< Previous20 October 2025law-middleeast.com CALENDAR Upcoming events and key dates for your diary LEGAL CALENDAR NOVEMBER 4 | DUBAI Law Middle East Awards 2025 The inaugural Law Middle East Awards 2025 takes place on November 4 at Palazzo Versace Dubai. This premier gathering for the region’s legal elite is set to be the most prestigious event on the Middle East legal calendar, honouring the best and brightest minds. The shortlist and judges have now been revealed. NOVEMBER 10-14 | DUBAI Dubai Arbitration Week The sixth annual Dubai Arbitration Week returns in November 2025, bringing together the UAE and global arbitration communities. Over 140 events are scheduled for the week by diff erent hosts across venues in the DIFC. Registration is via the Dubai Arbitration Week Calendar. NOVEMBER 18-19 | RIYADH Arab Lawyers Forum The seventh edition of the annual Arab Lawyers Forum aims to bring together legal professionals from both in- house and private practice to share knowledge, tackle key legal, economic, and social challenges in the region, and strengthen ties within the Arab legal community. Law Middle East is the exclusive media partner for this two-day event. DECEMBER 10 | ABU DHABI RESOLVE: Abu Dhabi International Dispute Resolution Forum Back for a fourth edition, this day-long event takes place during Abu Dhabi Finance Week (December 8-11, 2025). It aims to bring together the global legal community with the forces shaping fi nance and the world economy. This year's forum will address emerging legal challenges such as cross- border crypto regulation and AI-driven legal strategy. 2026 | DUBAI Law Middle East Construction Conference: Smart cities, giga-projects and the role of lawyers This engaging half-day event provides an opportunity to unpack some of the hottest topics in construction law in both contentious and non-contentious sides of legal practice. The speakers will explore the latest trends and opportunities shaping the future of construction in the region. This event is aimed at lawyers both in private practice and in-house, as well as construction professionals in related industries. JANUARY 28-30 | ABU DHABI 27th IBA Arbitration Day Abu Dhabi has been selected by the IBA as the host city for the 27th IBA Arbitration Day. ADGM will be supporting the conference which seeks to bring together arbitration practitioners from around the world. 20 November 2025law-middleeast.com CALENDAR LME_Nov2025_20_Legal Calendars_13744010.indd 20LME_Nov2025_20_Legal Calendars_13744010.indd 2027/10/2025 20:2327/10/2025 20:23November 2025 21law-middleeast.com INTERVIEW As the Middle East continues its unprecedented construction boom, driven by ambitious giga-projects and smart city initiatives, understanding the evolving landscape is now more critical than ever. For lawyers, this presents unparalleled opportunities and the chance to be involved in transformative developments, but it also demands a high level of specialisation to navigate its complexities. Join us for an engaging half-day event and an opportunity to unpack some of the hottest topics in construction law. During panel discussions moderated by Law Middle East editor Aishah Hussain, the speakers will discuss the latest trends and opportunities shaping the future of construction in the region. This event will offer plentiful discussion and opportunities for networking. It is aimed at lawyers both in private practice and in-house, as well as construction professionals in related industries. 2026 | DUBAI SMART CITIES, GIGA-PROJECTS AND THE ROLE OF LAWYERS SPONSORSHIP david.bentley@itp.com EDITORIAL aishah.hussain@itp.com CONTACT ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED SCAN TO SECURE YOUR PLACE LME_Nov2025_21_Construction Conference LAW_13740016.indd 21LME_Nov2025_21_Construction Conference LAW_13740016.indd 2127/10/2025 20:2427/10/2025 20:2422 November 2025law-middleeast.com EVENTS In just a few years, Ibrahim Kamalmaz has transformed a personal setback into a pioneering business. As founder and CEO of Titanium Escrow, the fi rst regulated escrow agency in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Kamalmaz has helped channel over $5 billion in transactions—reshaping how global deals are executed from the region. And he quite literally embodies the agency’s name. At the inaugural Law Middle East M&A Summit 2025, Kamalmaz told the audience of over 200 delegates that a motorcycle accident at the age of 22 left him with a titanium rod in his leg, and so the name of his agency—Titanium Escrow—is deeply symbolic. “Titanium has the strongest strength-to-weight alloy known to man, which is the way we have built our escrow system—extremely strong, impenetrable, but precise,” he said. “And as an alloy, where diff erent components fuse together to create one stronger element, it also represents how our team is assembled.” That blend of strength, durability, and precision has defi ned Kamalmaz’s journey from banker to entrepreneur. A decade ago, he spotted a gap in how transactions were handled across the region. “The inspiration came from a personal deal that went bad,” he recalled. “I was buying a car in the UAE, and the seller did not deliver on some of the conditions. That pushed me to dig deeper into the world of escrow—and I realised that institutional corporate transactions were underserved.” A NOVEL IDEA INTO A NEUTRAL CUSTODIAN Back in 2015, Kamalmaz approached the ADGM with a novel idea—a locally regulated escrow service that could meet global standards. Titanium has the strongest strength-to- weight alloy known to man, which is the way we have built our escrow system— extremely strong, impenetrable, but precise Titanium Escrow founder Ibrahim Kamalmaz explores the growing importance of escrow services during the deal process and the benefi ts they off er legal teams, at the inaugural Law Middle East M&A Summit 2025 THE POWER OF ESCROW: PROTECTING DEALS & LEGAL TEAMS By Aishah Hussain LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 22LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 2228/10/2025 13:4328/10/2025 13:43November 2025 23law-middleeast.com EVENTS Working through ADGM’s regulatory sandbox, Titanium Escrow was established. “Since then, we have done over $5 billion of transactions,” he said. “Historically, dollar transactions were routed through London or New York, through corporate service providers or banks. Locally, the manager’s cheque system was, and still is, quite popular—we revolutionised that process. We hold funds in dirhams, dollars, riyals—a wide variety of currencies— and we serve the globe out of Abu Dhabi.” That reach has been remarkable. “We have done transactions between Canada and Singapore, between France and Saudi Arabia, and even domestic UK deals,” he said. “We are not only handling transactions for the UAE, but for the world out of the UAE.” “Based in the UAE, we have grown in tandem with the fi nancial centre to become trusted around the world—a neutral custodian for global deals,” he added. Commenting on shifting perceptions around local escrow capability, he said: “Confi dence in holding funds locally has signifi cantly improved. We are seeing a shift towards viewing the UAE as a fi nancial hub and a safe haven to hold funds.” BUILDING CREDIBILITY, NOT JUST COMPLIANCE The biggest hurdle in launching Titanium Escrow was not regulation or technology—it was education. “People tend to think escrow is only for mega M&A deals, or that it is highly complex,” he said. “But we are fast, low-cost, and highly eff ective. We have handled deals above $100 million, as well as below $1 million. There is no need to look to London or New York for escrow.” Earning the trust of legal teams was never going to be easy in a region used to traditional bank-led processes. “Trust starts with regulation, but it accelerates with reputation,” said Kamalmaz. “We worked closely with ADGM to ensure we hold client money in line with global best practices. Funds are segregated, and even in the event of insolvency, client assets are protected.” But it is his team’s responsiveness that truly sets it apart. “Banks close between 4pm and 6pm,” he said. “We work counsel hours—when a deal needs to close at 2am, we will be there to support it. We provide white glove services.” LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 23LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 2328/10/2025 13:4328/10/2025 13:4324 November 2025law-middleeast.com EVENTS FROM M&A EXITS TO PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS Among Titanium Escrow’s earliest and most complex deals was the exit of online retailer Mumzworld, which required distributions to over 100 benefi ciaries. “We learned quickly how to deal with KYC, correspondent banks, and ensuring every party received their amounts in full,” said Kamalmaz. Since then, Titanium Escrow has handled transactions for some of the world’s largest private equity fi rms, including Brookfi eld Asset Management. “They were acquiring data centres in Oman, and we worked with legal counsel across fi ve jurisdictions to get that deal over the line,” he said. BEYOND THE BIG-TICKET DEALS But the agency’s remit extends far beyond headline-grabbing M&A deals. Titanium Escrow has supported everything from litigation settlements to real estate transactions, and even M&A auctions. “At the moment we have a nine-fi gure litigation case where the matrices shift from being multiple parties to a single court- appointed agent following completion—that is a very unique structure,” he explained. “We are able to structure deals in a way that works for both counsel and clients.” “We are supporting arbitration cases in terms of arbitrator fees and awards,” he continued. “We can set up waterfall mechanisms to ensure lawyers get paid from award distributions. It takes the friction out of payments.” WHEN CRISES CREATE OPPORTUNITY The team’s agility came into sharp focus during the 2023 collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. “We were contacted by multiple private equity and venture capital fi rms who wanted to move their money out quickly,” said Kamalmaz. “We opened accounts for them, and within two to three days, they moved the money. We held the funds in escrow pending new account openings—a lot of that capital has actually been retained in the UAE.” Titanium Escrow also supported UAE proptech platform Stake’s expansion to Saudi Arabia, holding capital drawdowns from Aramco and Mubadala until the company received its licence in the Kingdom. “That allowed them to hit the ground running with all funds available on day one,” he said. THE FUTURE OF ESCROW Looking ahead, Kamalmaz sees technology reshaping how trust is built in transactions. “AI will continue to play a role, especially in drafting clauses and structuring deals,” he said. “As regulation advances, we may eventually hold digital assets alongside traditional currencies.” He also predicted that independent escrow providers will play a larger role in commercial deals, beyond M&A. “We recently helped a Japanese conglomerate buy supplies from the UK via a UAE agent they did not fully trust— our escrow made it possible to complete the transaction smoothly,” he said. As for Titanium Escrow’s next chapter? “We will continue being a white glove service working hand-in-hand with legal counsel to help them get deals over the line,” said Kamalmaz. “Our goal is to reduce friction and make the M&A process smoother. Being able to help drive foreign investment into the UAE and wider region is one of our key value propositions, and we will also continue that.” The Law Middle East M&A Summit 2025 was supported by partners BSA Law, Greenberg Traurig, Morgan Lewis, White & Case, technology partner Datasite, and education partner the University of Birmingham. We hold funds in dirhams, dollars, riyals—a wide variety of currencies—and we serve the globe out of Abu Dhabi LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 24LME_Nov2025_22-24_Events_13740134.indd 2428/10/2025 13:4428/10/2025 13:44Stay ahead with ITP Media’s flagship technology hub, featuring five powerhouse brands: ARABIAN COMPUTER NEWS , EDGE, COMMSMEA, CHANNEL and CHARGED . From breaking tech news to deep-dive insights, we bring you the latest innovations shaping the region. AD_ITP.net_5CoversLaunch_205x275_Approved.indd 1AD_ITP.net_5CoversLaunch_205x275_Approved.indd 130/09/2025 09:3830/09/2025 09:3826 November 2025law-middleeast.com COVER STORY LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 26LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 2627/10/2025 20:2727/10/2025 20:27November 2025 27law-middleeast.com A few years after founding one of Cairo’s top law fi rms, Mohamed Hashish was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain cancer. His story is one of courage, conviction, and devotion to the practice of law RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY By Aishah Hussain Photography by Ajith Narendra PARTNER CONTENT LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 27LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 2727/10/2025 20:2827/10/2025 20:2828 November 2025law-middleeast.com When Mohamed Hashish founded Soliman, Hashish & Partners a decade ago, few could have predicted the scale of what was to come—both professionally and personally. Today, his Cairo-based fi rm is one of the country’s’ most respected independent practices, advising global names from General Electric to Johnson & Johnson. But behind that success lies an extraordinary story of resilience in the face of adversity. In 2017, at the height of his career, Hashish was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. What followed was a battle that tested not only him, but his courage, conviction, and devotion to the practice of law. A SETBACK THAT SPARKED A CAREER When Hashish fi rst set his sights on a legal career, his ambition was not to be a lawyer, but to become a judge. “In Egypt, the Council of State was the only judicial body that hired top graduates,” he tells me when we speak. “I was shortlisted among the top ten in my year, but for reasons beyond my control, they skipped my name. It was devastating. I went into a depression for a while.” Instead of giving up, Hashish channelled that frustration into his fi rst act as a lawyer: suing the very institution that had rejected him. “I fi led a case against the Council of State—and I won,” he says. “That was my fi rst-ever case where I received an award in my favour in the fi rst level of litigation, and then decided to lift it.” It was an early sign of the tenacity that would defi ne his 20-year career. FROM IN-HOUSE COUNSEL TO INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS Hashish began his career in-house at a major automotive company in Egypt. But it was his transition into private practice that shaped his future. At a time when most Egyptian fi rms were still traditional in structure, Hashish had already spotted the transformative power of technology and networks. In 2007, he launched Egypt’s fi rst online legal platform focused on technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT). “I created it myself,” he says. “At that time, nobody was covering TMT law. I built a full legal guide and within months, AT&T reached out and engaged us. That is when I realised—quality content is the best way to attract clients.” Around the same time, Hashish was collaborating with the United Nations to digitise over 5,000 laws and regulations, an eff ort that earned him personal recognition from the UN. “What started as a way to share knowledge I would sleep for 20 hours a day from exhaustion. The few hours I was awake—I worked. Work gave me purpose. It kept me sane COVER STORY LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 28LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 2827/10/2025 20:2827/10/2025 20:28November 2025 29law-middleeast.com with a focus on corporate, projects, and TMT. “Our team is my greatest pride,” he says. “I have been recruiting and training for years. Some of our associates can outperform senior lawyers at much larger fi rms.” A PRINCIPLED INDEPENDENCE While many local fi rms seek tie-ups with global players, Hashish has resisted the rush. “We have been approached by multiple international fi rms,” he reveals. “But we are not in a hurry. We will only partner with the right one—one that aligns with our culture and our clients’ needs.” That independence, he adds, is strategic. “We refer far more work to international fi rms than we receive from them. It is almost a nine-to-one ratio. And we are strict about ethics—if a client comes to us directly after being referred, we always coordinate back with the referring fi rm. We value integrity more than volume.” Such principles have made Soliman, Hashish & Partners one of Egypt’s most respected independent practices, with a client list that includes multinationals became a bridge,” he says. “International fi rms began referring me work, and those relationships shaped the rest of my career.” FOUNDING SOLIMAN, HASHISH & PARTNERS In 2014, after eight years with a leading Egyptian fi rm, Hashish made a pivotal decision: to start his own. “I did not plan to launch a law fi rm,” he admits. “But I wanted to build a place on merit, transparency, and fairness.” Within two years of founding Soliman, Hashish & Partners, he landed his breakthrough client: General Electric (GE). “We had supported Alstom when its grid and power sectors were acquired by GE, and afterwards, GE decided to continue working with us,” he says. “That relationship lasted years. We handled multiple sectors, and provided counsel during its recent three- way spinoff . For me, it was validation that we could play in the same league as any international fi rm.” The fi rm grew quickly—today comprising three partners and more than 30 associates— 2014 The year Mohamed Hashish founded Soliman, Hashish & Partners PARTNER CONTENT LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 29LME_Nov2025_26-33_Cover story _13742000.indd 2927/10/2025 20:2827/10/2025 20:28Next >