Designation: Partners

Stuart Walker

Stuart’s primary practice includes financial services regulation, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and employment matters. He leads the field in advising parties during Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) investigations and, where necessary, negotiating settlements on their behalf. Stuart was instructed by the first authorised firm to be fined by the DFSA and has since gone on to advise in connection with a significant number of DFSA investigations.

 

Stuart is a regular contributor to Euromoney’s Global Banking & Financial Policy Review. He is the co-author of the UAE chapter, Financial Services Regulation in the Middle East, Oxford University Press (2008). He has contributed articles to various publications including the International Financial Law Reviews and Lawyer Monthly.

 

Stuart joined Afridi & Angell in 2003 and became a partner in 2008. Prior to joining the firm Stuart was a solicitor in the banking department of Lovells in London. He lived and worked in London, Hong Kong, New York and Dubai. Prior to qualifying as a lawyer, he wrote for and edited various trade journals and other publications.

Shahram Safai

Shahram is a partner and heads the firm’s real estate, tax and venture capital teams. His practice focuses on representing leading multinational and domestic corporate clients, investment funds and high-net-worth individuals.

 

Shahram is recognised as a leading partner by Legal 500 EMEA and he is ranked by Chambers Global. Clients described him as “a stellar lawyer” and “a true star in the legal industry.” Clients highlight his “exceptional knowledge, strategy, and technical skills” and how his “insightful, practical, and knowledgeable approach is unparalleled”. He is widely recognised as a leading advisor in the UAE real estate sector and was awarded ‘Real Estate Lawyer of the Year’ by Legal Era.

 

He counsels clients on private equity and venture capital transactions, as well as advising clients on assessing and managing transactional risks. He has been highly sought after by boards and shareholders for strategic legal advice.  He is active in lobbying for and providing constructive feedback to government organisations regarding regional laws and regulations pertaining to private equity/venture capital investment, corporate governance, tax and real estate.

 

Shahram also advises clients with respect to joint ventures, acquisitions and doing business in the region. Such advice involves investment fund formation, compliance advice, sanctions advice, anti-money laundering implications, and agency matters.

 

Shahram plays an active role in shaping the UAE’s regulatory landscape. He is a regular speaker at seminars on legal developments and current issues in doing business, private equity, real estate and construction law. At the invitation of the Government of Dubai, Shahram regularly lectures on legal matters and policy. He served as the Chairman of the Board for the Canadian Business Council of Dubai and the Northern Emirates in previous years.

 

Prior to joining Afridi & Angell in 2002, Shahram was an associate at the law firm of Cooley in Palo Alto, California advising clients with respect to private equity/venture capital and mergers and acquisitions.

 

Shahram is also a registered professional engineer and he has previously worked as a design engineer, a hydroelectric dam manager and a construction engineer. He also worked for a global oil & gas company, supervising the pressure testing of gas wells.

Bashir Ahmed

Bashir is the managing partner of Afridi & Angell. He joined the firm in 1988 and became a partner in 1993. He advises clients on cross-border acquisitions and divestments, general corporate and commercial, private equity, banking, licensing and maritime matters.

 

Bashir has extensive experience in domestic and cross-border acquisitions where he advises buyers and sellers on the due diligence process, the deal structuring, and drafting of agreements in connections with acquiring and divesting of share interest in the UAE. He also advises international and domestic banks on a wide range of matters including loan and credit facilities, syndications and regulatory matters. He was seconded to the regional office of an international bank for a period of 18 months, and acted as counsel for the Middle East and South Asia operations.

 

Bashir has also advised on a number of mining, refinery and smelter projects as well as infrastructure projects. His maritime practice involves advising ship owners and P&I Clubs, dry docks and a number of ship repair companies on shipbuilding contracts, arrest of vessels, cargo claims, as well as advising on disputes. He represents a number of banks on ship financing transactions.