About
Tom is a Partner in our Global Transactions team and is based in the UAE.
He advises sovereign, private equity and corporate clients on a broad range of mergers and acquisitions, co-investments and joint ventures.
Tom has extensive experience of cross-border transactions globally and has been recognised as a Rising Star Partner for M&A and private equity in IFLR 1000.
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Additional Information
- Advising leading sovereign wealth funds on their global investment programmes, including:
- investment rounds in growth companies in Europe and North America, and
- direct investments, co-investments and co-underwrites involving Advent, BlackRock, Blackstone, Carlyle, Global Infrastructure Partners, KKR, L Catterton, Permira, Thomas H Lee and other global managers.
- Advising Alpha Dhabi on its acquisition of a stake in Mykonos-based Nammos Group.
- Advising Lunate on its joint venture with BNY Mellon to establish Alpheya, a wealth management technology platform.
- Advising DP World in relation to its $13.9 billion takeover by Port & Free Zone World FZE.
- Advising DP World in relation to its acquisition of feeder shipping businesses operating in the Indian Subcontinent.
- Advising ADNOC on the establishment of an international futures exchange for Murban crude oil in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, in partnership with Intercontinental Exchange.
- Advising Saudi Telecom Company on Western Union's acquisition of a 15% stake in STC's digital payment business, STC Pay.
- Advising Saudi Telecom Company, a major shareholder in Careem, on the $3.1bn sale of Careem to Uber.
- Advising NBK Capital Partners on its acquisition of Polymedic, a Moroccan pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor.
- Advising Invest Bank in relation to a $1.1bn capital restructuring by way of strategic investment from the Government of Sharjah.
- Advising Gulf Capital on the sale of Destinations of the World, the travel accommodation wholesaler, to Webjet, a publicly listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange.
“Tom Lawless is a very strong M&A lawyer, well regarded and highly commercial.”
— Chambers Global 2026: Corporate/M&A, United Arab Emirates
Tom Lawless
Partner
Abu Dhabi Office
Unit 11, Level 6, Al Sila Tower
Abu Dhabi Global Market Square
Al Maryah Island
Abu Dhabi