Abbas is an English qualified corporate lawyer in the firm's global transactional corporate and commercial group based in Riyadh.

Regularly working across multiple jurisdictions, Abbas acts for international and regional clients in a range of industry sectors, including energy and infrastructure, banks/financial institutions, commodities and mining.

Abbas has experience advising on a broad spectrum of finance and corporate matters, including M&A, cross-border disposals of businesses, corporate finance, joint ventures, group reorganisations and governance issues.

As part of his training contract, Abbas spent two six months secondments to the firm's offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Abbas has lived, studied and worked in a variety of jurisdictions including Somalia, Kenya, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, UK and the UAE. He speaks English, Somali, Swahili and Arabic.

Recent work includes:

• Advising a global provider of life and non-life reinsurance services in connection with its potential US$90 million rights issues.
• Utilising various technologies including AI program in due diligence, transaction eBibling, contract review and document automation software to achieve business efficiency, meet clients' legal needs and generate cost savings.
• Acting for a leading oil refining, storage and sales conglomerate on its US$110 million disposal of the entire issued share capital and its shareholder's loan.
• Advising an international financial institution about the regulatory situation of cryptocurrencies in the UAE, including the applicable onshore UAE law, DIFC and ADGM regulations and to obtaining the regulatory approvals.
• Acting for a regional fund on its proposed US$45 million capital investment in an African based mining company, including working with local lawyers on company and corporate governance matters.