Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance received five awards at the IFLR Middle East Awards 2020. Hosted remotely for the first time, Clifford Chance was awarded M&A Team of the Year, M&A Deal of the Year, Domestic Deal of the Year, Equity Deal of the Year and Project Finance Deal of the Year.

• M&A Team of Year: the M&A team in the Middle East has continued to advise on the region's most strategic and high value deals, including advising Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) on the sale of its 70% shareholding in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) (the largest ever Middle East deal) and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA) on its transaction with Abu Dhabi Power Corporation (ADPower) (the largest UAE deal in 2020 to date). Clifford Chance recently advised on a number of other highly complex and innovative deals for the region's most active sovereign investors and corporates as well as on inbound investments by private equity firms and multinationals. 
• M&A Deal of the Year: Clifford Chance and AS&H in cooperation with Clifford Chance advised Careem in connection with their acquisition by Uber.
• Domestic Deal of the Year: Clifford Chance and AS&H in cooperation with Clifford Chance advised PIF on the sale of its shareholding in SABIC, for a purchase price of US$69.1 billion. 
• Equity Deal of the Year: Clifford Chance and AS&H in cooperation with Clifford Chance advised NCB Capital in connection with Saudi Aramco's IPO.
• Project Finance Deal of the Year: the firm's role advising on the Taweelah Reverse Osmosis (RO) IWP, the largest RO desalination plant in the world.

Clifford Chance was also shortlisted for 18 other awards including International Law Firm of the Year.

Mohammed Al-Shukairy, Regional Managing Partner for Clifford Chance in the Middle East, commented: ''We usually attend this event in person and enjoy seeing clients and peers. This year was very different of course, but it is nevertheless good to see the firm recognised through a number of awards.

This reflects the continued strength and breadth of our regional practice. It also reflects the firm's commitment to the Middle East as well as our clients' faith in Clifford Chance to manage their most complex mandates, through this period of heightened economic uncertainty and market challenges.

Our lawyers' unwavering dedication to clients, versatility and tenacity at this time is very much at the heart of this recognition and our ability to continue to do what we do."

Many congratulations to all involved.