Sam Habbas

Practice Areas

Aviation

Banking & Finance

Corporate

Mergers & Acquisitions

PPP & PFI Projects

Private Client Services

Private Equity

Oil & Gas

Career

As the Senior Partner at ASAR, Sam has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm's trajectory since 1988 when he established its international division. Under his stewardship, ASAR's international division has flourished, evolving into a premier legal practice renowned for its excellence.

Sam's expertise as a seasoned corporate lawyer spans a diverse array of fields, including corporate and commercial law. He serves as trusted advisor and lead counsel to a myriad of esteemed local and foreign multinational clients, offering invaluable guidance on commercial, banking and finance, aviation finance, mergers and acquisitions, oil and gas, energy projects, and infrastructure projects, as well as multi-jurisdictional corporate transactions.

In addition to his corporate endeavors, Sam leads ASAR's specialist private clients practice, where he provides bespoke counsel to leading family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals. His advisory extends to their personal, business, and philanthropic affairs, as well as governance and succession matters. Sam's influence extends beyond counsel; he has been instrumental in establishing new family offices and continues to provide strategic guidance to families with longstanding legacies.

Through his unwavering commitment to excellence and dedication to client success, Sam has solidified his reputation as a trusted legal advisor, garnering admiration and respect from peers and clients alike.

Languages Spoken

English and Arabic

Experience

Private Client Transactions: Sam has led on a multitude of private client transactions on behalf of various family offices, ultra-high net worth individuals and families in connection with the accumulation, management, transfer and protection of personal wealth. Private client transactions attended to by Sam include, among others: Family governance and inter-generational wealth transfers: advising family businesses on long term family governance structures, including the setup of family councils/boards and family constitutions; Specialized assets and collectibles: negotiating the acquisition and/or sale of high value moveable and real estate assets and unique collectibles (e.g., art, artefacts and luxury assets), planning for the succession and preservation of collectibles; Philanthropy: arranging the structuring of philanthropic and charitable endeavors, including the structuring and establishment of trusts and legal entities; and Family disputes and arrangements: disputes involving family originated businesses and pre-dispute assistance, such as family settlements.

USD3.4-billion Acquisition of Kuwait Food Company (Americana): Advised the purchaser of a 93.4% stake in Kuwait Food Company (Americana), a then Kuwaiti listed entity. This was a complex public acquisition transaction with a record-breaking deal value of approximately USD-3.4-billion. The transaction set several precedents and landmarks in addition to winning the prestigious IFLR M&A Deal of the Year Award for 2017.

ECA Financing: Advising a syndicate of lenders consisting of seven export credit agencies in relation to the financing of Kuwait National Petroleum Company Clean Fuels Project. The overall cost of the project is KWD3.4-billion (USD11.35-billion), and is part of the Kuwait’s KWD30-billion (USD100-billion) economic development plan.

Az Zour North Phase 1 – Independent Water and Power Producer (IWPP) Project: Advised the government of Kuwait on the groundbreaking Az Zour North Phase 1 IWPP PPP Project. This power and water desalination plant is now fully operational and will ultimately supply 1,500 megawatts (MW) of electricity and 102 million gallons of water per day. Having reached financial close in December 2013 with both public and private stakeholders on board, the Al-Zour North Phase 1 IWPP is the first project to be successfully procured by the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP), the main body responsible for implementing projects on a PPP basis and the Ministry of Electricity and Water under Kuwait’s IWPP PPP Law.

Education