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Yassir Ghorbal

Partner

Email

yassir.ghorbal@aoshearman.com

Phone

+212 520478000

Offices

Casablanca

V-CARD
Yassir has a broad practice covering mergers & acquisitions, capital markets, litigation and arbitration. He advises clients on complex and cross-border transactions and disputes in Africa and the Middle-East, with a deep understanding of the legal and business environment in these regions.
Yassir has a particular expertise in OHADA law, and advised clients on various aspects such as corporate governance and foreign investments. He also has extensive experience in litigation and arbitration and has represented clients before the courts and arbitral tribunals in various matters.

Yassir's clients include multinational corporations, private equity funds, financial institutions and sovereign entities. He has been involved in some of the most significant and high-profile deals and cases in Africa and the Middle-East, delivering value and impact for his clients. He is recognized as a leading lawyer for dispute resolution by Legal 500 EMEA in Morocco.

Experience

Representative matters

  • Agence Spéciale Tanger Méditerranée on the acquisition from the Moroccan State of a 35% stake of Société d’Exploitation des Ports – known as Marsa Maroc, a Moroccan listed company on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, for a total amount of MAD 5.48 billion, approx. USD 613 million.
  • Agence Spéciale Tanger Méditerranée (TMSA) on the merger of its two subsidiaries Tanger Med Port Authority S.A. and Tanger Med 2 S.A.  a pool of Moroccan institutional investors on their acquisition from the Wilmar group of its entire stake in Cosumar S.A., a company listed in the Casablanca Stock Exchange, representing 30.05% of the share capital, in consideration of a price of circa. USD 600 million.
  • Lesieur Cristal, a company listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange, on the acquisition of the African assets of Groupe Avril as well as the licensing of the group's brand portfolio, Lesieur table oils and condiments, Puget olive oil, as well as the licensing rights for the exploitation of its trademarks on the entire African continent. 
  • Cooper International FZ LLC, Dubai based subsidiary of Cooper Pharma (a Moroccan company), on its acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Sanofi Aventis Arabia Company Ltd., a production pharmaceutical facility based in King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia, from Sanofi.
  • the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco as well as a consortium of the country’s leading banks Attijariwafa bank, Bank of Africa and Banque Centrale Populaire in connection with the setting up, in collaboration with Recipharm AB, of Sensyo Pharmatech S.A, of a contract manufacturing organization dedicated to Morocco and Sub-Saharan Africa for the development and operation of a new fill & finish vaccines and biologics facility in Morocco involving a global investment of EUR300 million. 
  • Akwa Africa on its acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Total Mauritanie from TotalEnergies Marketing Afrique.

Recognition

“an excellent technician for public M&A”
Chambers and Partners Global Morocco, 2020, Corporate/Commercial
“Yassir Ghorbal has a versatile practice covering real estate, litigation and corporate law, backed up by 25 years in the market.”
Chambers and Partners Global Morocco, 2019, Corporate/Commercial

Qualifications

Admissions

Admitted to the Casablanca Bar, 2008

Academic

Executive MBA – ESCP-Europe, Paris, 2003

Certificate in Business Law, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, 1993

Certificate in Civil Law, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, 1992

Post Graduate Degree in Private Law, majoring in Insurance Law, Université Hassan II, Casablanca, 1991

Languages

Arabic, English, French
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.