Phillip Sacks
Biography
Investment Funds client, Chambers Global 2023
“Phillip is the go-to partner for fund formation in the MENA region.”
Investment Funds client, Chambers Global 2023
Overview
Phillip Sacks leads our Funds practice in the Middle East. He advises financial institutions, fund managers and leading sovereign wealth funds on the structuring, establishment and liquidation of onshore and offshore conventional and Shari'ah-compliant investment funds including private equity funds, credit funds, hedge funds, infrastructure funds, real estate funds and venture capital funds. Mr. Sacks has extensive experience structuring and forming parallel and co-investment vehicles in addition to structuring and establishing carried interest plans for clients. In addition, Phillip also advises on the formation of regulated asset management entities.
Phillip is recommended for the Middle-East wide: investment funds category in Chambers Global and clients commend him for his responsiveness and the quality of his work.
Prior to joining White & Case, Phillip served as an investment funds and asset management partner at another international law firm. His previous experience also includes working as an associate at an international finance center law firm where he practiced the laws of the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Phillip also worked for leading law firms in Australia and Bahrain.
Experience
Representative transactions include advising:
- ADIB Capital and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank on the establishment of a Sukuk fund in the DIFC.
- Alkhabeer Capital on the establishment of a Sharia-compliant private equity fund of funds.
- Alliance Bernstein on the establishment and licensing of an advisory firm in the DIFC.*
- AMP Capital on the establishment of a Sharia-compliant feeder fund for its credit fund.*
- Apollo on the establishment and licensing of an advisory firm in the ADGM.*
- Arcapita on the establishment of several funds, including a US real estate fund.*
- Azimut on several open-ended funds in the DIFC, including a fixed income fund and a public sukuk fund.
- Azimut on the establishment and licensing of fund managers in the ADGM, DIFC and Saudi Arabia.
- A UAE sovereign wealth fund on over US$1 billion of commitments to private investment funds and co-investments.
- Emirates NBD on the establishment of a REIT in the DIFC.*
- Empira on the establishment and licensing of a representative office in the DIFC.*
- Frontier Investment Management Partners on the establishment of several funds, including a logistics fund and a fixed income fund.*
- Gateway Investment Management on the establishment of several funds, including real estate funds in the DIFC and fixed income funds in the Cayman Islands.
- Global Partners on the establishment of a $250 million property development fund.*
- Hamilton Lane in respect of the marketing and offering of fund products in the GCC region.*
- Jadwa Investment on the establishment of several Sharia-compliant funds including a private equity fund and a venture capital fund.*
- KFH on the establishment of several US real estate funds.*
- Lakemore Partners on the establishment of several credit and CLO funds, including a US$550 million US CLO equities fund.*
- Lakemore Partners on the establishment of several real estate and hospitality funds, including a US$250 million US hospitality fund.*
- Lesha Bank on the establishment of several Sharia-compliant funds, including a credit fund and a private equity fund.
- Lesha Bank on several fund investments and co-investments.
- Lord Abbett on the establishment and licensing of an advisory firm in the DIFC.*
- Natural Ventures on the establishment and licensing of a fund manager in the ADGM and the establishment of a venture capital fund in the ADGM.
- NBK Capital on the establishment of a $350 million private equity fund.*
- Niyama Capital on the establishment of a private equity and real estate fund structured as a protected cell company in the ADGM.*
- Sweid & Sweid on the establishment of a $250 million property development fund.*
- A UAE sovereign wealth fund, on the establishment and licensing of a fund manager in the ADGM and the establishment of a venture capital fund in the ADGM.*
*Indicates experience prior to joining White & Case
Trends In Private Credit Funds Structuring - (September 13, 2023)
SCA Updates – Public Offering of Foreign Funds in the UAE – Extension of the Grace Period - (May 16, 2023)
SCA Updates: Marketing Cayman Funds in the UAE - (May 05, 2023)
Establishing Investment Management and Fund Operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi - (March 22, 2023)
SCA Updates Regulations – Marketing Foreign Funds in the UAE - (February 20, 2023)
Dubai data protection authority plans to launch international privacy risk index and update international data transfer mechanisms - (May 05, 2022)
Shortlisted: 'Investment Funds Lawyer of the year' – Legal 500 MENA Awards 2023
Ranked Band 1, Chambers Middle East 2023 (Investment Funds)
"He's a leading lawyer when it comes to investment funds."
Chambers Global 2023
"Phillip is the go-to partner for fund formation in the MENA region."
Chambers Global 2023
"A very dedicated and professional lawyer."
Chambers Global 2023