Mohamed Samy
Mohamed Samy
Partner
Mohamed is a Partner in Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy’s Arbitration group. With over 10 years of experience, he specializes in managing complex, cross-border and high-stakes commercial and investor-state arbitrations. He has advised and represented both regional and international clients in disputes across various legal systems and sectors, under the auspices of numerous arbitration institutions, including ICSID, ICC, LCIA, DIAC, CRCICA, UNCITRAL and ad hoc tribunals. Furthermore, Mohamed is a teaching assistant of International Economic Law in Cairo University.
Practice Focus
Mohamed focuses his practice on resolving international and domestic disputes, focusing on oil and gas agreements, mergers and acquisitions, construction, distribution, telecommunications, international investment, private equity, hotel management, shareholders disputes, and various commercial and corporate conflicts. He also works on annulment and enforcement proceedings of domestic and foreign arbitral awards before Egyptian courts.
Recent Rankings
Selected Recent Experience
- Representation of GB Auto in connection with an investment arbitration case against Algeria under the UNCITRAL Rules, based on the Egypt-Algeria BIT. This arbitration case concerns GB Auto’s investment in Algeria in the field of automotive industry and dealership, and Algeria’s measures that have affected GB Auto’s investment there.
- Representation of ZPEC Egypt LLC, a Chinese global market leader in the oil & gas industry, in connection with an EGP 170 million arbitration proceedings against a leading agribusiness company regarding unpaid invoices and failure to provide contractually guaranteed minimum of work.
- Representation of Phoenix, a globally leading company specializing in steel mill services, against a major steel company in the Middle East, and successfully secured a favourable arbitral award valued at more than AED 77 million, plus 9% interest until full payment, as well as full reimbursement of our client’s arbitration costs, totaling USD 1.8 million.
- Representation of a leading Egyptian offshore marine services provider in connection with a DIFC-LCIA arbitration against a listed Chinese contractor in connection with a subcontract for subsea construction works on a major energy project in Saudi Arabia. The dispute, governed by Saudi law, involves claims and counterclaims originally totaling USD 73 million.
- Representation of a global dairy industry leader in connection with a dispute against a prominent Egyptian businessman involving the management of a group of joint ventures in Egypt producing dairy products. The dispute concerns alleged mismanagement, embezzlement of company funds, and document forgery by the counterparty. It includes potential arbitration claims under a shareholders’ agreement, as well as possible criminal proceedings and related actions before Egyptian courts and regulatory authorities.
- Representation of a key player in Egypt’s petroleum sector in an LCIA arbitration governed by English law, involving a dispute between the company’s shareholders. The engagement focuses on mitigating the impact of the dispute, ensuring the smooth transfer of shares following an arbitral award or settlement, and safeguarding the company’s continued operations and strategic role in the industry.
- Representation of a group of high-profile Arab investors and their investment vehicle in connection with a complex, multi-party arbitration concerning their investments in an Egyptian agribusiness group. The dispute arose out of a shareholders’ agreement and involved claims and counterclaims exceeding EGP 250 million. The tribunal dismissed all claims and counterclaims in a final award.
- Representation of SEGAS, an owner and operator of a liquefied natural gas complex in Damietta, Egypt, in its ICC arbitration dispute against the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (“EGAS”) and the subsequent amicable settlement of the dispute between the concerned parties. This dispute arose out of the Tolling Agreement entered into between SEGAS and EGAS due to EGAS’s failure to supply natural gas to SEGAS’s plant. A leading Spanish Gas Company, Union Fenosa Gas, owns around 80% of SEGAS’ share.
- Representation of Egyptian Resorts Company (ERC) – a leading real estate developer – in connection with an ad hoc arbitration administered by CRCICA concerning a dispute over a Red Sea touristic development. The dispute involves a claim of approx. EGP 1.8 billion alleging breach of the master plan, and a counterclaim of approx. EGP 40 million filed by ERC for outstanding dues and unauthorized alterations to the development contract.
- Representation of a globally leading company specializing in steel mill services successfully against a major steel company in the Middle East in an arbitration under the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre, seated in Abu Dhabi and governed by the laws of the UAE, concerning the construction of new line and the provision of certain technical services in a manufacturing plant owned by the counterparty. The award exceeded USD 20 million.
- Representation of a major Qatari company in connection with a multi-million dollar dispute against a major European company concerning a shareholders dispute in a dispute under LCIA Rules, governed by Qatari law.
- Representation of Union Fenosa Gas in connection with Egyptian law issues concerning a multi-billion dollar claim against an Egyptian state entity for its failure to perform its contractual obligations under a Natural Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement signed between them. The dispute included different arbitration proceedings filed by the Spanish Gas company against the Egyptian State Entity at Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) and another proceeding registered with ICSID against the Egyptian Government. The total value of the claims was over USD 2 billion.
- Representation of Etisalat in connection with a complex and high-profile interconnection dispute filed by another significant telecommunication company at CRCICA, and successfully obtaining an arbitral award of more than EGP 700 million for Etisalat.
- Representation of EIIC in connection with an ICC arbitration seated in London and successfully obtaining an award with a total value of over USD 75 million
- Representation of a major Middle Eastern investor in connection with LCIA arbitration in London regarding corporate dispute.
Education
Queen Mary University of London (UK): PhD in International Invetsment Law.
2024
University of Cambridge (UK), Master of Laws: LL.M.
2019
Cairo University, Faculty of Law, Master of Laws: LL.M.
2017
Cairo University, Faculty of Law, English Section: LL.B. with High Honors.
2015