Profile

Nasma is a corporate and commercial transactions attorney with a practice focused on cross-border M&A, joint ventures, venture capital, corporate and group restructurings, and complex commercial arrangements. She advises clients across the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, on strategic investments, shareholder structuring, and business expansion, with a strong emphasis on regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and foreign ownership restrictions.

Nasma has deep expertise in UAE free zones, including the ADGM, DIFC, and DMCC, and regularly advises on the formation of holding structures, licensing strategy, and intercompany arrangements. She also routinely advises on cross-border transactions involving Saudi counterparties and corporate structuring under the KSA Companies Law.

Prior to joining Hourani & Partners, Nasma practiced at the leading international law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius in the UAE.

Expertise
  • Corporate and Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Joint Ventures
  • Commercial
  • Restructuring
  • Regulatory
Experience

Nasma’s experience includes advising:

  • A pharmaceutical investment company in Saudi Arabia on its SAR 330 million acquisition of a majority stake in the Saudi Biotechnology Manufacturing Company (CJSC), coupled with a SAR 300 million investment.
  • A group of investors, led by a prominent healthcare investment firm, in the $232 million sale of portfolio company Cambridge Medical and Rehabilitation Center (CMRC) to a UAE-based publicly traded investment company.
  • A consortium on a significant cross-border M&A transaction, managing conditions precedent and negotiating VDD purchaser arrangement letters with international counsel.
  • A prominent investment management firm on a $21.5 million equity investment by a leading financial services company, involving the acquisition of 50% of the investment management firm from another investment group.
  • A major financial business on its merger with a prominent hospital group, creating a $2 billion integrated private healthcare and hospital operation.
  • A UAE multi-entity restaurant group on a full group restructuring, and a listed KSA food company on a potential demerger, including a regulatory roadmap and implementation timeline.
  • A major KSA agribusiness on approximately 20 commercial agreement templates spanning supply, distribution, services, and recruitment, together with a corporate governance playbook.
Qualifications

Education

  • LLM, BPP University London, UK
  • LLB, City University London, UK
  • Certificate of Higher Education in Legal Studies, Birkbeck University of London, UK

Admission

  • Jordan Bar Association, Jordan
  • Law Society of England & Wales, UK (in process)
  • Dubai Legal Affairs Department, UAE
Languages
  • Arabic
  • English
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