Overview
Nicholas is a corporate partner based in the Middle East, who advises on a wide range of corporate transactions. He has extensive experience of advising international and regional clients, including sovereign wealth funds, government-related entities and financial sponsors, on their strategic investments in the Middle East, whether by means of public and private M&A, joint ventures or equity raisings.
Nicholas leads the firm's Abu Dhabi corporate practice and co-heads the firm's Abu Dhabi office.
Prior to his relocation to the Middle East, Nicholas was based in the firm’s London office and has also spent time in the firm's New York office. He has completed six-month secondments with RBS in its corporate/M&A team between 2010 and 2011 and with Tullow Oil in 2014, where he advised on Africa-related businesses.
Work highlights
Nicholas has been a key adviser on a wide range of significant corporate transactions. These include advising:
- DP World on its acquisition of Dubai Maritime City and DryDocks World
- DP World on the establishment of a global investment platform with CDPQ and the related sale of two Canadian ports
- Tasheel on its disposal to VFS Global of its Middle Eastern visa facility management business and its 50% interest in VFS Tasheel, the outsourced visa services partners of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Emaar Malls on its US$151m acquisition of a 51% stake in Namshi, the leading fashion e-commerce retailer in the Middle East
- BP on the sale of its 50% equity interest in Shanghai SECCO Petrochemical Company to Sinopec
- National Grid on the £13bn sale of a majority stake in its gas distribution business
Professional experience
Nicholas contributed to Practical Company Law and Corporate Transactions, a corporate law textbook.
He continues to offer pro bono advice to Camfed, an international, non-profit organisation dedicated to eradicating poverty in Africa through girls’ education.
Education and qualifications
Nicholas studied law with law studies in Europe at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, including a year at Université Panthéon-Assas, Paris II.
He speaks English and French.
