Kieron Zaman
Banking Partner, Dubai
"I have a wide-ranging banking practice, advising on conventional and Islamic finance transactions to which I bring a commercial, pragmatic, organised approach with a depth of experience and knowledge."
Overview
Education and qualifications
Overview
Kieron advises on bank loans and Islamic finance, both new issuances as well as debt restructuring.
Kieron has wide-ranging experience in Middle East and European syndicated and secured financings, debt restructuring, structured and acquisition finance. He enjoys acting on either side of the table, whether for investment and commercial banks, financial sponsors or corporations.
He leads Linklaters’ market-leading Middle East banking practice which is ranked Tier 1 by the legal directories, who also list Kieron as a leading individual. Kieron has been based in the Middle East since 2012, prior to which he worked in our London office, advising banks and borrowers on European and emerging market financings of all types.
On three occasions he has been seconded to our clients: to Deutsche Bank in 2002 (to the Investment Banking Division); to RBS throughout 2005 (to the Specialised Lending Services team (now the Global Restructuring Group)); and to Goldman Sachs in 2008/9 (to the Credit Finance Group).
Work highlights
Investment grade facilities
- US$16bn syndicated dual tranche facilities for the Ministry of Finance, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- US$1.85bn syndicated loan facility for Oman Oil Company, the debut syndicated facility for OOC
- US$1.1bn syndicated conventional and Islamic facilities for Port & Free Zone World
- US$1.4bn syndicated conventional and Islamic facilities for Jumeirah Group
Secured and acquisition finance
- US$9bn conventional and Islamic facilities for the take-private of DP World
- US$750m cov-lite TLB and US$900m senior secured high yield bond financing, the first syndicated cov-lite TLB for a Middle Eastern issuer
- US$750m facility for the acquisition of Travelex, one of the first UK-style certain-funds acquisition financings provided by Gulf banks for a European target company
Debt restructuring
- AED5bn attempted restructuring by Drake & Scull PJSC US$10bn debt and corporate restructuring of Dubai Group
- US$600m debt restructuring of Lamprell plc
- U$1.5bn debt restructuring and corporate reorganisation of Samsonite Group
- liquidation of O.W. Bunker (DMCC, Dubai)
- £2bn debt restructuring and debt for equity conversion of Gala Coral Group