Profile

Sean is a corporate, commercial and projects partner in the firm's Dubai office. His clients range from large regional family offices, global conglomerates, global retail brands and infrastructure project developers. He advises our clients on corporate structuring and restructuring issues, M&A transactions, and the development, funding and contract negotiations for large infrastructure projects, such as power generation and transmission facilities, oil refineries, industrial plants, petrochemical plants, ports, real estate and tourism developments, and oil and gas pipelines.

He has over 31 years of extensive experience in the GCC, broader Arab jurisdictions and Africa and has a particular expertise in the UAE and Oman markets.

Sean has also worked on a wide variety of internal corporate and government investigations, IPOs, drafting of free zone and foreign land ownership laws, plus the structuring and restructuring of regional corporate vehicles for multinational businesses and the global interests for family offices.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Economics and Law, University of Tasmania, 1984
  • Legal Practice Course, Law Society of Tasmania, 1985
  • Barrister/Solicitor, Supreme Court of Tasmania, 1986
  • Solicitor Supreme Court of England and Wales, 1990

Market recognition

Recommended Lawyer for 'Dispute resolution: arbitration and international litigation (United Arab Emirates)'
The Legal 500 EMEA 2023

Work highlights

  • Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Oman – Advised the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Sultanate of Oman, on a complete review and redraft of the Oman Commercial Companies Law.
  • Large scale property/tourism development projects – Acted as team leader on the following projects: Blue City, Muscat Golf and Country Club, Yitti Integrated Tourism Complex in Oman, The Wave Project in Muscat, Omagine Project in Muscat, Siffa Banyan Tree Resort, The Chedi Hotel Resort in Muscat, Golf City in Dubai, Entertainment City in Doha, and the Muscat Port integrated tourism complex development project.
  • Mozambique – Lead the project teams in the establishment of a new commercial bank, a 2000mw power plant and transmission line project in northern Mozambique. Also lead on the project teams on a port project in the Pemba area.
  • Iraq oil refineries and power generation – Acted for developers in two separate oil refinery projects in Iraq, plus a 2800mw power generation plant.
  • One of the world’s largest mining and resources companies - Advised on setting up and structuring of the company’s regional hub in Dubai as well as their development, ownership and operation of an Iron Ore pelletizing plant and its integration into a large port facility.
  • Sovereign Wealth Funds – Advised Sovereign Wealth Funds on acquisitions and a review of existing internal governance regimes. This included rolling out new governance regimes into new portfolio investment companies.
  • Telecoms and e-commerce – Team leader for a telecoms client, rolling out the operating platform and network for a second mobile phone operator in regional jurisdiction.
  • Team leader on the restructuring of over US$100 million debt owed by a mobile telecoms operator to a major equipment supplier in the African jurisdiction.
  • Advised a major e-commerce regional operator on all regulatory issues, cross border corporate structuring and all commercial agreements.
  • Electricity generation and transmission – Advised developers on several power generation and transmission projects in Oman, beginning with the first privately financed project, the Manah Power Project. Now currently advising developers on several similar projects in Mozambique and Iraq.
  • Ports – Acted for developers of conventional and container terminal operations in Oman, Iraq and Mozambique, including the developers and operators of liquid chemical handling facilities, tank farms, industrial estate operations connected to ports and stevedoring operations.
  • Family offices – Acted for several large family offices based in the Middle East and Europe on their corporate structuring issues, family succession planning, divesting and acquiring of assets, restructuring of global interests and their holding structures.