Bader El-Jeaan is a Partner at and Co-Founder of Meysan.
Bader has extensive experience advising corporate, investment banking and sovereign clients in complicated cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international joint ventures and strategic alliances, and project development and finance transactions, as well as various capital markets transactions involving registered and unregistered securities offerings, exchange offerings, consent solicitations, and asset securitizations.
In 2018, Bader was recognized by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) as Managing Partner of the Year at its Middle East Awards, noting that, under his leadership, “Meysan has entrenched itself at the top of the Kuwaiti market,” and that “New law firms seldom make this sort of splash in any of the Middle East markets, and Meysan stands as an example that it can be done.”
Bader previously served on the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Investment Authority (Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund), Boursa Kuwait (Kuwait’s stock exchange), Maqasa Kuwait (Kuwait’s securities clearing house), Gulf Bank KSC (Kuwait’s second largest conventional bank), National Real Estate Company (Kuwait’s largest real estate company), Alamar Foods (the regional franchisee of Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s) and General Lighting Company. He is also a Trustee of the Northfield Mount Hermon School, and was also the founder and inaugural President of the Harvard Club of Kuwait.
Advised Agility Logistics as its regular designated counsel and also in connection with:
The $4.1 billion Sale of Its Global Integrated Logistics Business To DSV Panalpina;
The $4.5 billion global reorganization and listing of Agility Global on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange;
The acquisitions of Geologistics, Transoceanic, and Translink
Its Respective Joint Ventures In Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, The United Arab Emirates, Yugoslavia, Oman And Saudi Arabia, and.
Advised National Aviation Services in connection with its $924 million acquisition of UK-listed Menzies Aviation by means of a strategic toehold, followed by a tender offer;
Advised Zain Group in connection with the $846 million sale of its entire block Of treasury shares, representing 9.84% of Zain’s fully paid and issued share capital, to Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel).
Advised Tristar Transport LLC on its acquisition of Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Ship Investment Company, also Known As “Eships”, from Egon Oldendorff GmbH & Co. KG, a company of The Oldendorff Group.
Represented The shareholders of Abyat Megastore in the sale of a 35% strategic interest in Abyat Megastores to Saudi Arabian-regional conglomerate, Al Muhaidib Group.
Advised The Carlyle Group in:
Its acquisition and subsequent disposal to Philips Lighting of a significant minority equity interest in General Lighting Company, the largest light fixtures manufacturing company in the Middle East.
Its acquisition of Alamar Foods, the master franchisee of Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s in the Middle East.
The acquisition of Al Nabil Food Products.
Advised Mubadala in (i) negotiating and drafting the Development and Production Sharing Agreement and the Joint Venture Agreement relating to Project Dolphin, the landmark project to develop a tract of Qatar’s giant North Field and produce up to 2 billion cubic feet of gas per day for export to the United Arab Emirates, (ii) negotiating the purchase from Enron Corporation of a 24.5% strategic equity interest in Project Dolphin and Dolphin Energy Limited, and the subsequent $340 million sale of such interest to Occidental Petroleum Corporation.
Advised Abu Dhabi National Oil Company in (i) its auction sale of a 28% strategic undivided interest in the Upper Zakum Field, one of the largest offshore oilfields in the world, and (ii) the merger of Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Limited and Abu Dhabi Gas Company.
Advised The Government of Kazakhstan in connection with the administration of the production sharing arrangements in respect of the Karachaganak Field and the Kashagan Field.
Advised National Drilling Company in its joint cooperation arrangements with Noble Drilling Corporation.
Advised International Petroleum Investment Company in the $450 million restructuring of Hyundai Oil Refining Company.
Advised National Bank of Kuwait as lead arranger in the $475 million Sulaibiya Wastewater Project in Kuwait, the first BOT in the State of Kuwait (Winner of Project Finance Magazine’s Middle East Water Deal of the Year for 2002).
National Waste Management Company and Boubyan Petrochemicals Company as sponsors of the $120 million Amghara Solid Waste Treatment Project in Kuwait.
Advised Agility Logistics in all its litigation related to its investment in Korek Telecom, including:
the first-ever bilateral investment treaty claim against Iraq under the auspices of ICSID, the successful annulment of the initial award dismissing Agility’s claims, and the subsequent re-filing of claims before a new ICSID tribunal; and
securing a $1.7 billion ICC arbitral award against Korek Telecom and its controlling shareholders for multiple breaches of a shareholders agreement.
“Bader El-Jeaan enjoys an enviable reputation, especially when it comes to large-scale M&A mandates. One interviewee described him as “one of the most knowledgeable lawyers I know.” Another praised the way in which “he can think steps ahead,” elaborating: “He thinks cross-jurisdictionally and is able to develop strategies no one else thinks of.” In addition to M&A, he has further experience advising on joint ventures and capital markets issuances.” Chambers (2022)
“Bader offers a high quality of legal advice, savvy and rigour.” Chambers (2020)
“Bader is a brilliant lawyer who always handles our legal matters in the same manner of professionalism, dedication and passion. He is considered a top lawyer in Kuwait.” Chambers (2020)
“He’s very strong on legal documentation.” Chambers (2020)
He is praised for being “tireless, creative and phenomenally well connected in Kuwait, with other sources elaborating: “He is exceptionally good at moving matters forward.” Chambers (2019)
“El-Jeaan remains highly respected among sources, who regard him as “a tough lawyer and tough negotiator.”
One commentator added: “He’s the sort of guy you want on your side.”
“Exceptionally well connected, depth of experience across multiple sectors, cross-cultural skill as combines US/NYC mentality with local Gulf understanding, creative thinker, intensely driven.” IFLR (2022)
“Sophisticated and very aggressive. He is a corporate lawyer but often leads disputes. He is a tactician.” IFLR (2022)
“He is a very respected name in Kuwait. He is the sought-after lawyer and go-to guy when we want to pull off a particularly complex transaction. He is the one always leading the charge. He can see the big picture of a transaction and knows how to stay firm to bring us the best possible outcome. ” IFLR (2018)
Managing partner of the Year, IFLR (2018)
The client describes partner Bader El Jeaan as “one of the smartest people I have ever worked with, not only in his legal knowledge but also business knowledge and acumen”. IFLR (2017)
“An expert in M&A negotiation. One of the best lawyers i have worked with. Strong technically and is able to do the best work for his client. Very strong reputation in Kuwait.”
On September 9, 2024, Meysan secured a USD 1.3 billion Final Award for Iraq Telecom, a subsidiary of Agility Logistics, in ICC Arbitration proceedings against Korek Telecom, a major Iraqi telecommunications company. The dispute related to Korek’s guarantee of the obligations of its DIFC-registered holding company International Holdings Limited (IH)… Read more
On 29 August 2024, the DIFC Court handed down its decision rejecting an application by the award debtor to set aside a USD 1.6 billion ICC award. The application raised novel issues regarding the existence and scope of the act of state doctrine in DIFC law and the Court’s decision… Read more
Abu Dhabi — A team of lawyers from international law firm Meysan recently acted as legal advisor to Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP (“Agility”) on the successful direct listing on the main market of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) of shares in subsidiary, Agility Global PLC (“Agility Global”). Agility Global is a… Read more
In a major Victory for Agility, this Action is a Bellwether of Whether there is a True Rule of Law for Those Who Invest in Iraq Three years ago, an international arbitration tribunal constituted under the auspices of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) denied claims… Read more
Meysan Secures $490 million Judgment in favor of Agility against Kurdistan Kuwait – January 31, 2024. In a landmark ruling, the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation rejected an appeal lodged by the Kurdistan Regional Government against a ruling of Kuwait’s Court of Appeal in favor of Alcazar Capital, a subsidiary of… Read more
The Cairo office of Meysan successfully represented professional squash player, Moustafa El Sirty, resulting in his return to the courts with immediate effect after the International Testing Agency (ITA) had sought to impose a two-year suspension. In January of 2023, the ITA informed El Sirty that he had triggered an… Read more
Following an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for a prohibited substance commonly found in cough medicine, the International Testing Agency (ITA) – the entity that prosecutes doping cases for various sports federations – called for the imposition of a two-year suspension on the athlete pursuant to the WSF Anti-Doping Rules. Through… Read more