Naila Ramsay
Partner
Phone
Egyptian Phone
+20 106443 5501
Fax
(+202) 2322 5401
Languages
English, French, Italian, Arabic
Naila is a partner with Sharkawy & Sarhan and she spends her time between Cairo and London in order to extend the reach of the firm more internationally and to provide clients with a regular presence in the UK and Europe.
She grew up in Cairo and London where she qualified as a solicitor, trained and remained with Linklaters for nine years. Her strong ties and deep connection with both Egypt and the UK continue as does her understanding of these very different cultural and business landscapes.
Naila has over 20 years’ of experience in advising on cross-border project finance and infrastructure transactions in multiple sectors in the EMEA region.
She is result oriented, multilingual, and multicultural, solution driven with experience in origination, asset creation and execution as legal adviser, investor, and developer. Having spent several years as a project finance Lawyer predominantly with Linklaters in London and Paris, she has been involved in a range of projects advising sponsors, lenders, and Governments. From the law she transitioned successfully as senior commercial lead to an investment bank, Babcock & Brown, in UK PFI and Public Private Partnerships more generally.
This role involved bidding, managing, and closing large social infrastructure projects with complicated contractual structures and interface issues. It included bidding for the early phase of the PPP pipeline in Egypt both with Babcock & Brown and with the Hassan Allam Holdings group.
This position included interacting on a regular basis with the PPP Unit, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Finance, and building a strong relationship with the team. These varied but complimentary roles have provided Naila with a unique insight into the commercial and contractual challenges inherent to these types of transactions, especially in the UK, France and Egypt. Naila advises mainly in Infrastructure and concession-based transactions.
At Sharkawy & Sarhan, she is responsible for cross-border business development, strategic client relationship management and development, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DI&E).
She is regularly asked by top international law firms and business forums to contribute to panels with a focus on law firm management (in particular talent retention and DI&E) and the business landscape in Egypt (including the green transition).
Recent experience includes work in the desalination, renewables and port sectors in addition to the budding green hydrogen pipeline.
Related Sectors
Related Practice Areas
Representative Experience
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the financing to be granted to October Dry Port Company, a special purpose vehicle established for the development and construction of the 6th of October Dry Port project, the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) project in this sector, to be operated under a BOT scheme. The project was awarded to the consortium between El Sewedy Electric, SLP for Logistic Properties and Schenker Egypt.
Qatar Energy Company (QP) on Egyptian law matters concerning acquiring stakes in several Egyptian oil and gas upstream assets. Our work included conducting a thorough due diligence report on the Egyptian oil and gas regime and related issues including market entry and regulatory approvals issues, as well as revising transaction documents from an Egyptian law perspective. Our work was in relation to QPs acquisition of a 40% stake in North Maraca marine area in the Mediterranean from ExxonMobil and a 17% stake in Red Sea exploration Block 3 and 17% in Block 4 from Shell-operated oil and gas exploration blocks in the Red Sea.
A syndication of financial institutions including EBRD on the provision of senior secured loans in an aggregate amount up to approximately USD 400 million to Egypt Green Hydrogen S.A.E. for the construction, equipping and operation of: (i) a 100MW pressurised alkaline electrolyser facility in Ain Sokhna, Egypt; (ii) a 70MWp solar energy generation facility in Benban, Egypt; and (iii) a 202.5 MWac wind energy generation facility in Ras Gharib, Egypt. This innovative transaction involves the financing of Egypt’s first green hydrogen facility in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the first fully integrated green hydrogen plant in Africa, and involves prominent Sponsors including Fertiglobe, Scatec ASA, and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the financing of a 200 MW solar power plant on a Build, Own, Operate (BOO) scheme located in Kom Ombo Aswan and developed by Acwa Power.
The General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) – EBRD (advisory lead) on the Egyptian law aspects of the Seawater Desalination Plant PPP project and its procurement stages. Her scope of work includes advising the Client on the implementation of the Project including (i) legal due diligence and identification of any constrains regarding the institutional, legal and regulatory framework pertaining to private sector participation in the water desalination sector in Egypt; (ii) preparation of qualification and tender documents; (iii) drafting of the project agreement and other transaction documents.
EBRD, PPPC and GALDP on the pre-qualification phase of the 10th of Ramadan dry port project. The scope of work includes (i) assessing compliance of bidders with the concession legal requirements; (ii) assistance with transaction structuring; (iii) developing a concession agreement and heads of terms that enhances the documentation relied upon in the precedent 6th of October project; and (v) generally advising on all legal aspects relating to the tendering and award process.
Executive transactor for the equity sponsor who achieved preferred bidder status in connection with the 345 new public schools PPP project tendered by the General Authority for Educational Buildings in Egypt.
A syndication of financial institutions including IFC, EBRD, Proparco, AIIB, and DEG on the financing of a second container terminal in the Damietta Port of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Advising the commercial lenders in connection with the USD650mn project financing of one of the longest fully suspended bridges in the world located in Greece.
Advising the commercial lenders in connection with the USD650mn project financing of one of the longest fully suspended bridges in the world located in Greece.
Advising the commercial lenders in connection with the USD650mn project financing of one of the longest fully suspended bridges in the world located in Greece.
Advising the Office for Passenger Rail Franchising in the UK on a variety of rolling stock related issues.
Education and Memberships
- Joint MA (Honours) Politics/International Relations/ French – Aberdeen University Scotland.
- Common Professional Examination and Law Society Finals – College of Law Guilford.
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Admitted as a solicitor of the Courts of England and Wales in 1996.
Naila Ramsay
Partner
Egyptian Number: +20 106443 5501
Phone: +44 7342 882 466
Fax: (+202) 2322 5401
Languages: English, French, Italian, Arabic.
Related Practice Areas: Banking & Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions
Naila is a partner with Sharkawy & Sarhan and she spends her time between Cairo and London in order to extend the reach of the firm more internationally and to provide clients with a regular presence in the UK and Europe.
She grew up in Cairo and London where she qualified as a solicitor, trained and remained with Linklaters for nine years. Her strong ties and deep connection with both Egypt and the UK continue as does her understanding of these very different cultural and business landscapes.
Naila has over 20 years’ of experience in advising on cross-border project finance and infrastructure transactions in multiple sectors in the EMEA region.
She is result oriented, multilingual, and multicultural, solution driven with experience in origination, asset creation and execution as legal adviser, investor, and developer. Having spent several years as a project finance Lawyer predominantly with Linklaters in London and Paris, she has been involved in a range of projects advising sponsors, lenders, and Governments. From the law she transitioned successfully as senior commercial lead to an investment bank, Babcock & Brown, in UK PFI and Public Private Partnerships more generally.
This role involved bidding, managing, and closing large social infrastructure projects with complicated contractual structures and interface issues. It included bidding for the early phase of the PPP pipeline in Egypt both with Babcock & Brown and with the Hassan Allam Holdings group.
This position included interacting on a regular basis with the PPP Unit, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Finance, and building a strong relationship with the team. These varied but complimentary roles have provided Naila with a unique insight into the commercial and contractual challenges inherent to these types of transactions, especially in the UK, France and Egypt. Naila advises mainly in Infrastructure and concession-based transactions.
At Sharkawy & Sarhan, she is responsible for cross-border business development, strategic client relationship management and development, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DI&E).
She is regularly asked by top international law firms and business chambers to take part on panels with a focus on law firm management (in particular talent retention and DI&E) and the business landscape in Egypt (including the green transition).
She is regularly asked by top international law firms and business forums to contribute to panels with a focus on law firm management (in particular talent retention and DI&E) and the business landscape in Egypt (including the green transition).
Recent experience includes work in the desalination, renewables and port sectors in addition to the budding green hydrogen pipeline.
Recent experience includes work in the desalination, renewables and port sectors in addition to the budding green hydrogen pipeline.
Representative Experience
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the financing to be granted to October Dry Port Company, a special purpose vehicle established for the development and construction of the 6th of October Dry Port project, the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) project in this sector, to be operated under a BOT scheme. The project was awarded to the consortium between El Sewedy Electric, SLP for Logistic Properties and Schenker Egypt.
EBRD, PPPCU and GALDP on the pre-qualification phase of the 10th of Ramadan dry port project. The scope of work includes (i) assessing compliance of bidders with the concession legal requirements; (ii) assistance with transaction structuring; (iii) developing a concession agreement and heads of terms that enhances the documentation relied upon in the precedent 6th of October project; and (v) generally advising on all legal aspects relating to the tendering and award process.
Qatar Energy Company (QP) on Egyptian law matters concerning acquiring stakes in several Egyptian oil and gas upstream assets. Her scope of work includes conducting a thorough due diligence report on the Egyptian oil and gas regime and related issues including market entry and regulatory approvals issues, as well as revising transaction documents from an Egyptian law perspective. Our work was in relation to QPs acquisition of a 40% stake in North Maraca marine area in the Mediterranean from ExxonMobil and a 17% stake in Red Sea exploration Block 3 and 17% in Block 4 from Shell-operated oil and gas exploration blocks in the Red Sea.
EBRD, The OPEC Fund and AfDB on the financing of a 200 MW solar power plant on a Build, Own, Operate (BOO) scheme located in Kom Ombo Aswan and developed by Acwa Power.
The General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) – EBRD (advisory lead) on the Egyptian law aspects of the Seawater Desalination Plant PPP project and its procurement stages. Her scope of work includes advising the Client on the implementation of the Project including (i) legal due diligence and identification of any constrains regarding the institutional, legal and regulatory framework pertaining to private sector participation in the water desalination sector in Egypt; (ii) preparation of qualification and tender documents; (iii) drafting of the project agreement and other transaction documents.
A syndication of financial institutions including IFC, EBRD, Proparco, AIIB, and DEG on the financing of a second container terminal in the Damietta Port of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Executive transactor for an investor and contractor in connection with its bid for a 3×750 MW gas fired combined cycle power complex in Egypt.
Advising the commercial lenders in connection with the $650 million project financing of one of the longest fully suspended bridges in the world located in Greece.
Executive transactor for the equity sponsor who achieved preferred bidder status in connection with the 345 new public schools PPP project tendered by the General Authority for Educational Buildings in Egypt.
Executive transactor for an investor and contractor in connection with its bid for the Abu Rawash waste water treatment plant in Egypt.
Advising the Office for Passenger Rail Franchising in the UK on a variety of rolling stock related issues.
Education and Memberships
- Joint MA (Honours) Politics/International Relations/ French – Aberdeen University Scotland.
- Common Professional Examination and Law Society Finals – College of Law Guilford.
- Admitted as a solicitor of the Courts of England and Wales in 1996.
Insights
Insights
“She is very professional, competent and attentive, great at relationship-building, with extensive market knowledge and an impressive focus on diversity.”