Dr. Ashraf Abou Elkheir is the founder and managing partner of Alliance Law, where he leads the firm's Corporate, M&A, and Competition practice group. With over 25 years of legal experience spanning the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America, he advises on complex mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, capital markets transactions, and competition law matters across multiple jurisdictions. Under his leadership , Alliance Law has established itself as a leading firm in the Egyptian market, earning top-tier recognition.
Abou Elkheir has been instrumental in setting several precedents in the Egyptian market, leading transactions with total value of USD 10 Billion in 15 different industries, part of which was awarded deal of the year in MENA region.
Prior to founding Alliance Law, Abou Elkheir built a distinguished career across public service, private practice, and in-house leadership. He previously served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Middle East and Africa at a global cement multinational, where he led legal strategy across multiple jurisdictions and played a central role in major cross-border transactions. He led the EUR 13 billion Lafarge–Orascom Cement acquisition, the largest single transaction in Egypt’s history, and has consistently acted on some of the most significant and complex deals in the market.
Abou Elkheir serves as Vice Chairman of the French fashion house Balmain S.A. and held board positions at several prominent global corporations. He earned his PhD with highest honors in Competition Law from the University of Montpellier, France, where he was awarded the prestigious Didier Rocher Award for the most outstanding doctoral thesis.
- Advised Philip Morris International on the acquisition of an indirect stake in Eastern Company S.A.E., Egypt’s largest cigarette manufacturer and a publicly listed company. The transaction was awarded “IFLR Middle East Deal of the Year 2025.”
- Capital markets: Equity
- Competition
- M&A
- Private equity
- Restructuring and insolvency
- Automotive
- Construction and materials
- Energy
- Food and beverage
- Healthcare
- Investment management
- Media
- Oil and gas
- PhD in Competition Law - University of Montpellier, 2003
- Masters in International Business Law - Paris I University Pantheon Sorbonne, 1998
- Board Member at Balmain SA France (2017- Present)
- American Chamber (Present)
- Egyptian Bar Association