ministry of Education to develop an academic curriculum for Oman's public education system.
Preparing contract and lease templates for use by a national real estate company to develop major real estate projects, including a 5-star branded hotel and a shopping mall.
Saud is an expert ADR/litigation lawyer who has developed a reputation for providing sound, practical legal advice and for helping clients navigate court procedures with his astute knowledge. He is admitted before the Primary and Appeal Courts of Oman.
Saud has represented clients in litigation proceedings regarding various matters, including complex commercial disputes, labour disputes, land ownership and tenancy disputes, loan disputes, shareholder disputes, statutory irregularities and disputes in relation to transportation, oil and gas. Saud has also been involved in landmark arbitration cases which are of national interest.
Apart from his expertise in litigation and arbitration, Saud has also developed a strong working relationship with the local authorities in Oman. Clients rely on Saud to provide crucial assistance on governmental matters. He liaises with the ministries and other competent authorities in Oman, in order to facilitate and expedite regulatory approvals and clearances, and to resolve complications and challenges which may affect clients' business.
Saud has been involving in, amongst others, the following matters:
Representing a national oil company in numerous commercial, criminal and labour cases, and acting as a key legal advisor to the company for a considerable number of years.
Representing a national utility regulator in over 200 court proceedings since 2015 at all court levels, and in arbitration proceedings involving a dispute with an EPC contractor for a multi-million Omani Rial claim.
Representing a global oil services company in an international arbitration dispute of a value exceeding USD100 million.
Advising a major UAE-based agriculture and fertilizer company on a shareholder dispute and the recovery of over OMR3,000,000 through settlement.
Representing a national airline carrier in various fraud and employee related cases.
Representing a global engineering company in arbitration proceedings involving a claim of over USD20 million.
Representing one of the largest residential and commercial development companies in the Middle East in over 100 cases involving employment claims, civil disputes and commercial disputes.
Representing several national banks in numerous commercial recovery claims and employment disputes.
Representing a global mining company in arbitration proceedings against a service provider in relation to unfair termination of a mobile equipment services agreement.
Representing a key government institution in arbitration proceedings against a contractor relating to the construction of a landmark office building.