M&A Advisory in Egypt

M&A Advisory in Egypt

Our Cairo branch advises buyers, sellers and investors on acquisitions of Egyptian companies and businesses: share purchases, asset purchases, minority investments and joint ventures. The work is advisory. We structure the transaction, run legal due diligence, draft and negotiate the transaction documents, and sequence the approvals needed before closing.

The legal framework for deals in Egypt

Egyptian companies are primarily governed by Companies Law No. 159 of 1981, as amended, and foreign investment sits within Investment Law No. 72 of 2017, with the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) administering company records and investor services. Since 1 June 2024 Egypt also has a pre-merger control regime: under the Competition Law (Law No. 3 of 2005, as amended by Law No. 175 of 2022) and its executive regulations, a transaction that meets the legal thresholds must be notified to the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) and cleared before it is completed. Where the target is listed, the rules of the Financial Regulatory Authority and the Egyptian Exchange apply as well.

What we check on an Egyptian deal

We first test whether the deal triggers competition review, because that decides the timetable. We then look at the target's corporate records and shareholder approvals, the transfer formalities for its entity form, licences and sector approvals, and the contracts and employment terms that change on a change of control. Signing and closing are sequenced so that conditions precedent are met before money moves. For the surrounding corporate work, see General Commercial & Corporate; if a dispute already exists, see dispute resolution; to scope a transaction, contact our team.

MENA coordination

The firm was founded in Kuwait in 1986 and has a branch in Cairo. It covers MENA matters in cooperation with partner offices in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, and partner offices in Turkey and the United States. Those partner offices are not branches owned by the firm; local licensing and advice are assessed in the relevant jurisdiction.

This page is general information, not advice for a particular entity or transaction.

Frequently asked questions

Does an acquisition in Egypt need competition approval?

Since 1 June 2024, transactions that meet the thresholds in Law No. 3 of 2005, as amended by Law No. 175 of 2022, must be notified to the Egyptian Competition Authority and cleared before completion. Whether a deal meets the thresholds is checked on the parties' own figures.

Which law governs the acquisition of a company in Egypt?

Companies Law No. 159 of 1981, as amended, governs most Egyptian companies, and Investment Law No. 72 of 2017 sets the investment framework. Listed targets are also subject to capital-market rules.

Does the firm act on Egyptian M&A directly?

Yes, through its Cairo branch. The work is advisory: structuring, due diligence, transaction documents and the sequence of approvals.

Other markets

Company Formation in Egypt · Corporate & Commercial Law in Egypt · M&A Advisory in Saudi Arabia · M&A Advisory in the UAE · M&A Advisory in Qatar · M&A Advisory in Oman · M&A Advisory in Bahrain