Camille Abousleiman focuses his practice on corporate finance and international capital markets matters, particularly debt offerings, equity securities, bonds and debt restructurings as well as merger and acquisition transactions.
Mr. Abousleiman advises sovereign, corporate and bank issuers, underwriters and trustees on global offerings of debt and equity securities, medium-term note programs and Eurobonds. He handles all types of debt structures including high yield and investment-grade debt, convertible notes, commercial paper, medium-term notes, senior secured and second lien notes and other instruments.
Additionally, Mr. Abousleiman advises corporate, banking and hedge fund clients on a range of merger and acquisition transactions including divestitures, auctions, tender offers, defensive strategies, going-private transactions and leveraged buy-outs.
Mr. Abousleiman’s experience also includes advising clients on complex sovereign and corporate international debt restructurings, consent solicitations and exchange offers across emerging markets. One of his most notable matters involved establishing the platform for restructuring the sovereign debt of the former Yugoslavia in order to reallocate the defaulted debt among its successor countries.
He is recommended for capital markets by Chambers UK 2013, which highlights Mr. Abousleiman’s “strong reputation amongst peers for his work in Eastern Europe and the Middle East” and his “expertise in cross-border debt and equity transactions.” Chambers Global 2013 highlights his work “advising on some of the most significant sovereign debt transactions in the emerging markets, with a particular focus upon the Middle East market.”
Significant Representations
International Capital Markets
Equity/IPOs
- The US$840 million IPO of Telecom Egypt and its dual listing on the Cairo and London Stock Exchanges, then the largest international IPO out of the Middle East and winner of the Telecom Finance “IPO of the Year” award.*
- The US$770 million IPO of Investcom LLC and its dual listing on the London Stock Exchange and the Dubai International Financial Exchange (the first company to list on NASDAQ Dubai).*
- The US$400 million IPO of Kingdom Hotel Investments and its dual listing on the London Stock Exchange and the Dubai International Financial Exchange (the second company to list on NASDAQ Dubai).*
- The US$700 million private placement of shares for Solidere International Limited.*
- The LE 4.5 billion (US$760 million) IPO of Talaat Mostafa Group and its listing on the Egyptian Stock Exchange.*
- The US$1.8 billion IPO of Zain Saudi Arabia and its listing on the Saudi Stock Exchange.*
- The listing of Byblos Bank S.A.L. GDSs on the London Stock Exchange.*
Sovereign Debt Issuances
Mr Abousleiman has acted on over 80 sovereign debt issuances, including:
- The US$1 billion Notes due 2020 and the US$500 million Notes due 2040 for the Arab Republic of Egypt (having acted as lead counsel in connection with all bond issuances by Egypt since its inaugural bond issue in 2001).*
- The €1 billion Notes due 2020 for the Kingdom of Morocco (having acted as lead counsel in connection with all bond issuances by Morocco since its inaugural bond issue in 2003.)*
- The US$750 million Notes due 2015 for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (its inaugural bond issue).*
- All underwritten issuances under the US$22 billion GMTN Program for the Lebanese Republic, including, most recently, advising Deutsche Bank, Fransa Invest Bank s.a.l. and Standard Chartered Bank, as Dealer Managers, in connection with the Lebanese Republic’s voluntary offer to exchange its outstanding U.S. dollar- and Euro-denominated Eurobonds maturing in 2012 for new longer-dated securities and related issuances by the Lebanese Republic, for cash, of approximately US$240 million in additional bonds, resulting in a combined issuance of nearly US$1.5 billion of debt securities.*
- A number of direct placements of Eurobond issues and other matters under the Lebanese Republic’s US$22 billion GMTN Program.*
- The Lebanese Pound 1.5 trillion Notes due 2017 for the Lebanese Republic (mtn-i 2010 European & Global Awards “European Landmark Deal of the Year Award”).*
- The US$500 million Notes due 2013 for Georgia (acting through the Ministry of Finance), its inaugural bond issue.*
- A number of emerging market sovereigns in connection with their multilateral and bilateral international borrowings.*
Bank and Corporate Debt Issuances
- The US$500 million 5.45% Notes due 2017 issued by State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR). The transaction marked SOCAR’s first Eurobond issuance and the first international Eurobond offering out of Azerbaijan.*
- The US$600 million 5.25% Guaranteed Notes due 2015 issued by Nile Finance Limited and guaranteed by The National Bank of Egypt.*
- The US$200 million notes issued by Bank of Georgia.*
- Over 30 debt capital market transactions for issuers out of Kazakhstan.*
- Several banks on the issue of preference shares and convertible and subordinated bonds and other Tier 1 and Tier 2 capital listed and un-listed instruments.*
Corporate Finance/M&A
- The disposal by Bank Audi of 81% of the shares in LIA Insurance SAL to Saham Finances with an option to dispose of the remaining 19%.
- The US$480 million disposal of a 20% indirect interest in the Mutanda mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo by High Grade Minerals S.A. to Glencore with an option to dispose of a further 20% interest for US$430 million.
- The disposal of OK Foods by a group of individual sellers to Olam International Limited.*
- The disposal by the owners of an artificial hair manufacturing and distribution business in various countries in Africa on their disposal of a 51% interest in the business in South Africa Mozambique and Nigeria to Godrej Consumer Products Limited.*
- The disposal of a 44% stake in Korek Telecom (Iraq’s third largest mobile telecommunication operator) to a consortium of France Telecom and Agility.*
- The US$370 million acquisition by Kingdom Holding Company of Kingdom Hotel Investments (a take private/de-listing of KHI) which was recognized by the International Financial Law Review with the 2010 “Middle East M&A Deal of the Year Award.”*
- The US$1.34 billion acquisition by Vedanta Resources of zinc assets from Anglo American PLC.*
- The US$913 million acquisition by a group of investors of EFG-Hermes’ 29% stake in the capital of Bank Audi.*
- The purchase by Bank Audi of Dresdner Bank Monaco S.A.M. from Commerzbank.*
- The acquisition by EFG-Hermes of a 65% interest in Credit Libanais and an option to acquire a further 25% for a total transaction value of US$750 million.*
- A private equity fund on its purchase of the Milton Gate building in London.*
- The $5.5 billion purchase of Investcom LLC by The MTN Group.*
- The €12.2 billion acquisition by Weather Capital of Wind Telecommunicazioni S.p.A.*
Restructurings
- The Bondholders’ Committee of Russian bank “International Industrial Bank” (IIB).*
- The Bondholders and Other Senior Lenders Sub-Committee in connection with the restructuring of BTA Bank’s US$12 billion debt.*
- The International Creditors’ Committee in connection with the restructuring of JSC Temirbank’s US$1.4 billion debt.*
- The International Creditors’ Committee in connection with the restructuring of Astana Finance’s US$1.9 billion debt.*
- The noteholders in connection with the restructuring of BMB Munai’s convertible senior notes.*
- The noteholders of approximately US$300 million secured notes guaranteed by a Russian company.*
- The noteholders in respect of the restructuring of US$560 million secured loan notes guaranteed by a Russian company.*
*Matter handled prior to joining Dechert.
Education
Saint Joseph University Faculty of Law and Political Science, J.D., 1980
Harvard Law School, LL.M., 1981
The Fletcher School, Tufts University, M.A., 1982
Bar Admissions/Qualifications
New York
Lebanon
Languages
English
French
Arabic