Clifford Chance
Robin Abraham's role is to provide legal and regulatory advice to the firm. His responsibilities also extend to global conflict management, professional standards and ethics, partnership matters, insurance arrangements and general risk management. He is a member of the Firm's Executive Leadership Group.
Prior to taking on his current role, Robin was a partner in the Firm's Finance Practice and was based in our Dubai office from 2004 until 2020, where he advised clients on a range of banking related transactions, including restructurings, syndicated lending and project finance. He was Managing Partner for our Middle East offices from 2014-2019.
- Advising Jumeirah Group on a US$1.4 billion syndicated term facility
- Advising the arrangers on the US$880 million refinancing for Atlantis, The Palm in the UAE
- Advising the arrangers on the US$1.4 billion Islamic facilities for the SAMREF Clean Fuels Project in Saudi Arabia
- Advising Jebel Ali Free Zone on a AED4.4 billion Islamic syndicated secured facility.
Syndicated Deal of the Year – Islamic Finance News Awards 2013
Islamic Finance Deal of the Year – ALB The Brief Middle East Awards 2012
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +442070062626
- Email me
- Practice area Global Financial Markets, Islamic finance, Restructuring & insolvency
- Sector Transport & logistics, Energy & resources, Sovereign wealth
Career and qualifications
- University of Newcastle upon Tyne (B.A. (Hons Politics and History) 1991
- Joined Clifford Chance 1995
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 1997
- London office until 2003 (including short secondment to Amsterdam office)
- Dubai office since 2004
- Partner since 2005
Professional bodies
- Law Society of England and Wales
Awards and citations
- Robin Abraham is the managing partner of Clifford Chance's Middle East practice and is one of the most well-known banking and finance lawyers in the UAE. One interviewee stated: "We are lucky to get a lot of work with him." He is best known for his work in projects, Islamic finance and restructuring. He also has an excellent reputation for his activity in Oman. Sources particularly praise his level-headedness, stating that he is "the most unflappable person to handle these multibillion-dollar deals - he keeps a calm demeanour.“
Chambers Global 2019
- Middle East managing partner Robin Abraham advises on project finance, syndicated lending and restructuring matters. Clients enthuse that "he is practical, has a very strong understanding of debt facilities and is not shy of giving a definitive position."
Chambers Global 2016: Banking & Finance – UAE - Robin Abraham has a stellar profile for his knowledge of financial law. He advised the lenders on the Fujairah Oil Terminal expansion and Enagas (Spain) and Marubeni Corporation on its bid for Nogaholdings LNG plant in Bahrain. Impressed sources say: "He is a go-to on the finance side of things - he is excellent." He is based in the firm's Dubai office.
Chambers Global 2016: Projects & Energy – Middle East - At Clifford Chance, practice head Robin Abraham led the team on a number of significant restructurings, including advising Dubai World on the consensual rescheduling of secured credit facilities totalling $14.6bn.
Legal 500 2016: Banking & Finance – UAE