Image of Ben Ward

Ben Ward

Partner

Email

Ben.Ward@aoshearman.com

Phone

+971 4 426 7125

Offices

Dubai

V-CARD
Ben is META (Middle East, Turkey and Africa) Head of M&A/Corporate. He has significant experience in a wide range of corporate transactions, including public takeover bids, private acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, strategic investments and venture capital/growth capital investments. 
Ben frequently acts for clients on major complex cross-border deals and has worked in the London and Dubai offices of A&O Shearman. He is recognized as a ""Next Generation Partner"" in the 2024 Legal 500 rankings, and as a ""Rising Star Partner"" in the 2024 IFLR1000 rankings.

Expertise

Industries

Experience

Representative matters

  • A multinational insurance company on its GBP5.6bn acquisition of Friends Life Group.
  • Virgin Money on the acquisition of a GBP1.3bn credit card portfolio from MBNA Europe Bank and its related sale of Virgin Money Cards to MBNA for GBP210m.
  • A multinational financial institution on the sale of its majority stake in NSGB, its Egyptian bank, to Qatar National Bank for USD2.5bn.
  • The Royal Bank of Scotland on the USD17.2bn merger of Alawwal Bank and Saudi British Bank.
  • GEMS Education and the Varkey Group on the sale of a minority stake in GEMS MENASA to CVC Capital Partners (one of the largest ever private equity transactions in the Middle East).
  • 888 Holdings on its contested GBP3.6bn combination with The Rank Group plc and William Hill plc and its proposed GBP898.3m cash and share offer for bwin.party digital entertainment plc.
  • A leading UK consumer business on the GBP700m recapitalisation and restructuring of the business.
  • A global financial institution on the separation, or ring-fencing, of its UK retail banking business into a new UK bank.
  • Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. on its acquisition of the global aviation insurance business of Jardine Lloyd Thompson plc.
  • Saudi International Petrochemical Company on its USD5.9bn merger with Sahara Petrochemicals Company.
  • A global financial institution on various transactions, including the disposal of its global trust solutions business to The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited, the disposal of its global corporate services business to the Vistra Group and the sale of its banking and custody business in the Channel Islands and Cayman Islands to The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited.
  • A multinational insurance company on the disposal of its USD1.4bn Asia Pacific real estate fund management business to J.P. Morgan Asset Management.
  • A global financial institution on the sale of its international trust and wealth structuring business with USD6.5bn of assets under administration to JTC Group Limited.
  • A global financial institution on the disposal of its fully-owned subsidiary in Egypt to Emirates NBD for EUR500m and the disposal of its UK wealth management business to Evolution plc (now part of Investec).

Recognition

“Next Generation Partner
”
Legal 500 UAE 2024 (Corporate and M&A)
“Rising Star Partner”
IFLR1000 UAE 2024 (M&A)

Awards

  • Ben co-led the A&O team advising NatWest Markets plc on the USD17.2bn first-of-its-kind merger of Alawwal Bank and Saudi British Bank which won IFLR’s 2019 Middle East domestic deal of the year. 

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted as solicitor, England and Wales, 2007 

Academic

LLB, University of Law, 2005

BA, University of Cardiff, 2001

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.