Skyewalker Law, a UAE Law Firm with affiliate offices in London and Washington, provides legal, consultancy and deal origination services to its clients across the Globe, and specializes particularly in complex cross-border and corporate legal matters. It also finds funding, introduces buyers and sellers of companies and businesses, and assist clients in UAE business growth, including by distribution, franchising and other commercial arrangements, often using a range of its partners.
The firm and its partners advise on, and adhere to, English Law and are specialists in Dubai and Hong Kong Law. They also have significant experience in the laws of numerous other jurisdictions.
Founding Partner and Chairman
Simon Walker is a Solicitor of the Supreme Courts of England and Wales with extensive international experience, having worked in the City of London, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in both the private and public sector. He has extensive experience of corporate and business acquisitions, private equity transactions, general commercial and finance transactions, joint ventures, banking/finance arrangements, distribution, supply and trading arrangements, shipping and transportation structuring and transactions, real estate agreements. He has extensive disputes management expertise related to all such matters.
Previous firms : Travers Smith, Mayer Brown JSM, O’Melveny & Myers, Addleshaw Goddard, DAC Beachcroft
Partner
Susy Aryani is a Solicitor of the Supreme Courts of England and Wales with extensive international experience, having worked in London, Singapore, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, in both the private and public sector. Previous firms include : Dubai Holding, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered, Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale, Dentons and White & Case
Chief Operating Officer
Edmund has a background in developing business in a broad range of sectors, including high-tech agriculture, international shipping, education and renewable energy. He has an extensive network of contacts globally, especially in the education and wellness sectors. Before joining MindForce DXB as COO, Edmund worked for the UAE Government on a key aquaculture initiative: growing Atlantic salmon, on land, in Dubai. He has worked with Dubai Municipality on waste-to-energy initiatives, with NATO on fuel supply, and with the United Nations on Carbon Credit mechanisms in Kenya. He has been involved in developing business, and implementing growth, in the Gulf for over a decade.
Chief Technology Officer
Damola Oluwatade is an ICT Business Development Professional with over a decade’s worth of international experience under his belt. His career includes extensive exposure to African, European, and Middle Eastern markets, in the private sector. Having delved into the Fintech space within the last 5 years, he is well versed in blockchain business development and capital seed raising for award winning start-ups. Previous firms include Eni, IBM and Redington Gulf, to mention a few.
Partner
Leila is a Solicitor of the Supreme Courts of England and Wales with proven experience in the retail commercial real estate sector, having worked in England with both public and private sector clients since herqualification. Her role includes an extensive network in the start-up space, after consulting start-ups in the deep tech area for several years. Her diverse expertise includes dealing with development and institutional investment real estate transactions, acting for public and private sector clients on employment matters and consulting start-ups on capital seed investment documentation, commercial contracts and compliance matters. Previous firms include Weightmans , BCLP and Addleshaw Goddard.
Senior Advisor
James Cadbury is a former British Army Officer with 14 years of experience in the Middle East and Africa, working with family owned business and family offices, hosting the Middle East Financial Times Family Business conferences for a number of years. James’ primary business activities are in the Oil & Gas support services sector, and specialises in complex operating environments
Senior Advisor
A graduate of Harvard Law School, the University of Panthéon-Assas University Paris II, Saint-Joseph University (Beirut) and the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), Adib Tohme is a business and tax lawyer and economic consultant in New York, Dubai and Beirut as well as lecturer, teacher and writer.
He lives between Dubai, Beirut, Paris, Washington and Athens and shares his time between his job as lawyer and consultant for multinationals and international institutions and to literature: essays, novels, theater and poetry.
Senior Advisor
Mansour Malik is an international lawyer who previously practiced in London. He has extensive experience consulting international corporate clients. He is regularly invited as a speaker at international seminars and conferences, and on TV and radio programs. He enjoys an extensive network of highly proficient, professional and influential people worldwide. He strongly believes, and places paramount importance on, integrity, reputation and professionalism. He gives great value to moral and ethical practices in private and professional life. Mission : promote peace and love to unite mankind as one human family on the global planet of Earth. Love all and hate none. Specialties: Advice and assistance to international corporate clients. Author & writer. Founder of Kingdom of Love London U.K.
Chairman Diplomat Business Club
and Corporate Finance
for institutions, investees and management including equity and debt, convertible bonds, mezzanine financing, management buyouts.
and Capital Markets transactions.
in a variety of jurisdictions, including Stock Exchange listed companies.
including business commencement and structuring, online business, cryptos & blockchain, franchising, licensing, distribution, agency etc.
including loan agreements, security and general banking documentation for major banks, Project finance and infrastructure transactions.
including property/development/hotel ventures.
and franchising services
to quoted and non-quoted domestic and international businesses
buyers, sellers, and investors
Acquisition of their seed company for the commencement of on-line publication in Asia and subsequent licensing and trading issues in relation to their internet business.
Variety of complex and large scale commercial and employment issues over a five-year period.
Acquisition of a majority of Emphasis Limited; buy-out of minority stake in Asia week Limited; disposal of Ming Pao (leading Chinese language newspaper).
Acting on a global project in relation to a significant business line expansion.
2 acquisition finance transactions.
Acting on fund distributions and investment restructuring.
Ongoing commercial and hotel management agreement advice.
Movie purchase and production agreements, author agreements and artist agreements.
15+ jurisdiction group reorganization.
Acquisition and £1.2 billion joint venture with Grosvenor.
Acquisition of the Haagen-Dazs distribution company and ongoing commercial work.
£30 million London Stock Exchange Listing and bank refinancing.
Representing Al Khayatt Group, owners of Bin Sina, and distributors of many household name pharmaceuticals, clothing and food brands in the UAE.
Acting on multibillion UAE Dirham project development finance restructuring for Abu Dhabi listed real estate developer.
Disposal of Hong Kong Kentucky Fried Chicken operation; acquisition of the Reebok operations in Hong Kong and China, including franchise arrangements, acquisition of Asian Volvo operations from Jebsen & Co. Limited including franchise arrangements; Sale of 80% of the Marriott Hotel to the Government of Singapore and co-investors; corporate acquisition of development property (a $2.5 billion plus transaction).
