ABOUT ME

Taris Ahmad

Email : taris[at]talegal.eu Mobile: +966 503 49 7667 • +44 7944 832 372

LLB, LLM, MCIArb, Diploma International Arbitration Law, Solicitor-Advocate (England & Wales) & Rechtsanwalt (Germany)

Taris is a dual-qualified English and German lawyer with extensive experience in Saudi Arabia since 2008. Educated at the London School of Economics, King‘s College and the College of Law, he interned with the German-Saudi Arabian Liaison Office in Riyadh sparking a lasting connection to the region.

He qualified as a Solicitor with Allen & Overy LLP in London and Riyadh and worked with another international law firm in Saudi Arabia. Since 2015, he has run his own practice serving European and Saudi Arabian clients.

Additionally, Taris has a longstanding commitment to public service and served the European Commission in Brussels in the Cabinet of the German Commissioner Günther Oettinger on Energy Security Relations and participated in the drafting of legislation. He supports charitable projects in Rwanda and is passionate about Arabic language and Middle Eastern history, having studied modern standard and classical Arabic in Rabat and Amman.

CORPORATE LAW

Secured the release of SAR 10,000,000 of trapped cash of TipTop GmbH (Saudi branch), a subsidiaryof the German company, Rema Konzern.
Represented shareholders in a share sale negotiation of a Saudi Aramco GES+ company
Managing group structures and subsidiaries globally maintaining corporate compliance with local laws.
Represented the Saudi Branch of a German Mittelstand company in respect of Saudi corporate and governance matters.
Carried out the global restructuring of a London based technology company, setting up new entities and holding structures, coordinating share sales, notarisations and tax advice.
Drafting joint venture agreements and share sale agreements for foreign direct investments internationally.
Advised two Saudi companies on their pre-IPO preparations focussing on corporate governance, prospectus and legal due diligence matters.
Advised a Saudi purchaser on its purchase of a CMA-regulated entity and governance themes.
Advised universities, educational establishments, authors, publishing houses and charities on training, consultancy, licensing and publishing agreements.

INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES

Lead Counsel in a € 2,000,000 ICC arbitration for the largest water factory in the Middle East Alzamil for Industry, Transport and Trade over an engineering fault in a German factory installation. Achieved outstanding award for over € 1,000,000 plus source code and after-sales agreements.
Lead Counsel in an ad hoc LMAA arbitration under a MYBA Charter Agreement for a London based HNWI winning a full repayment of the Charter Fee including damages, legal and arbitrator fees.
Lead Counsel in an ICC Arbitration representing a German engineering company in its dispute against Cayman Island and Saudi private equity funds, achieving a settlement for the full amount sought.
Led the coordination of multi-jurisdictional litigation before the London commercial court, Saudi Arabia, Panama and Ireland for the heirs of Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Al-Mansouri discovering assets worth USD 30,000,000. Quoted in Bloomberg and Washington Post.
Successfully submitted a complaint before the Saudi Capital Market Authority for infringement of the Capital Market Law and its Implementing Regulations.
Managed a large e-discovery project in Saudi Arabia in relation to a cross-border dispute before the English courts.
Lead Counsel in a dispute under ICRD Rules and English law representing Saudi construction contractor in a dispute with a US defence construction company over a cyber security breach.

GOVERNMENT ADVISORY

Drafted Cabinet policy proposal on European energy strategy in the EastMed for the Commissioner. The proposal resulted in a considerable policy innovation.
On a daily basis reviewed and amended European legislation and state aid decisions at the Cabinet of the European Commissioner.
Part of the team that drafted the Saudi Housing Law and Saudi Mortgage Law.

AREAS OF FOCUS

Corporate Law
International Disputes

Government Advisory

LANGUAGES

English (native), German (native)

EDUCATION

International Bar Association & The College of Law (Diploma in International Arbitration Law 2011); King’s College London (LL.M. 2006); London School of Economics (LL.B. 2005)