Biography
Sonia is a partner in the EMEA Corporate and M&A practice. Sonia regularly represents clients on a range of transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, restructurings and other corporate matters.
Sonia is recognised as a Next Generation Partner for Corporate and M&A by Legal 500.
Sonia won the "Emerging Leader Award" at the M&A Advisor 2023 Awards and was named 'Corporate Lawyer of the Year' by LexisNexis Middle East Women in Law Awards 2022.
Sonia joined the Dubai office of White & Case in 2016. Prior to joining White & Case, Sonia worked for a Magic Circle firm in its London and Dubai offices.
Experience
Representative transactions include advising:
- Saudi Aramco on a US$11 billion lease and leaseback deal, involving its Jafurah gas processing facilities, with a consortium of international investors led by funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), part of BlackRock.
- Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) on the agreement to increase its ownership stake in Olam Agri Holdings Limited (Olam Agri) from 35.4% to 80.01% for approximately US$1.78 billion.
- Mubadala on the acquisition of 80% majority stakes in Global Medical Supply Chain (GMSC) and Al Ittihad Drug Store (IDS) from GlobalOne Healthcare Holding (GHH) (a subsidiary of YAS Holding).
- Mubadala Investment Company on the acquisition of KELIX bio, a leading pharmaceutical group, from the EBRD, British International Investment and Development Partners International.
- State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) on the acquisition from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) of a 3% participating interest in the Umm Lulu, Satah Al Razboot (SARB), Bin Nasher and Al Bateel offshore concession located in the United Arab Emirates.
- Magellan Capital, a leading investment holding company, on the acquisition of Danish Ship Finance, a company specialising in the provision of loans for shipping companies, which is owned by The Danish Maritime Fund, Axcel, PFA, and PKA.
- Saudi Aramco on the acquisition of a 40% stake in Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd. GO operates a network of retail stations in Pakistan comprising approx. 1,060 sites and was the first of its kind to launch electric vehicle charging stations in Pakistan.
- SNB Capital (SNBC) on a primary subscription and secondary acquisition in Tamara, a leading buy-now-pay-later business.
- ZMI Global on the high-profile sale by Hassan El Ali of 100% of the shares of ZMI Global to ADNOC Logistics & Services Company.
- Saudi Aramco on the US$15.5 billion sale and a lease and leaseback arrangement involving its gas pipeline network with a consortium led by BlackRock Real Assets and Hassana Investment Company, the investment management arm of the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) in Saudi Arabia.
- Saudi Aramco on its US$12.4 billion sale and a lease and leaseback arrangement involving its oil pipeline network with a consortium led by EIG Global Energy Partners (EIG).
- United Arab Chemical Carriers, an international shipping company, on its announced merger with United Overseas Group.
- ADNOC in connection with the sale of a 40% stake in ADNOC Oil Pipelines to a consortium comprising of Blackrock and KKR for US$4 billion.
- ADNOC in connection with its strategic partnership with Baker Hughes, a GE Company (BHGE:NYSE), in connection with ADNOC's subsidiary, ADNOC Drilling. The transaction also involved BHGE acquiring 5% of ADNOC Drilling for US$550 million.
- United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), the Dubai-headquartered container shipping business, and its majority shareholders Qatar Holding and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia on its announced multi-billion dollar merger with German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd, one of the largest M&A deals ever in the MENA region.
- Masdar on its acquisition from ib vogt GmbH (ib vogt) of a 50% interest in Infinity 50 for Renewable Energy SAE, an Egyptian company that develops, constructs and operates solar projects under the feed-in-tariff program launched by the Egyptian government.
- Masdar, the Abu Dhabi-owned energy company, on its joint venture with Infinity Energy, Egypt's leading renewable energy developer, to develop utility-scale and distributed solar energy and wind power projects in Egypt and Africa.
Next Generation Partner: Corporate and M&A - Legal 500, 2026
Winner: Emerging Leader Award - The M&A Advisor, 2023
Corporate Lawyer of the Year - LexisNexis Middle East Women in Law Awards 2022