Expertise
Owen Richards is a Partner within our corporate practice, located in Dubai. He possesses expertise in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, private equity, joint ventures, restructurings, and capital markets transactions across the MENA region, Central Asia, and the broader CIS areas. Owen has provided counsel to clients in diverse sectors, including energy, transport, retail and consumer goods, education, healthcare, and financial services. He frequently offers guidance to regional and international private equity firms regarding their investments.
Beyond his corporate engagements, Owen also provides advice on commercial matters, including distribution arrangements, franchising agreements, and other significant long-term strategic contracts.
Prior to joining AG Owen practiced in the Dubai, Moscow and London offices of another international law firm.
- Experience
M&A
- Advising du in connection with its AED 800 million sale of its 26% interest in Khazna Data Center Limited to Technology Holding Company LLC (a subsidiary of Mubadala)
- Advising GEMS Education in respect of a range of investments in school services businesses in the UAE and wider Middle East
- Advising Reckitt Benkiser in respect of its acquisition of a UAE OTC product distribution business and associated joint venture
- Advising Janus Continental Group on its investment in Highview Enterprises Limited, the developer of liquid air long-duration energy storage system, CRYOBattery
- Advising the Phenna Group on its acquisition of a majority stake in Thomas Bell Wright Inc a Middle East wide fire testing and façade consulting business operating
Commercial Contracts
- Advising ADNOC Distribution in respect of a range of matters related to its forecourt modernisation programme
- Advising du in respect of its participation in the UAE Ministry of Interior's Hassantuk smart fire safety system initiative
- Advising du in respect of its data centre business, including its alliance agreement with Equinix, the negotiation of a number of colocation arrangements with hyper scale customers such as Microsoft and Oracle
- Advising GEMS Education in respect of a wide range of legal issues in respect of its new online learning platform, including IP ownership, data protection, platform delivery and performance, and information security
Joint ventures
- Advising Polyeco Group in respect of its joint venture with Bee’ah (the Sharjah-based environmental and sustainability services provider).
- Advising Fircroft in respect of its joint venture in Angola
- Advising Boral Limited on the Middle East aspects of its 50/50 joint venture with USG Corporation to form a global building materials products business
- Advising a consortium of JFE Steel Corporation and Marubeni-Itochu Steel on their joint venture with Senaat GHC to develop a $300 million steel pipe manufacturing plant in the Khalifa Industrial Zone of Abu Dhabi
- Advising Retail Arabia Group in respect of its joint venture with Al Hokair Group
- Testimonials
"Owen Richards is good technically and great to work with." – Legal 500
"Owen Richards is extremely efficient and coolheaded. he was able to answer all queries of commercial and legal nature. the way in which he was able to present his point of view and counter the argument of the opponents in each and every matter was praiseworthy, as we were able to gain the confidence of the other side." – Legal 500
"Owen is a very detailed and skilled M&A lawyer who manages transactions well and goes the extra mile on ancillary matters." – Legal 500
