Alexander Sarac

"He demonstrates an unparalleled ability to grasp our overarching business objectives and translate them into a legally sound strategy." - Projects & Energy Chambers Global Guide

Partner, Infrastructure Projects & Energy
Saudi Arabia / Germany

Expertise

Alexander heads the Infrastructure Projects and Energy practice in the Middle East and is one of the founding partners of our Riyadh office.

He advises on large-scale infrastructure across Saudi Arabia, the wider Gulf and Africa, in the power and water, transport and logistics, social infrastructure and energy transition sectors. His clients include sovereigns and ministries, national utilities, development banks, industrial groups, sponsors and project developers. He regularly acts as legal lead within consortia of technical and financial advisers. Alexander acts for governments and for developers, in separate mandates on opposite sides of the market. Each informs the other. Advising a ministry on how to structure and procure a project shows him what bidders will accept and where a tender will draw conditional responses. Advising a developer on a bid shows him how a procuring entity evaluates it. Clients on either side get advice shaped by that, rather than by precedent alone.

In addition to his transactional work, he also advises governments on policy, structural and regulatory matters. He has drafted PPP legislation and implementing regulations for governments, designed procurement and PPP frameworks, and built renewable energy, carbon and climate frameworks, in Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Benin, Malawi and Ethiopia. Work of this kind is done inside government rather than opposite it, and it shapes how he advises on transactions. Clients get advice calibrated to what an approval chain will accept, not only to what the law permits.

Alexander has lived and practised in the markets he advises on for more than a decade, in Dubai and, since 2023, in Riyadh. Before that he was based in Tanzania, where he was responsible for the East Africa business of one of the world's largest international law firms, and he practised for eight years in the United Kingdom. In Riyadh he works alongside a resident construction partner, so clients get the project structure and the construction documentation advised from the same office rather than from two.

He is a German-trained and qualified lawyer (Rechtsanwalt), admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales, and holds a Masters in Law in International and European Business Law (summa cum laude). He is ranked Band 2 in Saudi Arabia for Projects and Energy in Chambers Global and has been ranked for his Africa work for 7 consecutive years.

Alexander sits on the Advisory Boards of Dii Desertec and the MENA Hydrogen Alliance, and served on various advisory boards, including on the inaugural Advisory Council of the US Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation. Since 2024 he has been a member of a Law Society of England and Wales working group on Saudi legal matters.

Before joining Addleshaw Goddard he headed the Africa and Middle East energy and infrastructure practice of a US-headquartered international law firm.

Experience

Saudi Arabia

National Water Company, phase 2 privatisation of sewage treatment plants, ten packages over four years, from procurement and project structuring through tender documentation, bid evaluation and negotiation with preferred bidders.
National Center for Privatization, contract management strategy and framework governing PPP contracts across 16 sectors, covering the legal and regulatory requirements applying throughout the life of a PPP contract rather than only at award.
Roads General Authority, Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services and NCP, one-stop stations PPP across the Kingdom, from business case through to RFP.
National Center for Environmental Compliance, two parallel PPP procurements, one for monitoring air, noise, water and light quality across the Kingdom and one for environmental emergency response services.
National Center for Waste Management, cost recovery reform in the waste sector, including a gap analysis across waste, environmental and municipal legislation.
Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction, the Masar bus rapid transit system in Makkah, and subsequently the long-term agreements underpinning the development, including data centre, fibre optic, parking and commercial lease arrangements.
The bidder, the district cooling scheme it is bidding to design, finance, build and operate as part of Sports Boulevard in Riyadh.

"Alexander Sarac is an excellent lawyer and team player who immediately grasps the needs of the client." - Projects & Energy Chambers Global Guide

Wider Gulf

Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects, procurement of two 2,000 MW integrated IWPPs alongside EY and Atkins, covering procurement and project structuring, due diligence, the PPP and project agreements, tender documentation and transaction advisory services. Commercial close reached on Az-Zour North.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, expansion of the Hassyan sea water desalination project from 180 to 240 million imperial gallons per day, including negotiations with the existing developer under direct procurement through to financial close.
EBRD and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Jordan, on a large-scale green hydrogen production hub in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone.
Ministry of Infrastructure Development, UAE, the first federally procured PPP, covering energy efficiency of federal street lighting across 23 roads connecting the five northern emirates and the procurement of a contractor to upgrade, retrofit, operate and maintain it.
EBRD and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Jordan, on options for a common user infrastructure framework to facilitate investment into the green hydrogen sector.

"Alexander Sarac's proactivity and business experience has proven remarkable over various assignments." - Projects & Energy Chambers Global Guide

Africa

Ministry of Finance of Somalia, on an IFC and World Bank sponsored initiative to design a comprehensive legislative and regulatory framework for public private partnerships, including drafting a new PPP law, its implementing regulations and a best practice guidebook, with capacity building across government institutions.
Republic of Benin, on the design, structuring and marketing of a sovereign bond to fund renewable energy and land use projects generating carbon credits, including due diligence on applicable law, portfolio structuring, funding arrangements, government guarantees and offtake agreements. A first of its kind structure.
Republic of Benin and the African Legal Support Facility, on the development and implementation of a carbon credit framework compliant with the Paris Agreement and voluntary standards, including a toolbox covering licensing, registry and crediting mechanisms, and training workshops for government officials. Also on Benin's Article 6 negotiations with the Government of Norway.
Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi, with the African Legal Support Facility, on a risk review of the country's power purchase agreements across solar, wind and hydropower, including a full legal and regulatory analysis of the power sector, a risk report and matrix for each project, and a capacity building programme on implementing power projects from inception to signing.
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, with the African Legal Support Facility, on the initial phase of a Logistics Port Development, reviewing the legal, regulatory and institutional framework for PPP logistics projects and the feasibility study, and recommending an implementation structure ahead of tender.

"Alexander's understanding of the legal framework in various jurisdictions and his excellent communication capability make him stand out and win the trust of the client." - Projects & Energy Chambers Global Guide

Qualifications

German Bar Association, State of Baden-Wuertemberg (Rechtsanwaltskammer Karlsruhe) - Registered as a member of the German Bar Association (mandatory registration to practice law in Germany)
Solicitor (England and Wales)
Legal Consultant – The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department
Millennium Challenge Corporation - Member of the Advisory Council of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (Advisory Council was first established in October 2016; appointed to the inaugural Advisory Council) 10/2016 – ongoing
Dii – Desertec renewable energy initiative North Africa and Middle East 2019 - ongoing
Climate Markets and Investors Association (CMIA) - Elected board member of this industry association 12/2009 – 05/2014
Practicallaw.com - Appointed member of the Consultation Board (Environment) 2012 – 06/2016
German Emissions Trading Association (BVEK) - Board member and later Chairman of the Board 09/2007 – 05/2012

Testimonials

"Partner Alexander Sarac, who heads the firm's Infrastructure Projects and Energy practice in the Middle East, is managing our project. Alex is knowledgeable, professional, calm and measured in response to unexpected developments, and an effective team leader and communicator." Legal 500 MENA 2026

"The senior partner time spent on projects, differentiates the team." Legal 500 MENA 2026

"Super-experienced and always a pleasure to work with, Alex provides clear, pragmatic advice that is really tailored to the needs of the business." Chambers Global 2026

"Alexander's understanding of the legal framework in various jurisdictions and his excellent communication capability make him stand out and win the trust of the client." Chambers Global 2026

"Alexander Sarac is an excellent lawyer and team player who immediately grasps the needs of the client." Chambers Global 2026

"He demonstrates an unparalleled ability to grasp our overarching business objectives and translate them into a legally sound strategy." Chambers Global 2026

Dubai-based Alexander Sarac of Addleshaw Goddard LLP often advises governments and government bodies on power and oil and gas matters in Africa.

"He has the ability to approach an issue both tactically and strategically by envisioning how a transaction will pan out from start to finish." "He has extensive experience of working on complex deals in the energy and infrastructure space and combines his experience of working in Africa with his strong legal technical skills." Chambers 2022

Dubai-based Alexander Sarac frequently acts for governments on energy, infrastructure and oil and gas projects. One client stated: "Alex works flat-out for his clients. His strengths are his logical reasoning, confidence, strategy, patience and passion." Chambers 2019/2020

Alexander advises 'African Governments on oil and gas, renewable energy and transport projects and is equally adept at advising bidders and developers.' He possesses notable experience in PPA negotiations and regulatory matters. Sources praise him as 'he is truly excellent and goes above and beyond.' and “A really good technical lawyer” Chambers 2018/19