EXPERTISE

Robin Hickman is the head of our multi award winning Middle East finance practice and is based in our Dubai office.  He has been practising in the Middle East for over 15 years.  He specialises in conventional and Sharia compliant finance and debt restructuring matters and advises local and international banks, government / semi-government entities and blue-chip enterprises across a full spectrum of industries, including construction, infrastructure, energy and utilities, renewables and TMT.

Robin has worked on many of the region's largest and most complex financings and high profile debt restructurings.  Robin has been ranked as a Leading Individual by Chambers & Partners for each of the last 8 years and is ranked in three categories (Banking & Finance: UAE (Band 2); Insolvency and Restructuring: UAE (Spotlight Table / Band 1), Banking & Finance: Qatar (Expert based abroad)).  Robin is also ranked as a Next Generation Partner by the Legal 500.

Prior to joining Addleshaw Goddard, Robin practised in London and the GCC offices of a magic circle law firm and a leading UK law firm.

Experience
  • Advising the arrangers on a US$1.1 billion facility for the construction and development of the Dubai Parks and Resorts theme park
  • Advising a leading GCC telecommunications company on a AED4.5bn syndicated financing made available by 8 banks
  • Advising on the liquidation of the largest private equity company in emerging markets with assets under management of approximately US$13 billion
  • Advising a Qatari financial institution (as borrower) in respect of US$7.6 billion of syndicated loan facilities
  • Advising Dubai Group on its US$7 billion corporate debt restructuring with 44 banks
  • Advising certain lenders in respect of the facilities made available to the NMC Health plc, the embroiled global healthcare provider that was recently put into administration in the UK
  • Advising the creditor committee in respect of the US$1.6bn restructuring of the prominent UAE investment group, KBBO
  • Advising the creditor committee in respect of the US$1.3bn restructuring of Finablr Plc the formerly LSE listed holding company of UAE Exchange and Travelex
  • Advising the arrangers in respect of a QAR1,358,000,000 financing for the development of a shopping mall in Lusail, Doha 
  • Advising Tornado Company in obtaining a QAR 1.458bn (approx. USD$400mn) financing from Doha Bank by way of a 13-year tenored term facility, secured by a legal mortgage over Doha's iconic and award winning Tornado Tower
  • Advising the arrangers in connection with the US$250 million real estate financing to Meraas in respect of the construction and development of the City Walk and Box Park developments in Dubai
  • Advising Damas LLC on its AED3 billion restructuring with 25 banks
  • Advising the project company and the sponsors (the Ministry of Finance in Oman and Oman Oil Corporation) in relation to the US$1.2 billion financing of the Sohar Refinery Project with loans sourced from a syndicate of international commercial banks, regional banks and JBIC and backed by political and commercial risk insurance from Nexi
  • Advising the Kuwait sponsor in respect of the US$1 billion Reem Mall project in Abu Dhabi
  • Advising the lenders to the winning bidder on DEWA's 800MW solar energy project in Dubai
  • Advising the lender on financing the AED1.1 billion purchase of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, DIFC
  • Advising Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC (Zain KSA) on a US$1.3 billion syndicated loan facility comprising a term loan and a revolving credit facility
  • Advising the lenders in relation to a AED600 million syndicated facility as part of the development and construction of Dubai Festival City 
  • Advising Drydocks World on its US$2.3 billion corporate debt restructuring
  • Advising Natixis, Bayerische and Calyon in connection with the original US$2.5 billion financing and subsequent US$900 million bridge financing of the Shuweihat S2 IWPP in Abu Dhabi
  • Advising a syndicate of banks in relation to various commercial and ECA backed facilities for the US$2.8 billion financing of the Sohar Refinery Improvement Project in Oman
  • Advising Lafarge Emirates Cement on its US$300 million debt restructuring with 12 banks
  • Advising Al Khalij Commercial Bank on a US$280 million Egyptian hotel financing
  • Advising the arrangers in connection with a AED1.02 billion dual currency real estate financing for Damas Real Estate
  • Advising the Qatari lender in respect of a USD1,400,000,000 debt restructuring of a major Qatari conglomerate
  • Advising the lenders in connection with the US$190 million real estate financing to Meraas in respect of the Blue Waters hotel to be constructed on Blue Waters Island, Dubai
  • Acting for the Qatari lender in its provision of USD$250mn mezzanine financing for the construction of towers in East Village (the old Olympic Village), London
  • Advising the arrangers in respect of a US$293 million financing to Al Noor and Emirates Healthcare (part of the Mediclinic Group)
  • Advising the lenders to a bidder on ADWEA's Sweihan solar energy project in Abu Dhabi
  • Advising the lenders in connection with the financing of Sumitomo and Malakoff's successful bid for the US$5.5 billion Ras Azzour IWPP in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  • Advising the lenders in connection with the US$2.5 billion financing and subsequent US$900 million bridge financing of the Shuweihat S2 IWPP in Abu Dhabi
  • Advising the Abu Dhabi Investor Corporation in relation to the Mafraq-Ghweifat Highway PPP Project (value US$2.7 billion), the UAE's first transport PPP Project
  • Advising Shuweihat CMS International Power Co on the implementation by ADWEA of a site-wide terrorism scheme at the Shuweihat Complex in Abu Dhabi 
  • Advising the winning consortium on the Muharraq Wastewater BOO project in Bahrain
  • Advising the arrangers in relation to a US$1 billion term loan facility for the Commercial Bank of Qatar 
Testimonials

Robin is ranked by Chambers Global 2023 for UAE Banking and Finance and UAE Restructuring and Insolvency. He is described as, "Robin is very organised, proactive, knowledgeable and pragmatic."

"Robin Hickman has accrued a significant reputation for his high-quality advice to major international and regional banking clients. He is a standout lawyer. He is extremely responsive and accessible. His advice is clear, commercial and decisive." 

Chambers 2022

''Robin’s a great lawyer to deal with, has a good business / legal acumen, and is capable of offering the best advice which tends to be balanced to protect the best interest of his clients and facilitate closure of the transaction. His good contact / relationship with many counsels in the market makes him well placed to find solutions to problems.''

Standard Chartered Bank 

Robin is a calm and methodical negotiator whose manner and experience in the region mean that he is adept at achieving the best commercial outcomes for the client." 

Chambers 2023

"A very sensible, pragmatic lawyer who is very commercial as well." 

 

Chambers 2023

 

Professional Qualifications

Solicitor admitted in England and Wales