MAURITIUS / PROFESSIONAL BIOGRAPHIES
Gilles Athaw Director
C&A Law Ebene
Tel: +230 466 0500 Email:
gilles.athaw@
calaw.mu Web:
www.calaw.mu
Iqbal Rajahbalee, Senior Counsel Managing partner
BLC Chambers Port Louis, Mauritius
Tel: +230 2137920 Email:
Iqbal.r@blc.mu Web:
www.blc.mu
Clients told the IFLR1000 that: “The lawyers at the firm are very professional and they know what clients want. They have expertise on corporate law and litigation matters and we rely on them on such matters.”
Biography: Gilles Athaw is a director and founding member of C&A Law, a law firm established in Mauritius, under the Law Practitioner’s Act and registered by the office of the Attorney General in Mauritius.
Gilles specialises in corporate and commercial law and has advised financial institutions and corporates in various transactions including cross-border financing, corporate restructuring, setting up of investment funds and listings on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius.
He is named as a leading lawyer in IFLR1000 2013 and as a leading lawyer in his field by Chambers Global – The Clients Guide 2013.
Recent transactionalhighlights: •Advised on the financing of a mining project in Botswana (the Boseto Copper Project) involving investments exceeding $200 million.
•Advised on the financing of various telecommunication structures in the African region involving investments of over $350 million.
•Conducted the due diligence and advice on the acquisition of approximately 78.5% of the fully diluted equity of a Mauritian target from a consortium of sellers for an amount of $250 million financed partly by equity and party by loan. The target is the holding company of an Indian technology services provider which has a substantial client base located throughout the US.
Practiceareas: Cross-border transactions
Mergers and acquisitions
Foreign direct investmentSecurities Languages: English and French Bar admissions: England and Mauritius
Related articles by this lawyer: Mauritius, a secure gateway to Africa, China Business Law Journal, 2012
Clients told IFLR1000: “Rajahbalee understands the technical aspects of both financial and corporate deals very well and he’s very knowledgeable about the Mauritius regulations.”
Biography: IqbalRajahbalee is the founder of BLCChambers. Senior Counsel, with over 25 years of practiceincorporate law, banking and finance, he pioneeredthe Mauritius offshoreindustry and has gained solid accolades from offshore clientswho remarkthat “he knows thisbusiness outstandingly well”. Iqbalhas had an exceptional exposure to both public and private sidesofthe business environment.Hewas appointed as the firstexecutive director of the firstMauritiusoffshoreregulatoryauthorityand subsequently the first chief executive of the Financial ServicesCommission. Iqbalalso servedasassistant solicitor generalatthe Attorney General‘sOffice. He draftednumerous pieces of legislation, including the Trusts Act and the Securities Act. He has advised on infrastructureprojects, shareholders disputes in largeconglomerates, on privateequityfunds investing in Africa and Asiaand on international taxation. He is Mauritius legal counsel to GeneralElectric, BarclaysBank,BlackRock among othersand has appearedascounsel in high profile litigation involving shareholderstojoint ventures and high net worth family businesses. He was alsocalled as expert witness on Mauritius law beforeforeign courts, including the UK and Singaporecourts. To observers, Iqbal is a“sensible choice for large corporate transactions”.
Recent transactionalhighlights: •Iqbal is the Mauritius counsel and advisor on the setting up of an environmental infrastructure fund in Africa.
•He is also acting as Mauritius Counsel to the transaction adviser on the biggest infrastructure project in Mauritius. The project is for Traffic Decongestion Programme involving the setting up of a ring road around the capital city and the upgrading and expansion of the national highway road network.
•Iqbal is advising as Mauritius counsel in the reorganisation of mining group in Zimbabwe.
Practiceareas: Financial services regulatory, Investment funds, Litigation, Mergers and acquisitions, Tax
Sector specialisations: Banking and financial services, Corporate and commercial
Languages: English, French Bar admissions: Mauritius
Association memberships: Honourable Society of the Middle Temple (Inn of Courts, London) Mauritius Bar Council
Academic qualifications: LLB and LLM, London School of Economics and Political Science
IFLR1000 /LEADINGLAWYERS 2014 51
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