Kayaan Unwalla
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright (Middle East) LLP
Related services and key industries
Related services
- Corporate, M&A and securities
- Communications, media and entertainment
- Corporate governance
- Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Crisis management
- Franchising
- Government relations and public policy
- Life sciences and pharmaceuticals
- Private equity and venture capital
- Employment and labor
- Wealth and private client
Key industry sectors
Biography
Kayaan Unwalla is a corporate partner based in the Dubai office.
He has spent more than 10 years in the Middle East and focuses on international cross-border M&A transactions and government contracting, with strong experience in the technology, defence and security, and manufacturing and industrial sectors. As an M&A and government contracts lawyer Kayaan has advised large-cap technology corporations, government, and mid-to-large organizations seeking digital transformation. He has in-depth insight into supply chains, having spent two years in-house with a US government contractor with operations in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to practicing law, he founded a technology solutions business, which provided supply chain and digital solutions to customers in Asia.
Kayaan read law at the University of Warwick, and prior to that earned a degree in Economics.
Professional experience
Collapse all- Legal Practitioners Course (LPC) - BPP Law School, London, United Kingdom (2007)
- Bachelor's of Law (LLB Hons) - University of Warwick, United Kingdom (2006)
- Bachelor's of Business and Economics (B. Comm Hons) - University of Bombay, India (2003)
- Solicitor qualified in England & Wales 2007
Advising:
- On the management buyout of a global technology integrator's operations in the Middle East in a multi-jurisdictional deal involving KSA, Qatar, UAE and Germany.
- A data and cybersecurity organization on the sale of its data classification/messaging systems business to a US-based private equity firm.
- Decision Sciences International Corporation on the supply and sale of a millimetre wave threat detection system to a GCC Government agency.
- A South African consortium on a 15-year border security tender for South Africa.
- ProtectedBy.AI, a US based company, on the development and supply of AI based products to be sold to global intelligence agencies.
- KSA private equity firm on its investment by way of a private placement into an online payment platform.
- UAE's largest real estate developer on a US$42 million level 1-3 technology outsourcing contract.
- "Grab" (Cursus Technologies) on a joint venture in the UAE and a concession agreement with Dubai International Airport.
- E-payment system on a joint venture for development and distribution in Central Asia.
- A US based maritime defence business on the structuring and the sale of passive defence systems to the KSA government.
- A Finnish engineering organization on a series of M&A transactions in KSA, RAK, Dubai and Qatar.
- A Chinese e-vehicle manufacturer on the set up of a manufacturing facility in the UAE and KSA.
- A claims handling and loss adjustment business on the sale of its shares to a US based private equity firm; this was a complex cross-border M&A transaction involving Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the United States.
- A KSA Government entity on the potential acquisition of an East European aircraft manufacturer.
- Gatekeeper Security Systems on all corporate, disputes and commercial matters in the UAE and KSA.
- An online celebrity's (net worth US$1.5 billion) (family office) on a series of M&A transactions.
- Two tier 1 US Government contractors on their corporate and commercial operations in the UAE and KSA.
- A German technology services provider on its divestment from a KSA joint venture.
- A Swiss pharmaceutical organization on setting up a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Jebel Ali.
- A Swiss based technology business on the development and IP protection of an advanced robotics targeting system for the UAE Government.
- Owens Corning Europe on all corporate and commercial matters within the UAE.
- An Australian technology group on the sale of a battle management system to the UAE and further advice on downstream supply arrangements in the UAE.
- Aggreko Middle East on all matters relating to a military contract in Afghanistan.
- A Dutch based e-scooter start-up on its market entry and franchise agreements into the UAE and KSA.
- Urban Company on all corporate and commercial matters in the UAE and KSA.
- A Private family office on a CBD related concession in South Africa.
- English
- Hindi
- Gujarati
Knowledge
Enhanced UAE Consumer Protection in a time of accelerated digital transformation
Publication | February 04, 2021
Middle East hub
Publication | January 06, 2021