Ex-Dewey Dechert team finalises Glencore Africa acquisition in first deals at new firm

Friederike Heine | Legal Week

Dechert’s recently hired emerging markets team from Dewey & LeBoeuf – led by capital markets veteran Camille Abousleiman – has completed its first deals since the move, including a $480m (£306m) Africa acquisition by Glencore.

Emerging markets team acts on high-value Africa deals for Dechert

Dechert’s recently hired emerging markets team from Dewey & LeBoeuf – led by capital markets veteran Camille Abousleiman (pictured) – has completed its first deals since the move, including a $480m (£306m) Africa acquisition by Glencore.

The team has advised on two corporate deals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Morocco within the past month, with Abousleiman leading a team opposite Linklaters on Glencore’s purchase of a majority stake in one of its mining interests in the DRC.

Dechert acted for the sellers, Congolese company High Grade Minerals, which instructed Abousleiman and his team – which included fellow London partner Simon Briggs – while they were still at Dewey. The deal has seen Glencore increase its ownership of the Mutanda copper mine to over 75%.

Linklaters London corporate partner David Avery-Gee took the lead role for longstanding client Glencore.

The other recently completed deal saw Abousleiman advise Lebanon’s Bank Audi on the sale of a majority stake in LIA Insurance to Moroccan company Saham Finances.

The transaction was valued at $100m (£64m). Saham was advised by a team from Allen & Overy’s recently launched Morocco office led by corporate partner Hicham Naciri.

Abousleiman commented: “I have worked for nearly 20 years on a variety of transactions with Bank Audi, the largest bank in Lebanon and a major regional financial institution.”

Abousleiman and Briggs were among eight partners to join Dechert from Dewey last month, including a five-partner Dubai team led by corporate partner duo Gavin Watson and Chris Sioufi.

For more, see Dewey exodus continues as Dubai team and London partner duo join Dechert.