• International Capital Markets

    Sovereign Debt Issuances

    Mr. Abousleiman has acted on over 100 sovereign debt issuances, including:

    • Arab Republic of Egypt in connection with its debut Green Bond issuance consisting of US$750 million 5.250% Green Bond Notes due 2025.
    • Arab Republic of Egypt in connection with the issuance of its U.S.$860,000,000 7.125% Notes due 2026 and U.S.$1,710,000,000 7.625% Notes due 2030.
    • Banque Central de Tunisie in connection with the issuance of €500 million notes due 2023 with a coupon of 6.75%., on behalf of The Republic of Tunisia.
    • Republic of Albania in connection with a new 7-year €500 million benchmark international bond with a coupon of 3.50%, along with the simultaneous completion of a €200 million capped tender offer in respect of its existing €450 million 5.75% bond due November 2020.
    • Bond and sukuk issuances by the Kingdom of Bahrain in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$4 billion, including, most recently, the issuance of its U.S.$1 billion Trust Certificates due 5 October 2025 (through CBB International Sukuk Company 7 S.P.C.).
    • The establishment of the Arab Republic of Egypt’s U.S.$20 billion global medium-term note programme and the issuance of an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$12.5 billion and €2 billion of Notes thereunder, including, in 2017, a U.S.$4 billion multi-tranche issuance, which was the first triple-tranche bond from the African continent. (Mr. Abousleiman and his team won the Banking and Finance Team of the Year Award 2017 at Legal Week’s Middle East Legal Awards for work on the U.S.$ 4 billion multi-tranche issuance. The establishment of the programme and initial issuance thereunder was also named winner of the “Award for Sub-Investment Grade Bond/Sukuk Deal of the Year” at the 2015 Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Middle East Awards).
    • The issuance of an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$4 billion of Eurobonds by the Arab Republic of Egypt in a private placement with the Central Bank of Egypt (as part of a reverse-repo transaction undertaken by the Central Bank of Egypt).
    • All Eurobond issuances by Banque Centrale de Tunisie, acting on behalf of the Republic of Tunisia, since 2012, in an aggregate principal amount of €850 million in Euro-denominated issuances and U.S.$2.5 billion in U.S. Dollar-denominated issuances, including, in 2017, the issuance of its U.S.$1 billion 3.50% Amortising Notes due 2022. The inaugural and all follow-on U.S.-guaranteed bonds issued by Banque Centrale de Tunisie, acting on behalf of the Republic of Tunisia, in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$985 million.
    • The inaugural and all follow-on Eurobond issuances by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$2.75 billion, including, in 2017, the issuance of its U.S.$1 billion 7.375% Notes due 2047.
    • The inaugural and all follow-on U.S.-guaranteed bonds issued by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$3.25 billion.
    • The inaugural and all follow-on Eurobond issuances by the Kingdom of Morocco in an aggregate principal amount of €2.5 billion in Euro-denominated issuances and U.S.$2.25 billion in U.S. Dollar-denominated issuances. 
    • All sovereign bond issuances by the Lebanese Republic since 1995, including periodic issuances and exchange offers under the Lebanese Republic’s U.S.$28 billion global medium-term note programme, and, in 2017, the issuance of an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$3 billion of Eurobonds thereunder issued in March 2017. (Winner of Sub Investment Grade Bond/Sukuk Deal of the Year at GFC Media Group’s Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Middle East Awards 2017).
    • The establishment of the Lebanese Republic’s LBP-denominated medium-term note programme and the issuance of its LBP 1.5 trillion Notes due 2017 thereunder. (Winner of the mtn-i 2010 European & Global Awards “European Landmark Deal of the Year Award”).
    • The inaugural and all follow-on Eurobond issuances by Georgia in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$1 billion.
    • A number of emerging market sovereigns in connection with their multilateral and bilateral international borrowings.

    Quasi-Sovereign, Bank and Corporate Debt Issuances

    Mr. Abousleiman has acted on numerous quasi-sovereign, bank and corporate debt issuances across the emerging markets, including:

    • Banque Ouest Africaine de Développement (BOAD) in connection with the issuance of its €750,000,000 2.75% Notes due 2033, its inaugural Euro-denominated issuance and inaugural sustainability bond.
    • The U.S.$500 million 5.196% Notes due 2027 issued by OmGrid Funding Limited, with the benefit of a guarantee by Oman Electricity Transmission Company S.A.O.C. (OETC). (Shortlisted for IFLR Debt and Equity-Linked Team of the Year Award 2017).
    • The U.S.$1 billion 3.958% Notes due 2025 issued by Lamar Funding Limited, with the benefit of a guarantee by OETC. (Winner of Sovereign/Quasi-Sovereign Financing Deal of the Year and Runner-Up for Investment Grade Bond 2015).
    • The inaugural and follow-on Eurobond issuances for State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) in an aggregate principal amount of U.S.$2.25 billion. (SOCAR’s debut bond issuance was the first international Eurobond offering out of Azerbaijan).
    • The U.S.$300 million 7.625% Fixed Rate Resettable Tier 2 Notes due 2027 by Odea Bank A.Ş, marking the bank’s inaugural international capital markets issuance.
    • Periodic updates and issuances under OTE plc’s €6.5 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme.
    • The establishment of Bankmed S.A.L.’s short-term certificates of deposit programme.
    • Over 30 debt capital market transactions for bank and corporate issuers out of the Lebanese Republic.
    • 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.

    Equity/IPOs

    Mr. Abousleiman’s equity capital markets representative transactions include:

    • Bank Audi s.a.l. on the sale of its Egyptian subsidiary to First Abu Dhabi Bank.
    • The combined Egyptian and international offering of ordinary shares in Raya Contact Centre S.A.E.
    • The sale of a majority of the Common Shares of Credit Libanais S.A.L. by way of a private placement.
    • The periodic issuance of preferred shares by Bank Audi s.a.l.
    • The offering of common shares in Bank Audi s.a.l., together with three warrants per newly-issued common share exercisable for common shares in Odea Bank A.Ş. (Winner of the Financial Times Most Innovative Law Firms for Finance Law in Europe Award 2015).
    • The listing and admission to the Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange of additional Global Depositary Receipts of Commercial International Bank (Egypt) S.A.E.
    • The listing and admission to the Official List and to trading on the London Stock Exchange of additional Global Depositary Shares of EFG-Hermes Holding S.A.E.
    • Over 30 preferred and common share issuances by bank issuers in the Lebanese Republic.

    Bond and Debt Restructurings

    Mr. Abousleiman’s recent bond and debt restructuring representative transactions include:

    • Advising the ad hoc group of bondholders in respect of the financial restructuring by the Russian FESCO transportation group of its U.S.$875 million senior secured notes by way of a UK Scheme of Arrangement.
    • Advising the Bondholder’s Committee in connection with the restructuring of the indebtedness of Cell C, a South African mobile phone operator.
    • Advising VTB Capital PLC in connection with the refinancing of indebtedness of the Essar Group.
    • Advising the ad hoc group of noteholders of the City of Kyiv on the restructuring of the City’s U.S.$250 million 8% loan participation notes due 2015 and its U.S.$300 million 9.375% loan participation notes due 2016.
    • Advising the International Creditors’ Committee in connection with the restructuring of JSC Alliance Bank’s U.S.$1.6 billion debt.
    • Advising the noteholders in connection with the restructuring of UK and Russian oil and gas group, Vostok Energy plc.
    • Advising the noteholders in relation to the U.S.$550 million debt restructuring of Kazakh oil and gas company, Tristan Oil Ltd.

    Corporate Finance/M&A

    Mr. Abousleiman’s recent corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions representative transactions include:

    • The recommended takeover of Investcom LLC by MTN International (Mauritius) Limited for approximately U.S.$5.5 billion.
    • The spin out and sale by Bank Audi s.a.l. of its electronic payments and card services business.
    • The TL 1.0 billion capital increase of Odea Bank A.Ş, and the acquisition of shares by a number of international financial institutions.
    • The acquisition of the Pepe Jeans group (including the Hackett brand) by M1 Fashion and L Capital Asia from management and a group of private equity shareholders.
    • The £1 billion acquisition, restructuring (pre-pack administration) and financing of Citibank Tower, Canary Wharf.
    • The disposal by Bank Audi s.a.l. of 81% of the shares in LIA Insurance SAL to Saham Finances with an option to dispose of the remaining 19%.
    • The U.S.$480 million sale of a 20% indirect interest in the Mutanda mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo by High Grade Minerals S.A. to Glencore and the subsequent sale of a further 20% interest for U.S.$430 million.
    • The disposal of OK Foods by a group of individual sellers to Olam International Limited.

    Includes matters handled at Dechert or prior to joining the firm.

    • How to Get a Deal Done in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States - ACC General Counsel Summit 2017, Paris, France (June 1, 2017)