Yannick Whorms is exceptionally hard working.
Biography
Yannick Whorms is a local partner in our global Investment Funds group, based in Dubai. He regularly advises leading institutional fund managers, financial sponsors and sovereign wealth funds on the formation and launch of private and public investment funds, co-investment arrangements and joint-venture structures across a broad range of asset classes – including private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure and venture capital. Yannick specialises in the structuring of Shari’ah-compliant investment funds, advising on regional fund marketing and distribution requirements and the implementation of carried interest incentive plans.
Yannick also advises leading institutional and sovereign clients in relation to their deployment of capital into globally-domiciled investments funds, co-investment vehicles and joint venture investment arrangements. He provides ongoing regulatory and corporate advice to a range of open-ended and closed-ended funds and investment managers, including advising in relation to licensing requirements for regulated asset management entities, underlying fund investment structuring and compliance with both local and cross-border requirements.
Prior to joining White & Case, Yannick served as a member of the investment funds and asset management practices of a number of other leading international law firms across Dubai, London and the Cayman Islands.
Experience
Representative transactions include advising:
Fund Formation, Regulatory and Advisory
- An Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund on the establishment and licensing of a regulated fund management entity in the ADGM, and the subsequent formation and launch of an ADGM venture capital fund.*
- ADIB Capital on the establishment and launch of a digital infrastructure fund in the DIFC.
- AllianzGI and Daman Investments in relation to the formation and launch of the UAE’s first onshore UAE umbrella feeder fund, regulated by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority for the purposes of marketing to UAE retail clients.
- Alkhabeer Capital on the establishment of a Shari’ah-compliant private equity fund of funds in the Cayman Islands.*
- Azimut (DIFC) on the formation and launch of several open-ended funds in the DIFC, including a fixed income fund and a public sukuk fund.
- Azimut (UK) and Azimut (DIFC) on the establishment and licensing of regulated asset management entities in the ADGM, the DIFC and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Daman Investments in relation to the formation and launch of the first-to-market End of Service Gratuity Savings Scheme in the UAE, regulated by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
- Emirates NBD Asset Management in relation to a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with BlackRock, in relation to the launch of certain Middle East-focused investment products.
- First Abu Dhabi Bank in relation to the formation and launch of two onshore UAE umbrella investment funds, including an End of Service Gratuity Savings Scheme in the UAE, regulated by in the UAE by SCA and MOHRE.
- Gateway Investment Management Services (DIFC) on the establishment of several funds including real estate funds and the first Incorporated Cell Company fund platform structure in the DIFC, along with certain fixed income funds in the Cayman Islands.
- Global Partners on the establishment and launch of a US$250 million property development fund in the DIFC.*
- Jadwa Investment on the establishment of several Shari’ah-compliant funds including a private equity fund and a venture capital fund.
- Lakemore Partners on the establishment of several credit and CLO funds in the Cayman Islands and in the US, including a US$550 million US CLO equities fund.*
- Lesha Bank in the establishment of several Sharia-compliant funds including a credit fund, a real estate fund, a private equity fund, a healthcare-focused fund and a fund targeting global co-investment opportunities.
- A large regional real estate developer on the establishment of a US$250 million property development fund in the Cayman Islands, for the purposes of holding certain UAE mixed-used commercial real estate.*
Investor Representation
- An Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund in relation to over US$300 million of commitments to evergreen and closed-ended funds.
- A Dubai-based sovereign wealth fund on over US$4 billion of commitments to private investment funds and co-investments.
- A Saudi sovereign wealth fund in relation to their seed investment into a dual-listed exchange traded fund in Ireland and Germany, with exposure to certain Saudi government-issued debt securities and fixed income products.
- Lesha Bank on over US$1 billion of fund investments and co-investments.
*Indicates experience prior to joining White & Case
'...Yannick Whorms [is one of] the primary contacts in the team and [is] very impressive and user-friendly, able to distill the key points and respond promptly to questions from our commercial team who can be demanding.' - Legal 500, Investment Funds: UAE 2025
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)
SCA Updates Regulations – Marketing Foreign Funds in the UAE - (February 20, 2023)