Belal Al-Ghazzawi

Practice Areas

Dr. Belal Talal Ghazzawi has been practicing law since 1984. His specialized areas of practice include corporate law, admiralty and maritime law, international business transactions, foreign investments, real estate. Dispute Resolution practice covers litigation, conciliation, mediation and arbitration.

Dr. Belal Ghazzawi's practice encompasses wide range of legal and regulatory issues. He has represented clients on several complex and complicated cases before Shari’ah and Commercial Courts as well local and international arbitration tribunals. He has deposed as legal counsel and expert before several international arbitration tribunals and courts. During the four decades long practice, Dr. Ghazzawi has covered issues related to commercial disputes, corporate law and corporate governance issues, real estate matters, banking & finance issues, succession & inheritance disputes, maritime issues and disputes involving public entities. Besides an active dispute resolution practice, Dr. Ghazzawi oversees review of contracts and agreements, both in Arabic and English.

Career

Dr. Belal Al Ghazzawi’s professional career path was almost predestined due to his familial background, his father having founded Al Ghazzawi Professional Association (GPA) law firm in 1968.

Joining the firm’s Dammam office shortly after completing his first degree at Kuwait University, Dr. Ghazzawi proceeded to the U.S.A. to acquire hands-on experience working in the American legal system for a year at a Florida based law firm. Advancing his legal education with a Master’s in Maritime Law at King Abdul Aziz University, he went even further by attaining a doctorate, with honors, in Islamic Comparative Law at Al Azhar University. Today, in his role as senior managing partner of GPA, Dr. Al Ghazzawi specializes in litigation, arbitration, corporate and international law practice. Besides, he also expanded his specialties covering tax, oil & gas, projects, IP and IT domains.

Professional Memberships

• Saudi Arabian Ministry of Justice Legal Practice - included in the list of approved Arbitrators issued by the Saudi Ministry of Justice.

• Certified member of the commercial arbitration centre GCC countries and nominated as qualified arbitrator.

• American Bar Association (ABA).

• International Bar Association (IBA).

Publications

Contributed a chapter in “Document Retention: An International Review” on Saudi Arabia (2nd ed., 2013) published by Herbert Smith Freehills.

Personal

DOB: October 1, 1963

Place of Birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Marital status: Married

Education:

1984 – Bachelor of Law and Sharia, Kuwait University, Kuwait

1985 - Introduction to U.S. Law, Duke University, and Intensive English language courses, Harvard University, USA

1994 – Master of Law, Maritime Law, King Abdul Aziz University, Saudi Arabia

2001 - Doctor of Laws (Cum Laude), Islamic Comparative Law, Al Azhar University, Egypt

Interests & Hobbies: Horse Riding & Show Jumping

Participated in several national and international competition and events in Horse Riding and Show Jumping

Work Highlights

Dispute Resolution Works:

Advised a group of the heirs of a very well known Saudi family on inheritance under Shari’ah with respect to the dispute that arose between the heirs in relation to their large estate in the amount of approximately SR 18 billion that included companies, commercial agencies, stocks and real estate, negotiating a settlement with the other team of heirs and drafting a detailed settlement agreement between them;

Handled a long pitched dispute between two groups of heirs over their huge estate valued over SR 1 billion spread across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which included several limited liability companies, investments in different jurisdictions and representing our client before several judicial and quasi judicial authorities.

Advising and representing a leading Saudi food industries company on its arbitration case before the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce against a world’s leading Swiss food manufacturing company on claims for financial damages and losses based on breach and unlawful termination of contracts, the value being around $173million, which have been awarded in favor of the Saudi company;

Dr. Ghazzawi led the team of attorneys in one of the landmark arbitration cases that resulted in a settlement with values exceeding SAR 450 million, representing a significant win for the firm and its reputation, as well as for its client.

Corporate Works:

Advising a Spanish-Saudi consortium on its $8.25 billion Phase 2 of the Haramain High Speed Railway Project connecting the two Holy cities of Mecca and Madinah via Jeddah and advising on its overall transaction management in Saudi Arabia and on Shariah law;

Advising a leading Chinese railway construction company as the main contractor on a SR4.5 billion Mecca Metro Project (Al-Mashaaer Al-Muqaddassah Metro) on all its legal issues relating to the Mega Project, drafting various agreements and contracts and coordinating and liasing on behalf of the company with all concerned ministries and agencies;

Advising a mega Saudi development company on its SR2.5 billion rights issue to finance the development of the Jabal Omar project in Mecca and advising from a Shari'ah perspective the legal grounds for the ownership by the company of the lands located on the Omer Mountain facing the Holy Mosque in Mecca for the purposes of Rights Issue;

Advising a company managing one of the four economic cities in the south of Saudi Arabia, encompassing commercial, industrial and residential use, on its overall transaction management and on Shari'ah law;

Advising a company under the commercial arm of the Municipality of Jeddah, on setting up tenders to invite international consortiums in developing various real estate projects known as Jeddah East, and Jeddah Cultural & Social Centre, a 170,000 Square Meters Corniche to be rehabilitated and renovated and the Khozam Palace, a 690,000 Square Meters land and in reviewing and advising on the relevant requests for proposals, the information memoranda, the development agreements and the joint venture agreements, and supervising the required legal due diligences, including advice on the tender process and all regulatory mattes;

Advising Investcorp Gulf Opportunity Fund on various acquisitions in Saudi Arabia, including its acquisition of a majority stake in leading Saudi Arabia jewellery manufacturer and retailer in the context of $280 million;

Advising a French and Spanish consortium on their bids for the operation and management of water and wastewater systems in Riyadh and Jeddah respectively with the Ministry of Water and Electricity and in reviewing and advising on the agreements from Shariah perspective and supervising the due diligence exercise;

Advising a major Saudi company (which is in association with a pioneer international cargo/courier company) on all its Saudi agreements, i.e. the dry lease and wet lease agreements, and all related business agreements as well as in the restructuring of its relationship with its international partner and assisting in the assignments that include spinning off the existing company, creating two different companies and drafting and reviewing all agreements relating to the acquisition of shares, transferring of all the licenses, assets and employees etc. to this company, by obtaining the investment licences that allows the foreign company to hold equity in the Saudi company;

Advising an Austrian industrial company in its two major projects, one for the expansion part of the existing steel making plant and other for a new direct reduction iron facility, both projects were executed through a consortium within the steel plant sites at Saudi Arabia, the value of these projects were in excess of €100 million through a consortium, on its contracts with Saudi entity from a Saudi law perspective and other legal issues with regard to Saudi laws and regulations;

Advising an investment company partnering with a leading telecom company with respect to large equipment projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including reviewing and advising on certain agreements concerning these projects.;

Advising an investment company (part of a consortium with a leading UK mobile company) in the entire process of bidding for the second GSM licence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and on various legal aspects of Saudi law on the bidding process; and

Providing a leading retail franchise operator company with advice on Saudi law concerning contentious and non-contentious matters and their business in Saudi Arabia. The Company is a huge retail franchise operator with more than 70 consumer retail brands across the Middle East and North Africa, Russia, Turkey and Europe. The company currently operates more than 2,800 stores in seven sectors - Fashion & Footwear, Health & Beauty, Food, Optics, Pharmacy, Home Furnishings and Leisure & Entertainment – and employs more than 44,000 people.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Saudi Arabia

Languages Spoken

Arabic - Native

English

French

Experience

Advised a renowned Saudi construction company with respect to several high value construction disputes where including claims for EOT, delay, disruption and prolongation, damages and costs for the rectification of defects, the removal of completely defective works and materials, re-execution of works and replacement of materials and etc. before Saudi courts and arbitration (including arbitrations subject to the ICC Arbitration Rules, arbitrations subject to UNCITRAL and arbitrations subject to the Saudi Arbitration Law).

Education

Awards