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Michael Hilton

Partner Corporate and M&A, Financing and capital markets

He has a strong capacity in terms of understanding key issues quickly. During negotiations, he is able to lead and obtain what is needed for his client.

Chambers Global – Corporate and M&A UAE 2020

Primary practice

Corporate and M&A, Financing and capital markets

01/10/2021 Michael Hilton | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer About Michael Hilton

Michael heads up the firm's Abu Dhabi office and specialises in private and public M&A, joint ventures, restructurings and equity capital markets work, much of which is cross-border.  In recent years he has advised on many of the major outbound investments from the region and been involved in most of the highest-profile transactions in Abu Dhabi.  

With 20 years of experience Michael's practice spans a number of sectors including , telecoms, energy and natural resources. His clients include large government-owned institutions and corporates such as ADNOC, ENOC, DP World, Saudi Telecom Company and OSN, various financial institutions, a number of global financial investors and the region's most prominent sovereign wealth funds.

Much of the work Michael does crosses borders and a number of the deals he has worked on have been recognised by the legal industry's research and award bodies for their innovation and market impact.

Michael was previously based in the firm's office, spending over a decade working on a variety of corporate matters, including some of the largest and most challenging M&A transactions.

Recent work

  • Advising a number of high-profile regional sovereign wealth funds on a variety of matters including , infrastructure and real estate investments involving assets based in Asia, and the UK as well as other joint venture transactions.
  • Advising Saudi Telecom Company on Western Union's acquisition of a 15% stake in STC's digital payment business, STC Pay.  The investment will be made by way of a share subscription for $200m.
  • Advising ADNOC on the establishment of an international futures exchange for Murban crude oil in the Abu Dhabi Global Market in partnership with Intercontinental Exchange.
  • Advising DP World in relation to its $13.9bn takeover by Port & Free Zone World FZE.
  • Advising DP World in relation to its acquisition of feeder shipping businesses operating in the Indian Subcontinent.
  • Advising International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) on its merger with Mubadala Development Company (MDC), creating the 14th largest state-owned investment fund globally with $125bn combined total assets and an entity with partnerships and businesses in 30+ countries.
  • Advising First Gulf on its merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi, creating the largest bank in the MENA region with $183bn of assets and a combined market capitalisation of approximately $30.9bn. Read more about the deal in our case study.
  • Advising Emirates National Oil Company on its circa $6bn acquisition and de-listing of Dragon Oil, a Dublin-listed upstream oil and gas company, with operations and assets in , , , and .
  • Advising a consortium led by sovereign-backed Fajr Capital, with global investment and advisory firm Blackstone and Bahrain’s investment arm Mumtalakat as co-investors, on the acquisition of a minority stake in the leading regional education business GEMS Education. The deal was awarded M&A Deal of the Year at the IFLR Awards 2015.
  • Advising Warburg Pincus on its acquisition of -based specialist IT software, development and solutions business mercator from dnata, one of the world’s largest air services providers and a subsidiary of the Emirates group.
  • Advising Saudi Telecom Company on the $865m sale of PT Axis Telekom Indonesia to PT XL Axiata TBK. The deal was awarded M&A Deal of the Year at the Asian Legal Business Awards 2014.
  • Advising the Al Tayer Group on a healthcare platform joint venture company with Dubai Investments and Ashmore.
  • Advising Chinese e-commerce company and tech giant Alibaba on its inbound greenfield joint venture with the UAE’s Meraas Holding.
  • Advising EFG Hermes Capital Partners Management on its joint cash bid to acquire the entire share capital of Damas International, listed on Nasdaq Dubai (formerly the DIFX), only the third ever public M&A transaction involving01/10/2021a Nasdaq Dubai-listed company.MichaelTheHiltondeal| Freshfieldswas awardedBruckhausM&ADeringerDeal of the Year at the IFLR involving a Nasdaq Dubai-listed company. The deal was awarded M&A Deal of the Year at the IFLR Middle East Awards 2012.
  • Advising HSBC Bank Middle East on: the disposal of its retail and commercial banking business in to Arab Jordan Investment Bank; the disposal of its retail and commercial banking business in to Meezan Bank; and the acquisition of the UAE onshore retail and commercial banking business of Lloyds Banking Group.
  • Advising Xstrata on numerous corporate transactions, including its investment in the Zanaga iron ore venture in Congo Brazzaville, its proposed $80bn and $10bn takeovers of Anglo American and Lonmin, and its $6bn rights issue and related party acquisition of the Prodeco coal business.
  • Advising: a global financial business headquartered in the Middle East on a proposed IPO on Nasdaq Dubai and a possible secondary listing onshore in the UAE; Betfair Group on its £1.4bn IPO; UBS and Bridgewell on the £340m IPO of Dunelm Group; JP Morgan, UBS and Evolution on the cash box rights issue by in connection with its acquisition of NationsRent; and and ABN AMRO Rothschild on the IPO of shares in Public Power Corporation.

Qualifications

Education

  • Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, UK (MA Cantab, law)
  • Nottingham Law School, UK (diploma in legal practice)

Contact Michael [email protected]

Abu Dhabi Level 6, Al Sila Tower, Abu Dhabi Global Market Square, Al Maryah Island PO Box 129817 T +971 2 6521 700 F +971 2 6521 777

01/10/2021 Michael Hilton | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer