Michael Hilton

Mr. Hilton regularly represents global financial investors in some of the most complex deals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He has focused his practice on the Middle East for over a decade and advises clients across a number of industries, including private equity, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, financial services, telecom and technology.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the broader region, Mr. Hilton has played a pivotal role in several high-profile, market-shaping transactions, including in matters recognized by legal publications for innovation and impact. He has represented key government-owned institutions and corporates, such as ADNOC, ENOC, DP World, Saudi Telecom Company and OSN, as well as prominent sovereign wealth funds and financial institutions.

In recognition of his outstanding corporate/M&A work, Mr. Hilton is ranked in Band 1 in Chambers Global, in which a source described him as “an excellent lawyer who is commercially aware and shows strong leadership in complex situations.” He was also recently named one of the top 10 corporate and finance lawyers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and ranked the No. 1 private equity lawyer in that region.

Mr. Hilton previously served as the MENA regional managing partner at a Magic Circle firm. In addition to advising a number of government-owned entities and funds, his work prior to joining Skadden includes advising:

• Mubadala Capital on its £560 million acquisition of Witherslack, one of the U.K.’s biggest providers of integrated learning centers for young people with special educational needs
• Luxinva S.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), on the recommended cash acquisition of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC valued at £4.46 billion. The consortium was led by Swedish investment firm EQT Fund Management S.a.r.l. with Luxinva S.A. as co-investor
• OSN on its acquisition of a majority stake in Anghami Inc., which involved OSN providing cash and contributing OSN+ streaming assets to Anghami in exchange for new shares. The deal created the first platform in the MENA region to provide customers with premium movies, TV series and music
• ADNOC:
  • on its entry into a joint venture with Abu Dhabi-based Group 42
  • in relation to its partnership with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) to launch a new Murban petroleum exchange in the Abu Dhabi Global Market - ICE Futures Abu Dhabi
• Al Hilal Bank in relation to a three-way merger with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Union National Bank to create the third-largest bank in the United Arab Emirates at the time, with total assets of $114 billion
• Saudi Telecom Company on:
  • the $3.1 billion sale of ride-hailing business Careem to Uber, the largest-ever technology deal in the region
  • the $865 million sale of PT Axis Telekom Indonesia to PT XL Axiata TBK
• DP World, a leader in global supply chain solutions based in Dubai:
  • on its acquisition of 100% of the Cargo Services Seafreight business from two separate sellers. The transaction involved the indirect acquisition of a majority stake in CN Logistics International Holdings Limited, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange
  • on the acquisition of multiple feeder shipping businesses based in India and the Middle East
  • in relation to the all-cash offer by Port & Free Zone World FZE for the 19.55% of shares in DP World listed on Nasdaq Dubai
• Kuwait Projects Company (Holding) K.S.C.P. on the disposal of its 46.32% stake in Gulf Insurance Group K.S.C.P. to Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited for $860 million
• First Gulf Bank on its merger with National Bank of Abu Dhabi, which created the largest bank in the MENA region
• Emirates National Oil Company on its $6 billion acquisition and delisting of Dragon Oil