Professionals

Rudolf is a French qualified attorney who represents multi-national and regional groups, private equity funds and financial institutions, including Delivery Hero, Kitopi, PetroRabigh, Al Muhaidib Group, Investcorp, and ECG Capital. Rudolf’s practice covers mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate governance, commercial litigation and arbitration, and internal investigations. He combines transactional and disputes experience, providing comprehensive strategic advice in anticipating the risks of future potential disputes and corporate governance advice to shareholders of a running business in the context of an ongoing dispute. He is currently advising a multi-national group in the context of a multi-billion dollar shareholders’ dispute, which included conducting a large internal investigation and advising on a Dubai-seated international arbitration (DIFC-LCIA rules), litigations in various jurisdictions (including the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and providing corporate governance, M&A, antitrust, and commercial advice in relation to the underlying business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Rudolf is recognized as a litigation expert for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Legal 500 rankings. He also has substantial experience advising issuers and underwriters in relation to equity, equity-linked and debt capital market transactions.

Prior to joining Hourani & Partners, Rudolf practiced at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Paris and New York offices, where he specialized in M&A and capital markets, and also gained substantial experience in FCPA-related investigations and OFAC-related matters.

• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Corporate Governance
• International Arbitration & Dispute Resolution
• Investigations
• Capital Markets

Rudolf’s experience in the MENA region includes advising:

Corporate

• Delivery Hero SE on several M&A transactions, including the investments into or acquisitions of Hungerstation, Talabat, Carriage, Zomato, SweetHeart Kitchen
• A significant investor in Kitopi’s US$ 415 million Series C funding round and Kitopi’s US$ 300 million Series C round extension
• Al Muhaidib Group on several M&A transactions, including Abyat, BATIC and Himmah Logistics (aborted)
• Energy Capital Group in connection with multiple acquisitions
• Kitopi on various aspects of several M&A transactions, including Shobak, Taxi Restaurants, and Awj Investments
• Rani Hammad H, the founder of Tarboosh Games, in the sale of a majority stake in Tarboosh Games to Voodoo SAS
• Investcorp on several M&A transactions, including its investment in Al Borg Medical Laboratories and its acquisition of a warehouse in Dammam, Saudi Arabia
• A Saudi conglomerate on its substantial minority investment in an Egyptian real estate developer
• Mizuho Gulf Capital Partners in the acquisition of a controlling stake of Al Faris Group
• MEFIC Capital in its investments in Karam Beirut and Sultan Delight Burger
• SICO Capital (formerly Muscat Capital) in connection with the acquisition of the Al Qasr development and the Riyadh Avenue mall

Dispute Resolution

• A multi-national online delivery group in the context of a multibillion-dollar shareholders’ dispute, including conducting a large internal investigation and advising on a Dubai-seated international arbitration (DIFC-LCIA rules), US litigations, a DIFC litigation, KSA litigations and corporate governance, M&A, antitrust, and commercial matters
• A multi-national communications group as a defendant in its Dubai-seated international arbitration (DIAC rules) against a Saudi company
• A leading cryptocurrency exchange as a defendant in a litigation before the courts of Dubai, UAE, in connection with claims exceeding US$ 100 million
• A UAE-based claimant in an ADGM-seated international arbitration (ICC rules) in connection with a breach of a non-compete provision by the seller of a business in Bahrain

Education

• Masters (post-graduate) in European Business Law, Université Panthéon Assas (Paris II) France
• Masters in Business Law, Université Panthéon Assas (Paris II), France
• M. Eur., European Business Law, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany
• M. German Law, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Munich, Germany
• Master in Management from ESCP Business School (Programme Grande Ecole)

Admissions

• Paris Bar (Avocat à la Cour), France
• Dubai Legal Affairs Department, UAE

• English
• French
• German