Ahmed Haggag has over fifteen years of experience in the banking & finance practice. He started his career as a junior associate with Sharkawy & Sarhan in 2007 and became a partner on 1 January 2015.
He was seconded to Clifford Chance Dubai for a period of six months during 2011. Ahmed’s Banking and Finance practice focuses on project finance, M&A and oil & gas.
Ahmed was also selected by Chambers Global from 2018 to 2023 as a Band 2 leading lawyer for his experience in Projects & Energy sector and Banking & Finance practice and by the IFLR1000 from 2014 to 2023 as a leading/highly regarded lawyer.
With a business mind and pragmatic approach, Ahmed is the trusted legal adviser and regularly acts on market leading complex transactions that often have a cross-border aspect for key DFIs, export credit agencies and commercial banks.
Ahmed is the trusted legal adviser and regularly acts on market leading complex transactions that often have a cross-border aspect for key DFIs, export credit agencies and commercial banks.
More recently, Haggag advised EBRD in respect of Egypt’s first green hydrogen facility in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the first fully integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa. This ground-breaking transaction involved a USD 80 million loan from the EBRD to Egypt Green, which is owned built and operated by Fertiglobe, Scatec ASA, Orascom Construction PLC Construction and The Sovereign Fund of Egypt. This is a testament to our involvement in ground-breaking and innovative transactions in Egypt acting for a key party to the transaction.
Related Sectors
Related Practice Areas
Representative Experience
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the provision of a senior unsecured loan of up to EGP 80 million to Reefy Microfinance Enterprise Services (Reefy), Egypt’s first licensed #microfinance institution. The loan will be provided under the EBRD’s Women in Business program. It will be used to support privately owned micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) that are owned by women, especially in governorates other than Greater Cairo and Alexandria.
Giza systems on all Egyptian law aspects in relation to the Sharia compliant financing granted from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and other participating banks. The purpose of the deal is to finance the borrower’s working capital needs and refinancing the borrower’s existing short-term loans, overdrafts, factoring, and leasing facilities.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) on the financing of Edita including conducting a limited due diligence on Edita and its subsidiaries in Egypt, reviewing a draft of the loan agreement and the guarantee agreements prepared by IFC, advising on local issues, and issuing an opinion confirming that the transaction documents are valid and enforceable in Egypt.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to the EUR15mn Investment Grant Agreement and the EUR16,876mn Grant Agreement (the “Grant Agreements”) granted to the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Ministry of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities, the Holding Company for Water and Kafr El-Sheikh Water Supply and Sanitation Company for technical assistance and investment in infrastructure through the wastewater treatment project in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as lender’s local counsel, in relation to the USD12mn loan for the development of a new hotel in West Cairo, serving the Grand Egyptian Museum and Great Giza Pyramids. The loan is to Al Dau Al Haram for Hotels Operations SAE, a company established in Egypt to develop and operate the Hyatt Regency hotel within the Pyramids Heights Business Park in West Cairo. The company is part of the Al Dau Development group of companies active in the hospitality sector in Egypt and the UK.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to a session secured loan of up GBP2.3mn granted to El Roda Company for Agricultural Development S.A.E.
Banque Misr on matters of Egypt law in relation to the Revolving Credit agreement and issuing bank agreement concluded with EBRD.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as lender’s local counsel, in relation to the USD 10 million loan to TAQA PV for Solar Energy, the renewable energy arm of TAQA Arabia. The loan will finance the construction of a 6 MW solar photovoltaic plant to supply power to the dairy producer, Dina Farms in one. of Egypt’s first private-to-private renewable energy projects.
China Development Bank (CDB) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to the USD8bn term facility granted to NBE.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) in relation to the Egyptian law aspects of the Murabaha facility granted to be provided under the Real Sector Crisis Envelope of the IFC Fast Track COVID-19 Facility to Egyptian Saudi Healthcare Company (the Company) to fund the Company’s capex as well as the growing long-term working capital needs during COVID-19 outbreak (the Project).
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as lender’s local counsel, on all Egyptian law aspects in relation to (a) a tier II loan of up to USD 150 million granted to the Commercial International Bank (Egypt) CIB S.A.E; (b) the regulatory framework applicable to subordinated loans in Egypt and, in particular, the legal and regulatory requirements for Tier 2 capital treatment and the restrictions on lenders’ right under a Tier 2 loan; (c) The validity of a use of proceeds clause in a Tier 2 loan; and (d)The applicable bail in regime of a Tier 2 loan.
China Development Bank (CDB) has completed the issuance of $300 million in credit to the National Bank of Egypt to support 49 key projects focused on SME development and infrastructure construction in Egypt. NBE is the largest State-owned lender in Egypt by assets.
Education and Memberships
- LLB, Cairo University, Faculty of Law, English Section.
Insights
Ahmed Haggag
Partner
Phone: (+202) 2322 5400 Ext. (113)
Fax: (+202) 2322 5401
Languages: Arabic, English
Related Practice Areas: Banking & Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions and Commercial
Ahmed Haggag has over fifteen years of experience in the banking & finance practice. He started his career as a junior associate with Sharkawy & Sarhan in 2007 and became a partner on 1 January 2015.
He was seconded to Clifford Chance Dubai for a period of six months during 2011. Ahmed’s Banking and Finance practice focuses on project finance, M&A and oil & gas.
Ahmed was also selected by Chambers Global from 2018 to 2023 as a Band 2 leading lawyer for his experience in Projects & Energy sector and Banking & Finance practice and by the IFLR1000 from 2014 to 2022 as a leading/highly regarded lawyer. With a business mind and pragmatic approach.
With a business mind and pragmatic approach, Ahmed is the trusted legal adviser and regularly acts on market leading complex transactions that often have a cross-border aspect for key DFIs, export credit agencies and commercial banks.
More recently, Haggag advised EBRD in respect of Egypt’s first green hydrogen facility in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the first fully integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa. This ground-breaking transaction involved a USD 80 million loan from the EBRD to Egypt Green, which is owned built and operated by Fertiglobe, Scatec ASA, Orascom Construction PLC Construction and The Sovereign Fund of Egypt. This is a testament to our involvement in ground-breaking and innovative transactions in Egypt acting for a key party to the transaction.
Representative Experience
Giza systems on all Egyptian law aspects in relation to the Sharia compliant financing granted from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and other participating banks. The purpose of the deal is to finance the borrower’s working capital needs and refinancing the borrower’s existing short-term loans, overdrafts, factoring, and leasing facilities.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as lender’s local counsel, on all Egyptian law aspects in relation to (a) a tier II loan of up to USD 150 million granted to the Commercial International Bank (Egypt) CIB S.A.E; (b) the regulatory framework applicable to subordinated loans in Egypt and, in particular, the legal and regulatory requirements for Tier 2 capital treatment and the restrictions on lenders’ right under a Tier 2 loan; (c) The validity of a use of proceeds clause in a Tier 2 loan; and (d)The applicable bail in regime of a Tier 2 loan.
Advising the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on the financing of Edita including conducting a limited due diligence on Edita and its subsidiaries in Egypt, reviewing a draft of the loan agreement and the guarantee agreements prepared by IFC, advising on local issues, and issuing an opinion confirming that the transaction documents are valid and enforceable in Egypt.
Advising the European Investment Bank (EIB) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to the EUR15mn Investment Grant Agreement and the EUR16,876mn Grant Agreement (the “Grant Agreements”) granted to the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Ministry of Housing Utilities and Urban Communities, the Holding Company for Water and Kafr El-Sheikh Water Supply and Sanitation Company for technical assistance and investment in infrastructure through the wastewater treatment project in Kafr El-Sheikh governorate.
Advising the International Financial Corporation (IFC) on its potential subscription in Egypt’s first regulated green bonds’ issuance by the Commercial International Bank (CIB).
Advising the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as lender’s local counsel, in relation to the USD12mn loan for the development of a new hotel in West Cairo, serving the Grand Egyptian Museum and Great Giza Pyramids. The loan is to Al Dau Al Haram for Hotels Operations SAE, a company established in Egypt to develop and operate the Hyatt Regency hotel within the Pyramids Heights Business Park in West Cairo. The company is part of the Al Dau Development group of companies active in the hospitality sector in Egypt and the UK.
Advising Banque Misr on matters of Egypt law in relation to the Revolving Credit agreement and issuing bank agreement concluded with EBRD.
Advising the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to a session secured loan of up GBP2.3mn granted to El Roda Company for Agricultural Development S.A.E.
Advising China Development Bank (CDB) on matters of Egyptian law in relation to the USD800mn term facility granted to NBE.
Advising the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in relation to the Egyptian law aspects of the Murabaha facility granted to be provided under the Real Sector Crisis Envelope of the IFC Fast Track COVID-19 Facility to Egyptian Saudi Healthcare Company (the Company) to fund the Company’s capex as well as the growing long-term working capital needs during COVID-19 outbreak (the Project).
Education and Memberships
- LLB, Cairo University, Faculty of Law, English Section.
Insights
“I have known and worked with Ahmed for many years and he is always great with clients and very commercial and proactive.”
“He is technically competent, professional, commercially minded and always available and cooperative.”
“Switched on and practical.”
“Ahmed is always available, well prepared and able to deal with a variety of legal issues while working to find commercial solutions.”
“Ahmed is engaging and effective and ensures the ultimate client is satisfied.”
“Ahmed Haggag is Excellent; he has done an amazing job with us for the past 2.5 years. Absolutely amazing, very responsive, his advice always makes sense, to the point, no long memos. The advice is always on point. The thing I like most is the consistency in keeping the same standard of work.”
“Local counsels usually tend to hide some information from their clients; however I never found that with Ahmed Haggag, he is also always taking initiative.”
“He is technically competent, professional, commercially minded and always available and cooperative.“
“I have known and worked with Ahmed for many years and he is always great with clients and very commercial and proactive.“
“Switched on and practical.”
“Ahmed is always available, well prepared and able to deal with a variety of legal issues while working to find commercial solutions.”
“Ahmed is engaging effective and ensures the ultimate client is satisfied”
“Ahmed Haggag is Excellent; he has done an amazing job with us for the past 2.5 years. Absolutely amazing, very responsive, his advice always makes sense, to the point, no long memos. The advice is always on point. The thing I like most is the consistency in keeping the same standard of work”
“Local counsels usually tend to hide some information from their clients; however I never found that with Ahmed Haggag, he is also always taking initiative”