ALB is pleased to have acted as borrowers counsel (on behalf of Qatar Water and Electricity Company, and working with Norton Rose Fulbright as borrower’s international counsel) in relation to the US$500 million expansion of the Ras Abu Fontas (RAF) A2 seawater desalination plant expansion project.

The contract for construction having been awarded to a consortium led by Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation and the Toyo Thai Corporation Public Company Limited (TTCL). QEWC signed a 25-year water supply deal with Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa).

ALB’s Managing Partner, Alaa Hamad, along with Hogan Lovells Partners, Christopher Cross (Dubai), Richard Kiddell (Dubai) and Roberta Downey (London) conducted a workshop entitled “Litigation & Arbitration strategies for infrastructure and construction contracts in Qatar” at the Qatar Transport Conference which took place in the Renaissance Hotel, Doha on 28th and 29th May (organised by MEED).

The 4th annual Qatar Transport Conference was designed to provide a comprehensive guide to the multi-billion dollar projects market that Qatar now is and detail where the business and investment opportunities will be in the coming 12-18 months.

Speakers and sessions at the 2 day conference focused on the projects planned to provide the city with much needed public transport infrastructure and to accommodate the related infrastructure development and population increase leading up to and during the World Cup 2022.

The Litigation & Arbitration strategies for infrastructure and construction contracts in Qatar workshop provided attendees with a flavour of legal customs and practice in Qatar, focusing mainly on contractor concerns and also included an overview of the Qatari legal system and other dispute resolution forums used in Qatar

Arab Law Bureau voted best Litigation firm and best Property firm in Qatar: World Finance Awards 2013 (World News Media)

Arab Law Bureau have advised QP on their maiden yen-denominated bond issued in the Japanese bond market (Samurai Bonds). QP raised US$1.28 billion equivalent with the privately placed, ten year bond, guaranteed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

The bond is only the third yen-denominated financial instrument known to be issued by a Gulf entity.

The Arab Law Bureau team included Managing Partner Alaa Hamad and Associate Rad R Eltreki.

Arab Law Bureau has engaged former Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh as Of Counsel for the firm in response to the increasing regional focused mandates and international trade issues that the firm is carrying out work on. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh is a Jordanian qualified lawyer and the Chief Executive Partner of the Amman based law firm Khalaf Masa’deh & Partners Ltd.

H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh is also a Jordanian politician and international diplomat who served in the past as minister, ambassador to the EU and NATO and on various boards of commercial companies. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh has been a key player in the regulatory reforms of the Jordanian judicial system and is recognised as one of the leading business lawyers in the Middle East in the fields of projects and infrastructure, corporate law, foreign investment, restructuring and privatization, international trade and energy law.

Based on the diversified connections he enjoys worldwide especially Europe, H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa'deh also brings to ALB's clients a high level strategic experience and political lobbying advice.

In addition to his distinguished political and legal career, H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh practiced and lectured law since 1993 and has written and been published extensively on international trade law.

ALB has engaged former Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh as Of Counsel for the firm in response to the increasing regional focused mandates and international trade issues that the firm is carrying out work on. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh is a Jordanian qualified lawyer and the Chief Executive Partner of the Amman based law firm Khalaf Masa’deh & Partners Ltd. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh is also a Jordanian politician and international diplomat who served in the past as minister, ambassador to the EU and NATO and on various boards of commercial companies. H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh has been a key player in the regulatory reforms of the Jordanian judicial system and is recognised as one of the leading business lawyers in the Middle East in the fields of projects and infrastructure, corporate law, foreign investment, restructuring and privatization, international trade and energy law. Based on the diversified connections he enjoys worldwide especially Europe, H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa'deh also brings to ALB's clients a high level strategic experience and political lobbying advice. In addition to his distinguished political and legal career, H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa’deh practiced and lectured law since 1993 and has written and been published extensively on international trade law. For more details see the profile of H.E. Dr. Ahmad Masa'deh.

ALB has advised CH2M Hill on their successful bid for the strategic partnership role with the Supreme Committee for Qatar 2022. CH2M Hill won the contract for the role of Programme Management Consultant following a lengthy selection process involving a handful of shortlisted multi-national candidates.

CH2M Hill will implement and manage the ambitious plans included in Qatar’s bid proposal to create world class infrastructure which is the biggest infrastructure spend in preparation for a sporting event ever. The scale of the task at hand suggests that the 2022 World Cup will drive Qatar’s urban planning development strategy over the next 10 years and shape Qatar's landscape for future generations beyond the competition.

The United States-based firm has more than 300 offices globally and 30,000-employees and has been working on the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and will provide a full consulting, programme management, design, construction and operations programme to ensure that organisation of the first ever World Cup staged in the Middle East runs smoothly.

Managing Partner Alaa Hamad and Associates Sean Khalid and Rad Eltreki were advising CH2M Hill in cooperation with their appointed international counsel Hogan Lovells.