Bader El-Jeaan is the Co-Founder and Senior Partner with Meysan.
Bader has extensive experience advising corporate, investment banking and sovereign clients in complicated cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international joint ventures and strategic alliances, and project development and finance transactions, as well as various capital markets transactions involving registered and unregistered securities offerings, exchange offerings, consent solicitations, and asset securitizations.
Bader previously served on the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Investment Authority (Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund), Gulf Bank KSC (Kuwait’s second largest conventional bank), Alamar Foods (the regional franchisee of Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s) and General Lighting Company. He is also a Trustee of the Northfield Mount Hermon School, and was also the founder and inaugural President of the Harvard Club of Kuwait.
Advised Agility Logistics, as their regular designated counsel, and also in connection with the $4.1 billion sale of its Global Integrated Logistics business to DSV Panalpina, its respective joint ventures in Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yugoslavia, Oman and Saudi Arabia, and the acquisition of Geologistics, Transoceanic, Translink, and the logistics business of Maritime & Mercantile International LLC.
Advised Tristar Transport LLC on its acquisition of Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Ship Investment Company, also known as “Eships”, from Egon Oldendorff GmbH & Co. KG, a company of the Oldendorff Group.
Represented the shareholders of Abyat Megastore in the sale of a 35% strategic interest in Abyat Megastore to Saudi Arabian regional conglomerate, Al Muhaidib Group.
Advised The Carlyle Group, the leading global alternative asset firm, in:
• Its acquisition and subsequent disposal to Philips Lighting of a significant minority equity interests in General Lighting Company, the largest light fixtures manufacturing company in the Middle East.
• Its acquisition of Alamar Foods, the master franchisee of Domino’s Pizza and Wendy’s in the Middle East.
• The acquisition of Al Nabil Food Products, a leading specialized processor of frozen and chilled food products.
Advised Mobile Telecommunications Company (Zain) in connection with the sale of its entire block of treasury shares, representing 9.84% of Zain’s fully paid and issued share capital, to Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel), deal value KD 255.4 million ($846.1 million).
Advised National Bank of Kuwait, as lead arranger in the $475 million Sulaibiya Wastewater Project in Kuwait, the first BOT in the State of Kuwait (Winner of Project Finance Magazine’s Middle East Water Deal of the Year).
“Bader El-Jeaan enjoys an enviable reputation, especially when it comes to large-scale M&A mandates. One interviewee described him as “one of the most knowledgeable lawyers I know.” Another praised the way in which “he can think steps ahead,” elaborating: “He thinks cross-jurisdictionally and is able to develop strategies no one else thinks of.” In addition to M&A, he has further experience advising on joint ventures and capital markets issuances.” Chambers (2022)
“Bader offers a high quality of legal advice, savvy and rigour.” Chambers (2020)
“Bader is a brilliant lawyer who always handles our legal matters in the same manner of professionalism, dedication and passion. He is considered a top lawyer in Kuwait.” Chambers (2020)
“He’s very strong on legal documentation.” Chambers (2020)
He is praised for being “tireless, creative and phenomenally well connected in Kuwait, with other sources elaborating: “He is exceptionally good at moving matters forward.” Chambers (2019)
“El-Jeaan remains highly respected among sources, who regard him as “a tough lawyer and tough negotiator.”
One commentator added: “He’s the sort of guy you want on your side.”
“Exceptionally well connected, depth of experience across multiple sectors, cross-cultural skill as combines US/NYC mentality with local Gulf understanding, creative thinker, intensely driven.” IFLR (2022)
“Sophisticated and very aggressive. He is a corporate lawyer but often leads disputes. He is a tactician.” IFLR (2022)
“He is a very respected name in Kuwait. He is the sought-after lawyer and go-to guy when we want to pull off a particularly complex transaction. He is the one always leading the charge. He can see the big picture of a transaction and knows how to stay firm to bring us the best possible outcome. ” IFLR (2018)
Managing partner of the Year, IFLR (2018)
The client describes partner Bader El Jeaan as “one of the smartest people I have ever worked with, not only in his legal knowledge but also business knowledge and acumen”. IFLR (2017)
“An expert in M&A negotiation. One of the best lawyers i have worked with. Strong technically and is able to do the best work for his client. Very strong reputation in Kuwait.”
Abu Dhabi — A team of lawyers from international law firm Meysan recently acted as legal advisor to Agility Public Warehousing Company KSCP (“Agility”) on the successful direct listing on the main market of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) of shares in subsidiary, Agility Global PLC (“Agility Global”). Agility Global is a… Read more
In a major Victory for Agility, this Action is a Bellwether of Whether there is a True Rule of Law for Those Who Invest in Iraq Three years ago, an international arbitration tribunal constituted under the auspices of the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) denied claims… Read more
Meysan Secures $490 million Judgment in favor of Agility against Kurdistan Kuwait – January 31, 2024. In a landmark ruling, the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation rejected an appeal lodged by the Kurdistan Regional Government against a ruling of Kuwait’s Court of Appeal in favor of Alcazar Capital, a subsidiary of… Read more
The Cairo office of Meysan successfully represented professional squash player, Moustafa El Sirty, resulting in his return to the courts with immediate effect after the International Testing Agency (ITA) had sought to impose a two-year suspension. In January of 2023, the ITA informed El Sirty that he had triggered an… Read more
Following an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for a prohibited substance commonly found in cough medicine, the International Testing Agency (ITA) – the entity that prosecutes doping cases for various sports federations – called for the imposition of a two-year suspension on the athlete pursuant to the WSF Anti-Doping Rules. Through… Read more
Meysan Partners announces the launch of its London office today, its first office outside of the Middle East. Meysan London will focus on heavyweight commercial and investor-state disputes, with a mission to apply the firm’s international litigation and arbitration know-how to the most complex cross- border cases. It will serve… Read more