Finance Monthly Taxation Awards 2017 Winners Edition

www. finance-monthly .com FINANCE MONTHLY TAX AWARDS 2017 33 KUWAIT TAX LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR FIRM PROFILE ASAR is the largest full service corporate and commercial law firm in Kuwait and one of the largest in the Middle East, with strong connections throughout the Gulf region. With more than 30-strong team of professional lawyers based in Kuwait and Bahrain, the firm has a leading commercial practice with a focus on corporate and commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, privatizations, IPOs, banking and finance, franchising, construction, government projects, PPPs, securities, taxation, commercial litigation and arbitration. The firm has multilingual capabilities, including being able to provide services in English, Arabic and French. With its team of lawyers spanning two emerging, and highly competitive markets in the GCC, its expertise extends over a wide range of areas that cover local and foreign multinational corporations, banks and investment companies, industrial conglomerates, governments and state authorities, and private clients. ASAR has been involved in some of the most innovative and complex projects and transactions in Kuwait and is best placed to provide valuable insight into Kuwaiti and Bahraini considerations – both legal and practical. ASAR is consistently rated as a leading corporate and commercial law firm by reputable legal guides such as the International Financial Law Review (“IFLR”), the Chambers Global Guide, the Legal 500 and the Practical Law Company. ASAR - Al Ruwayeh & Partners - Salhiya Complex, Gate 1, 3rd Floor, Mohammad Thunayan Al-Ghanim Street, Kuwait City, P.O. Box 447, Safat 13005, Kuwait Tel : +965 2292 2700 , 2240 0061/2/3 | Fax: +965 2245 3597 , 2240 0064 | Web: www.asarlegal.com Other Offices: Bahrain ADVISOR PROFILE - Paul Day Paul Day is a Partner with ASAR. Prior to joining ASAR in 1999, Paul practiced in Canada for six years. Paul has extensive experience in franchise, corporate, foreign investment, taxation and agency/distributorship matters. He represents prominent franchisors and franchisees assisting with the drafting of franchise related agreements, participating in negotiations and resolution of disputes and advising on the impacts of Kuwait law/tax and local practice on the franchise relationship and its termination. Paul has also worked in-house as chief counsel (also overseeing the company’s Legal Department) for a large multinational company based in Kuwait. The company is franchisee for numerous international retail/restaurant brands. ADVISOR PROFILE - Ahmed Barakat Ahmed Barakat is Managing Partner at ASAR. He received his education at Cairo University, Egypt (Bachelor of Law with Honors, 1981) and at New York University, USA (Masters of Law in International Law and Business Transactions, 1984). He is admitted to the New York and Egypt Bar. Prior to joining ASAR, Ahmed worked as lead counsel at the Kuwaiti Authority for Assessment of Compensation Resulting from Iraqi Aggression and at Baker & Mckenzie in New York. Ahmed, who heads the litigation department at ASAR, specializes in commercial, construction and tax litigation, as well as local and international arbitration. He also advises clients on corporate and commercial matters, as well as on Islamic banking and investment. Ahmed has been elected as a leading lawyer by a number of distinguished institutions including the Best Lawyers International (U.S.A.) as among the best lawyers in Kuwait in the areas of litigation, tax, corporate, labor and employment, and intellectual property and by the Legal 500 in the area of litigation. He has published various articles in prestigious publications such as the Oxford Business Group and the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) and has lectured at various workshops, spoken at various conferences, and has also appeared on Kuwait TV speaking on various legal issues including Kuwait’s tax laws. Ahmed is fluent in English and Arabic.