IFLR, in collaboration with ITR, is pleased to announce the shortlist for the 2026 Middle East Awards.
The nominees recognise standout advisory work across the region’s financial, corporate and tax markets, with winners to be revealed on October 8 at the Address Sky View Hotel in Dubai.
This year’s programme brings together IFLR’s deal, team, firm, in-house and individual categories with 50 dedicated ITR World Tax categories, reflecting the breadth of tax advisory work across the region.
The collaboration also underlines the role of tax structuring in major regional mandates, particularly as transactions become more complex and cross-border.
The law firms listed on each deal are based on preliminary research. If your firm advised on one of the deals but is not listed, please contact Deborah Olaniyi.
To book your place at the awards ceremony, or to find out more about commercial opportunities, please contact Hayley Charlick.
IFLR and ITR extend their congratulations to all shortlisted nominees.
Deals of the Year
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CapitalMed sustainability-linked Sharia compliant Musharaka sukukZulficar & PartnersCenomi Centers Sukuk refinancingA&O Shearman
Clifford Chance
White & Case
In-house: Arabian Centres CompanyDoha Bank Digitally Native NotesClifford Chance
Eversheds & Sutherland
In-house: Standard Chartered BankKuwait Finance House AT1 Mudaraba SukukASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Clifford Chance
International Counsel BureauDP World blue bondLatham & Watkins
Linklaters
In-house: HSBCSTC dual-tranche sukukA&O Shearman
Linklaters
Maples Group
In-house: Saudi Telecom CompanyTamara BNPL Warehouse SecuritisationLinklaters
White & Case
In-house: Goldman Sachs, HSBCThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Sukuk issuanceA&O Shearman
Linklaters
Maples Group
Walkers
In-house: HSBC -
Flooss Asset-Backed FinancingASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Latham & WatkinsGulf Navigation / Brooge PetroleumBaker McKenzie
Freshfields
Hadef & Partners
Ibrahim N Partners
Pinsent MasonsMedgulf - Buruj Cooperative mergerAS&H Clifford Chance
Baker McKenzie
Khoshaim & Associates
In-house: HSBCOman Air / SalamAirAl Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Bird & BirdSalama Capital RestructuringAl Tamimi & CompanySaudi Real Estate Refinance Company RMBS SukukA&O Shearman
White & Case
In-house: HSBC, Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC)Tamweel Mortgage Finance mortgage-backed Mudarabah SukukDreny & Partners -
ALEC Holdings IPOGibson Dunn & Crutcher
Ibrahim N Partners
LinklatersEmirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) secondary offeringAl Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
Linklaters
White & Case
In-house: Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Goldman SachsOman India Fertiliser Company (OMIFCO) IPOA&O Shearman
Linklaters
MAQ LegalOoredoo - ADIA secondary offeringA&O Shearman
Linklaters
Sharq Law Firm
In-house: HSBCOrascom Construction Re-domiciliation and Listing MigrationA&O Shearman
White & CasePetro Rabigh Class B Share IssuanceFreshfields
Khoshaim & Associates
White & Case
In-house: Petro Rabigh, Saudi AramcoSagasse Investment Company Direct ListingWhite & Case -
Aramex debt refinancingA&L Goodbody
Al Tamimi & Company
Bell Gully
Cravath Swaine & Moore
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Loyens & LoeffJanus Henderson MENA Private Credit Fund - KIMSHEALTH Group financingAl Tamimi & Company
Freshfields
Stephenson Harwood
WalkersQatar Islamic Bank syndicated Murabaha financingNorton Rose Fulbright
White & CaseSilkhaus Venture Debt FinancingAddleshaw Goddard
Latham & Watkins
Taylor WessingUnited Energy Group Acquisition FinancingDentons
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Latham & Watkins
Mayer BrownZain KSA syndicated murabaha facilityAS&H Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance
Khoshaim & Associates
In-house: Zain -
ACWA Power / Engie Kuwait and Bahrain O&M companiesA&O Shearman
Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Al Tamimi & Company
ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Dentons
GLA & Company
King & Spalding
NautaDulith
Sharkawy & Sarhan
Zu'bi & Partners Attorneys & Legal ConsultantsBorouge Group FormationFreshfields
Gibson Dunn & CrutcherCVC Strategic Opportunities / International Schools Partnership investmentFreshfields
Latham & Watkins
Travers Smith
Weil Gotshal & Manges
White & CaseGlobalFoundries / InfiniLinkCleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Matouk Bassiouny & HennawyJahez International Company / Snoonu CorporationAl Tamimi & Company
Kirkland & EllisJBS / Al Bashayer Meat Company and A'Namaa PoultryDe Brauw Blackstone Westbroek
Houthoff
MAQ LegalPositive Zero / TotalEnergies DG Solar Business (UAE & Oman)Addleshaw Goddard
Norton Rose Fulbright
In-house: TotalEnergiesTitan / Damas JewelleryAl Tamimi & Company
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance -
ACWA Power / Badeel / SAPCO 15GW renewable portfolio, Saudi ArabiaA&O Shearman
Covington
Gibson Dunn & Cructher
Latham & Watkins
White & Case
In-house: ACWA Power, Public Investment Fund, Saudi AramcoAl Masa’a and Al Henakiyah 2 Solar IPPsA&O Shearman
CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang
Covington
Dentons
In-house: EDFAlamein for Silicon Products Facility AgreementSarie Eldin & Partners Legal Advisors
Baker Mckenzie Helmy Hamza & PartnersAmlak Finance RestructuringA&O ShearmanJubail–Buraidah Independent Water Transmission PipelineDLA Piper
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Pinsent MasonsKhazna Solar PV IPPA&O Shearman
Al Tamimi & Company
Ashurst Perkins Coie
DLA Piper
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
In-house: ENGIESAFFly Egypt sustainable aviation fuel plantClifford Chance
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
White & Case -
Amlak Finance RestructuringClifford Chance
Maples GroupMoon Iron and Steel Company (MISCO)Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Teams of the Year
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A&O Shearman
Clifford Chance
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Ibrahim N Partners
Linklaters
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Al Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
Simmons & Simmons -
A&O Shearman
Akin Gump
Clifford Chance
Dentons
Pinsent Masons
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Al Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
Freshfields
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Khoshaim & Associates
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Al Tamimi & Company
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
Clifford Chance
Freshfields
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
King & Spalding
Latham & Watkins -
Al Tamimi & Company
Baker McKenzie
Clifford Chance
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
King & Spalding
White & Case -
Al Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang
Covington
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Pinsent Masons
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Al Tamimi & Company
Clifford Chance
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Greenberg Traurig Khalid Al-Thebity Law Firm [OR JUST GREENBERG TRAURIG REGIONAL?]
Pinsent Masons -
Al Tamimi & Company
ALSHAREEF & PARTNERS
Clifford Chance
Ibrahim N Partners
King & Spalding
Pinsent Masons
White & Case -
A&O Shearman
Addleshaw Goddard
Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Clifford Chance
DLA Piper
Freshfields
White & Case
In-house teams of the Year
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Abu Dhabi Investment Authority / ADIA
Cerberus Capital Management
Janus Henderson MENA Private Credit Fund
Kuwait Investment Authority
Public Investment Fund
The Arab Energy Fund
Mubadala -
Al Rajhi Bank
Dubai Islamic Bank
Kuwait Finance House
Qatar Islamic Bank -
Al-Futtaim
DHL
Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company
Health Holding Company
Marubeni
Ooredoo
Saudi Telecom Company -
Abu Dhabi National Energy Company
ACWA Power
Aljomaih Energy & Water Company
EDF
ENGIE
Masdar
Positive Zero
Saudi Aramco -
Saudi Aramco
Citigroup
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
JP Morgan
Natixis CIB
Standard Chartered Bank -
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Bank Muscat
Emirates NBD
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Mashreqbank
Saudi EXIM Bank -
DHL
Doha Bank
Khazna Data Center Holdings
Etihad Etisalat (Mobily)
HSBC
Saudi EXIM Bank
Qatar National Bank
Standard Chartered Bank -
Aditya Gaur Aljomaih, Energy & Water Company
James Barnard, Citigroup
Jenny Grainger, Emirates NBD
Mohammed A. Alzogaibi, Etihad Etisalat (Mobily)
David Johnson, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Suzanne Cripps, ACWA Power
Fawaz Alawadhi, Alghanim Industries
Fawaz Munawer Al-Enezi, Kuwait Finance House
Specialist Awards
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A&O Shearman
Clifford Chance
Freshfields
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer
Latham & Watkins
Linklaters
White & Case -
Dentons
Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm
Al Tamimi & Company
Greenberg Traurig
King & Spalding
Latham & Watkins
MAQ Legal
White & Case -
Al Tamimi & Company
Badri & Salim El Meouchi
Bijjani Advocates
Greenberg Traurig
PwC -
Al Tamimi & Company
Deloitte
PwC
Simmons & Simmons
Trowers & Hamlins -
AX Law
Gibson Dunn & Cructher
Kirkland & Ellis
PGP Tax & Legal
Pinsent Masons
Individual Awards
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Jane Livingston, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Sami Alrasheedi, ACWA Power
Fadi Hammadeh, Al-Futtaim
Brian Gillespie, Public Investment Fund
Inez Handzlik, Marubeni
Alissa King, Positive Zero
Mathad Faisal Alajmi, Saudi Telecom Company -
David Foster, A&O Shearman
Robin Hickman, Addleshaw Goddard
Mohammed Al-Shukairy, Clifford Chance
Nabil A Issa, King & Spalding -
Mansoor J Malik, Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Jody Waugh, Al Tamimi & Company
Karim Fawaz, AX Law
Charbel Maakaron, Crowell & Moring
Salman Al-Sudairi, Latham & Watkins
Asad Qayyum, MAQ Legal
Bader El-Jeaan, Meysan
Rindala Beydoun, Tribonian Law Advisors -
Shayan Najib, Bracewell
Will Knapp, A&O Shearman
Patrick Yeo, Dentons
Mackenzie Alpert, Gibson Dunn & Cructher
Krishen Patel, Greenberg Traurig
Mesheel Alyahya, King & Spalding
Mustafa Darwich, Latham & Watkins
Albert Kromm, Pinsent Masons
Eren Ayanlar, White & Case -
Aurangzeb Maqsood, Al Tamimi & Company
Nour Al Jafari, Ibrahim N Partners
Ghaida Meiaigel, Khoshaim & Associates
Rida Bhatti, MAQ Legal
Iman Nassar Matouk, Bassiouny & Hennawy
Perla El Mardini, Sharq Law Firm
James Kay, Trowers & Hamlins -
Abeer Jarrar, Al Tamimi & Company
Catherine Workman, Pinsent Masons
Claire Matheson Kirton, White & Case
Ingy Badawy, Zulficar & Partners
Jodi Norman, A&O Shearman
Leen Zaza, Latham & Watkins
Lynn Amar, Clifford Chance
Sonia Abdul-Rahman, White & Case
National Law Firms of the Year
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Al Tamimi & Company
ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Freshfields
Hassan Radhi & Associates
Trowers & Hamlins
Zu'bi & Partners Attorneys & Legal Consultants -
ADSERO – Ragy Soliman and Partners
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
MHR & Partners in association with White & Case
Sharkawy & Sarhan
Zulficar & Partners -
Mena Associates
Al Tamimi & Company
Confluent Law Group
Sanad Law Group in association with Eversheds Sutherland
Salt & Associates Law Firm -
Arabiat and Partners Lawyers
Osama Sukkari & Associates
Al Tamimi & Company
Ali Sharif Zu’bi Advocates & Legal Consultants
Khalifeh & Partners -
Al Tamimi & Company – in association with Omar Khaled Al Qahtani
ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
GLA & Company
International Counsel Bureau
Meysan -
Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm
Baroudi & Associates
Bijjani Advocates
El-Aref International Law Office
Eptalex - Aziz Torbey Law Firm
HNS Legal
Meysan -
Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Al Tamimi & Company
Dentons
MAQ Legal
Nasser Al Habsi & Saif Al Mamari in association with Addleshaw Goddard
Said Al Shahry and Partners (SASLO)
Trowers & Hamlins -
Eversheds & Sutherland
Al Tamimi & Company in association with Advocate Mohammed Al-Marri
Clyde & Co
Sharq Law Firm
White & Case -
AS&H Clifford Chance
Baker McKenzie
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
Khoshaim & Associates
Latham & Watkins
Pinsent Masons
White & Case -
Al Tamimi & Company
Hadef & Partners
Ibrahim N Partners -
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
A&O Shearman
Addleshaw Goddard
Clifford Chance
Freshfields
Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
White & Case
Lawyer of the Year
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Rad El Treki, Al Tamimi & Company
David Walker, ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Harnek Shoker, Freshfields
Fatima Al Ali, Hassan Radhi & Associates
Brian Howard, Trowers & Hamlins
Hatim Zu’bi, Zu'bi & Partners Attorneys & Legal Consultants -
Hossam Gramon, ADSERO – Ragy Soliman and Partners
Motaz El Dreny, Dreny & Partners
Mahmoud S. Bassiouny, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy
Amira Sherif, Sarie Eldin & Partners Legal Advisors
Ziad Gadalla, White & Case -
Mohammed Norri, Al Tamimi & Company
Tom Nolda, Confluent Law Group
Mohammed Koperly, Salt & Associates Law Firm -
Abdulrahman Arabiat, Arabiat and Partners Lawyers
Anwar Sukkari Osama, Sukkari & Associates
Basel Al-Hadidi ,Ali Sharif Zu’bi Advocates & Legal Consultants
Ala’ Khalifeh, Khalifeh & Partners -
Omar Handoush, Al Tamimi & Company – in association with Omar Khaled Al Qahtani
Luis Cunha, ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners
Alex Saleh, GLA & Company
Aisha Alnesef, International Counsel Bureau
Tarek Yehya, Meysan -
Carlos Abou Jaoude, Abou Jaoude & Associates Law Firm
Jean Baroudi, Baroudi & Associates
Talal Bijjani, Bijjani Advocates
Aref El-Aref, El-Aref International Law Office
Ramy Torbey, Eptalex - Aziz Torbey Law Firm
Jad Skaff, HNS Legal
Salwa Abdallah, Meysan -
Mansoor J Malik, Al Busaidy Mansoor Jamal & Co
Ahmed Al Barwani, Al Tamimi & Company
Jamie Gibson, Dentons
Asad Qayyum, MAQ Legal
Oliver Stevens, Nasser Al Habsi & Saif Al Mamari in association with Addleshaw Goddard
Jeremy Pooley, Said Al Shahry and Partners (SASLO)
Salman Ahmed, Trowers & Hamlins -
Matthew Heaton, Al Tamimi & Company
Elias Matni, Clyde & Co
Simon Chan, K&L Gates
Marwa Bamatraf, Sharq Law Firm
Rashid Al Saad, Sharq Law Firm
Charbel Abou, Charaf White & Case -
Aurangzeb Maqsood, Al Tamimi & Company
Mansoor Alhagbani, AS&H Clifford Chance
Karim Nassar, Baker McKenzie
Karim Wali, Khoshaim & Associates
Zeyad Khoshaim, Khoshaim & Associates
Salman Al-Sudairi, Latham & Watkins -
Bilal Ahmad, A&O Shearman
Robin Hickman, Addleshaw Goddard
Nicola Reade,r Clifford Chance
Saad Mian, Freshfields
Debashis Dey, White & Case
Roger Gaspard, White & Case
