Corporate
At SH&P, our Corporate practice is central to our firm’s offerings, supporting a full spectrum of corporate and commercial expertise to multinational clients across diverse industries. With a strong focus on the Egyptian market, we help our clients through guidance on a wide range of routine and complex. We have developed a team of lawyers who spend the greater part of their time on corporate issues.
In addition to routine corporate services, our practice extends to critical sub-areas:
General Corporate
Our General Corporate advisory is designed to support the everyday legal needs of businesses across industries. We are committed to providing clients with practical yet timely solutions that ensure operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and substantial growth in the market. Our full suite of general corporate services cover delivering end-to-end support for general corporate matters including assistance with regulatory compliance, drafting and reviewing of commercial agreements and advising on corporate formation.
Notable Transactions
- Legal counsel to Wabtec with respect to all legal matters in Egypt including corporate advice and incorporation of new entities in Egypt.
- Legal counsel to VICAT with respect to all of its investments in Egypt.
- Advising Quintessentially with respect to the supply of its concierge services in Egypt.
- Advising PwC on the legal framework in Egypt with respect to whether compliance with certain US requirements would conflict with, and constitute a violation in respect of, Egyptian law.
- Legal counsel to Hewlett Packard Enterprise with respect to all day-to-day corporate advice and corporate governance matters.
- Represented Arizona State University with respect to the collaboration agreement made with Galala University to offer the first dual-degree programs between an American public university and an Egyptian public university.
- Legal counsel to Wabtec with respect to supplying Egyptian National Railways (ENR) with 100 ES30ACi Evolution Series Locomotives, supporting ENR’s continued modernization effort by providing the latest, fuel-efficient locomotives needed for the growing demands on Egypt’s rail infrastructure.
- Legal counsel to Ion Beam Applications on the construction of Egypt’s first Proton Beam Therapy Centre at Children's Cancer Hospital Foundation.
- Legal counsel to MAPEI with respect to developing its 1st ever construction chemical manufacturing plant in Egypt.
- Legal counsel to Armatec on the implementation of two gas scrubbers in Egypt and all EPC-related contracts.
- Legal counsel to a confidential client on its participation in El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt.
- Legal counsel to Fluor Corporation on a phosphoric acid production project and on all EPC-related contracts.
- Acting as legal counsel to General Electric in implementing the 1st ever decarbonization project with the Egyptian Government.
- Acted as legal counsel to FOTON Motors with respect to a joint venture project with the Government of Egypt for construction of Egypt’s first ever plant for manufacturing electric buses.
- Legal counsel to General Electric on the construction of a 50-MW Solar Energy Plant in the Benban complex, Aswan, the largest photovoltaic power station in the Middle East and Africa.
Liquidation
SH&P provides expert guidance for business winding down through every stage of liquidation. We offer voluntary and insolvent liquidation procedures, as well as asset distribution, creditor negotiations and debt settlement. We also assist in cross-border liquidation processes.
Notable Transactions
- Legal counsel to General Electric with respect to the liquidation one of its subsidiary in Egypt.
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
We pride ourselves on our expertise in advising clients on all aspects of acquiring and selling companies and/or businesses. Our experience in this practice area allows us to maintain a commercial approach that optimizes efficiency, reduces costs and enhances effective deal execution. Our legal professionals advise buyers, sellers and financial advisers (including private equity) on both public and private mergers and acquisitions. Our services cover conducting high level legal due diligence on target companies or assets. We negotiate our client’s proposal with counterparty/ies, in addition to drafting, reviewing, advising on and/or negotiating projects documents. Moreover, we obtain relevant licenses and/or authorizations that may be required to execute transactions. We also assist in the closing of mergers and/or acquisitions transactions.
Notable Transactions
- Legal Counsel to one of the leading British studios and production companies with respect to the acquisition of 100% of the share capital in a major production companies in Egypt.
- Legal Counsel in Egypt to Luxshare Precision Limited with respect to the acquisition of Automotive Cable Solutions (ACS) division from LEONI AG for EUR 525.41 million.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to both Corvinus, the Hungarian-state owned company, and Magyar Vagonwith respect to the acquisition of 100% of the share capital in Talgo S.A for approximately EUR 619 million.
- Legal counsel to Evergreen Marine Corp., in acquiring 20% stake in Abu Qir Container Terminal Company SAE (AQCT), the developer and operator of one of Abu Qir Sea Ports, which is the largest sea ports in Egypt, for approximately USD 46 million.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to Ravago S.A. in connection with the acquisition of Emeraude 3.0.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to Emerging Markets Property Group (EMPG) with respect to its merger with OLX Group.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to General Electric with respect to the sale of its transport business by WABTEC.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to ORANGE on the acquisition of EUR 75 million equity in Africa Internet Group, operator of Jumia, Easy Taxi, Lamudi, Carmudi, HelloFood, Kaymu and Jovago.
- Legal counsel in Egypt to ALSTOM on the acquisition made by General Electric of the power and grid businesses of ALSTOM with a total value of approx. USD 13.9 billion.
- Legal counsel to Alameda International For Medical Services on the acquisition of the shares owned by International Finance Corporation in Dar Al Fouad Hospital, the largest hospital in Egypt operated in association with the Cleveland Clinic.
Antitrust
We assure our clients on safeguarding their market assets through our focused, integrated services. Our lawyers possess the proven ability to advise on joint ventures to ensure compliance with antitrust regulations. We offer representation during investigations and litigation related to anti-competitive behavior. We also help developing compliance programs to reduce legal risks.
Structuring and Restructuring
Your business is our focus. SH&P serves as the engine room, where we understand our client’s business needs and goals to provide the most innovative, practical legal solutions to our clients that are involved in distressed company situations or require further legal protection. SH&P has extensive experience in advising on all aspects of restructuring including, inter alia, redomiciliation of business to overseas jurisdictions, finance, tax, employment, antitrust and intellectual property rights, in many cases with multi-jurisdictional aspects, therefore, given the increase of today’s complex restructuring transactions that require the global coordination of substantive expertise, we work closely in collaboration with international law firms and key financial advisors with respect to handling restructuring transactions for our multinational clients. Our primary goal is to provide effective and expedient responses that allow our clients to minimize costs, enhance value and properly position themselves for the future.
Notable Transactions
- Acted as legal counsel to Kellogg with respect to all legal matters in Egypt including, inter alia, an ongoing major restructuring of its business in Egypt involving various complex transactions.
- Local legal counsel to Univar with respect to all legal matters in Egypt including, inter alia, an ongoing restructuring/expansion of its business in Egypt and incorporation of a new JV.
- Advised Vicat Egypt for Cement Industry with respect to an exemption from a mandatory tender offer with respect to its restructuring on Sinai Cement Company shares, with a total amount of EGP 139,550,232
Consumer Protection
SH&P’s legal team help businesses uphold consumer rights while complying with relevant laws. This way, we help enhance our clients’ reputation and reducing their legal exposure. Based on our expertise, we offer exceptional consultancy on compliance with advertising, labeling and product safety regulations. We also assist in resolving disputes arising from consumer complaints. We help represent our clients in front of consumer protection authorities.
Corporate Governance
Strong governance is crucial to sustainable success. Our professional team work diligently to provide consultancy on corporate governance matters including the drafting and reviewing of corporate policies. We advise boards of directors on fiduciary duties, alongside assisting with shareholder agreements and conflict resolution.
Notable Clients
- Africa Crest Education
- Babcock & Wilcox
- Bostik
- Degrémont
- Evergreen Marine Corp
- GE Healthcare
- FeildCore
- Geodrill
- Johnson & Johnson
- Kellogg
- Mapei Spa
- Mott MacDonald
- Radio Holland
- SABIS
- Univar
- Vicat
- Wabtec
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to enforce an arbitration award in Egypt, an enforcement order must be obtained by the competent Court of Appeal, providing that such arbitration award does not contravene the Egyptian public order or morality, and does not deal with rights over immovable properties located in Egypt, personal status or criminal issues.
In general, there is no restriction on foreign ownership of entities incorporated in Egypt except for limited cases such as entities: (i) undertake the activities of importation for the resale purpose , commercial agencies, and/or intermediary business; and, or (ii) are located or doing business in Sinai.
The Egyptian legal system is primarily based on the French civil legal system, various other European codes and religious law. In practice, religious law is applied only to personal status and family matters which are governed by the religious law of the individual concerned. The fundamental and organic law of Egypt is the Constitution thereof, which Constitution was passed in a referendum in January 2014 and amended in April 2019.
Generally, the Egyptian law does not recognize the concept of piercing the corporate veil, therefore, the liability of shareholders, in general, in Joint Stock Companies or allotment holders in Limited Liability Companies is only limited to the paid-up capital except in some limited cases.