Asad leads the Anti-Trust and Competition Practice at GLA & Co, renowned for his expertise in merger control and corporate law. His extensive experience spans various sectors including renewable energy, finance, data protection, education and healthcare. He has extensive experience in conducting thorough due diligence for complex mergers and acquisitions, excelling in navigating cross boarder distribution arrangements and ensuring corporate regulatory compliance. As a seasoned corporate attorney, Asad is skilled in negotiating intricate agreements and managing corporate transactions. Notably, his decade-long background in healthcare as a registered respiratory therapist provides a distinctive perspective to his legal counsel. His diverse expertise uniquely positions him to offer insightful guidance in merger control matters, leveraging a deep understanding of corporate complexities and regulatory environments. Asad is known as a relentless advocate on behalf of his clients and was distinguished with the 2023 Rising Star Award, by The Law MEA.
Before joining GLA & Company, Asad practiced as a corporate commercial attorney at Al Tamimi & Company in Kuwait and prior to that as a corporate attorney in the United States. Asad’s previous experience includes: Negotiating Asset Purchase Agreements and related disclosure schedules, intellectual property agreements, professional online marketing services agreements, confidentiality agreements, non-competition non-solicitation agreements, ad advising clients on service mark and trademark availability, registrability, and design, Asad also has experience in commercial litigation, which includes drafting complaints, deposition preparation, and commercial defense work of handling all interrogatories and requests for production.
Asad has a healthcare background as a practicing registered respiratory therapist for over 10 years. He was the youngest graduate of his program and president of his class. Asad also has some experience as healthcare fraud defense attorney successfully representing physicians and healthcare entities against claims of fraud.
Education
- The University of Akron School of Law – Akron, Ohio, USA, Juris Doctor (2015)
- Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, Ohio, USA, Bachelor’s in Applied Sciences and Specialty in Department Management (2010)
Professional Memberships
- (US) State of Ohio Bar
- (US) State of Ohio Medical Board – Respiratory Care
- International Bar Assocation (IBA) – Anti-Trust Section Committee Member.
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American Bar Association (ABA)
Recent Experience
Corporate
- Represented DSV Panalpina in its acquisition of the logistics division of Agility Public Warehousing Company as MENA counsel in an all-share deal worth US$ 4.1 billion, the largest merger & acquisition transaction in the MENA region in 2021;
- Acted as Kuwait Counsel for IBM, in its global business model restructuring of its hardware, software, and services;
- Represented Marriot Drilling, the largest onshore deep drilling and associated services company, in its agreement to provide drilling services on various oil and gas wells within the State of Kuwait;
- Represented Beghelli Präzisa GmbH, a leading developer, manufacture, and distributer of emergency lighting in the world, in its distribution arrangement;
- Represent DHL, a global logistics service provider, as Kuwait council in its agency and distribution arrangements;
- Represented Ulysse Nardin, a world leading luxury watch brand, in its business operations in the State of Kuwait, including proper termination of an agency arrangement and establishment of an favorable distribution arrangement; and
- Represented Trafalgar General Trading Company, a Kuwait-based retailer of luxury fashion products including (Chopard, Dior, Gucci, Aigner, TAG, Heuer, Versace, Escada, Swarovski, Burberry, Montegrappa), in its collaboration with Tiffany & Co in the State of Kuwait.
Banking & Finance (Conventional & Sharia-Compliant)
- Appointed as transaction co-counsel with respect to a US$ 180,000,000 financing from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to Kuwait Finance House;
- Appointed as transaction co-counsel with respect to a US$ 75,000,000 financing from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank to Warba Bank
Commercial Advisory
- Advised Kitopi, world’s leading managed cloud kitchen, with respect to its business structure in the state of Kuwait and its internal employment policies;
- Represented the University for the Creative Arts, the top creative specialist university in the UK, in its collaboration to create and establish an undergraduate/postgraduate foreign co-operative university in the State of Kuwait;
- Represented Santen SA, one of the world leaders in the ophthalmic pharmaceutical market, in its distribution arrangements in the state of Kuwait and Qatar;
- Currently advising AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals, a world leading biopharmaceutical company, with respect to its overall business arrangement and operations in the state of Kuwait;
- Advise National Advisory Services Company WLL, with respect to its joint venture collaboration in relation to the Norther and Southern Kuwait Excavation, Transportation and Remediation projects.
Speaking Engagements & Publications
- Tamimi.com – Law Update Articles: Commissions Disclosure Requirement – Foreign Companies Beware.
- Chambers Global Practice Guides Merger Control 2022 – Contributor and author of the Kuwait, UAE, KSA and Qatar
- Thompson Reuters – Webinar: Merger Control in the GCC (September 2022)
- Chambers Global Practice Guides Data Protection & Privacy 2023 – Contributor and author of the Kuwait, UAE, KSA
- Thompson Reuters – Webinar: Data Protection & Regulation (March 2023)
- GLACo.com – Legal Updates: Kuwait Competition Protection (CPA) Fines Steel Distribution Company 250,000 Kuwaiti Dinars.
- GLACo.com – Legal Updates: Saudi Arabia’s PDPL’s Implementing Regulation & Data Transfer Regulation Drafts: Key Highlights for Corporate Entities.
- GLACo.com – Legal Updates: Common Pitfalls in Merger Control Filings.
- GLACo.com – Legal Updates: Data Privacy Protection Regulation, New Set of Regulations or Just Amendments?
- GLACo.com – Legal Updates: Kuwait Merger Control Foreign to Foreign Transactions.
Languages
- English
- Arabic