Seyavash Rahnema

Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright (Middle East) LLP

Dubai
United Arab Emirates
T:+971 4 369 6319
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
T:+971 4 369 6319
Seyavash Rahnema

Seyavash Rahnema

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Biography

Seya is a banking and finance lawyer based in Dubai.

He has a broad practice advising borrowers, lenders, arrangers and agents on regional and cross border financing transactions. Having been in Dubai since 1993, he has a commendable knowledge of the region, local laws and the wider commercial environment. He has acted for leading local and international banks on high-value corporate financing transactions, with a particular focus on acquisitions, real estate, infrastructure, asset-based lending and leveraged finance on both conventional and Shariah compliant basis.

Clients have lauded his "proactive spirit" whilst delivering "high quality advice in a timely and pragmatic fashion".

Professional experience

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  • Solicitor, qualified in England & Wales 2016
  • HSBC and ten other financial institutions - on a US$1.1bn sustainability-linked syndicated commodity murabaha financing to Ahli United Bank. The facility was the first global example of a sustainability-linked, AAOIFI compliant, dual-tranche murabaha financing to a financial institution. The pricing of the facility was linked to three key performance indicators including green financing, social housing financing and ESG governance integration. Please see the following press release - https://rb.gy/txgf6.
  • HSBC and SMBC International Bank (as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners) and other financial institutions - on a US$1.165bn green loan syndicated dual-tranche commodity murabaha financing to Al Rajhi Bank. The transaction was considered the largest Shariah-compliant syndication in the Middle East complying with the Green Loan Principles and the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. Please see the following press release - https://rb.gy/xod4i.
  • One of the largest Islamic banks in the region - on an Ijara asset financing transaction to refinance the acquisition of an aircraft by a special purpose vehicle that in turn leased the aircraft to Emirates airlines pursuant to an operating lease.
  • One of the largest banks in Abu Dhabi - on a conventional syndicated US$27m financing relating to the acquisition of a Bombardier aircraft simulator by one of the regional airlines.
  • HSBC and Mizuho as mandated lead arrangers, coordinators and bookrunners - on a US$1bn syndicated dual-tranche murabaha facility to a financial institution in Saudi Arabia. This was the first of its kind AAOIFI compliant facility with an innovative structure that required the approval of multiple Sharia boards to ensure AAOIFI terms were met. Please see the following press release - Norton Rose Fulbright advises on US$1bn first-of-a-kind cross-border Islamic financing | Global law firm | Norton Rose Fulbright
  • A consortium of lenders led by one of the largest UAE banks - on a US$900m inventory financing to a premium authorised car dealer in the UAE.
  • Emirates NBD and other mandated lead arrangers - on a US$750m secured syndicated development refinancing transaction for the establishment of a large global hospitality group in the UAE.
  • The largest UAE bank by asset value - on an equity bridge loan to a project company in relation to a 500MW wind power plant project in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
  • Standard Chartered Bank and an international development bank - on a large ECA backed secured conventional syndicated credit facility to a garment manufacturing conglomerate in Jordan with a range of security including mortgage on fixed assets and assignment of receivables from original equipment manufacturers in New York.
  • Confidential client - drafting and advising on several convertible loan notes pursuant to a wider merger and acquisition transaction driven by our corporate practice.
  • A consortium of banks - on multiple billion-dirham revolving credit facilities to the largest real estate developer in the region.
  • A large, syndicated group of lenders - on a US$650m secured conventional corporate and real estate financing to the biggest steel manufacturer in Bahrain.
  • A multilateral development bank and other financiers - on a US$75m multi-tranche syndicated warehouse receipt financing facility structured as a murabaha with tranches to be utilised in different jurisdictions.
  • A large, syndicated group of financiers - on a murabaha facility to a financial institution in Kuwait which won the award of the Islamic Finance facility of the year granted by the Islamic Finance News.
  • The largest real estate developer in the region - on a complex non-recourse multibillion dollar murabaha facility to finance the partial acquisition of a luxury residential development in the UAE.
  • A regional investment bank and a group of syndicated lenders - on a US$55m conventional financing transaction relating to the acquisition of offshore oil rigs by an Egyptian energy company.
  • The largest regional bank - on a multi-tranche Sharia compliant facility (ijara, forward ijara and murabaha) to one of the largest family-owned conglomerates in Sharjah, UAE, for share acquisition, development finance and their general corporate purposes.
  • The London office of a global sharia focused financial institution - on a US$50m syndicated Islamic murabaha facility to refinance an existing facility for the acquisition of properties in Canterbury, UK.
  • A global financial institution - on a US$50m bilateral Islamic murabaha facility provided to a Turkish household brand to finance the group's regional corporate expansion.
  • A global producer of flavoured tobacco - on a US$ 420 m acquisition finance facility on a conventional basis funded by a syndicated group of international banks
  • English
  • Farsi

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