International Investments, Private Direct Investments, Family Offices and M&A in the UAE

Legal support of international investments, transactions for the purchase and sale of businesses, joint ventures, direct private investments, venture capital and family offices in the United Arab Emirates

— About practice

Investments require structure, not just transactions.

International investment begins long before the signing of a business purchase agreement.

An effective investment structure determines capital protection, corporate governance, tax model, financing mechanism, investor rights, procedure for exiting the project and the possibility of further scaling the business.

Erich Rath assists international investors, investment funds, family offices, strategic buyers and multinational corporations in implementing investment projects in the UAE, combining corporate structuring, transaction support, regulatory advice and investor protection.

— When practice is needed

We support projects if the company:

  • acquires a business in the UAE
  • sells a company or asset
  • attracts a strategic investor
  • creates a joint venture
  • structures international investments
  • opens a family office
  • creates a direct private investment fund
  • invests in technology companies
  • carries out corporate restructuring before the transaction
  • implements an international investment project

— Expertise

Main directions

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)

Comprehensive support for transactions involving the purchase, sale and merger of companies.

  • purchase of shares
  • purchase of assets
  • sale of business
  • business acquisition
  • cross-border M&A transactions
  • management buyout (MBO)
  • management entry into capital (MBI)
  • corporate acquisitions

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

Legal support for foreign investors when creating and acquiring a business in the UAE.

  • foreign direct investment
  • investment structuring
  • investment instruments
  • corporate structuring
  • investment protection
  • cross-border investments

Direct private investment

Support of investment funds and private investors.

  • private equity investment
  • growth capital
  • leveraged buyout (LBO)
  • minority investment
  • majority investment
  • portfolio investments
  • exit strategy

Venture capital

Legal support of venture investments.

  • venture capital
  • seed investments
  • Series A round
  • Series B round
  • convertible loans
  • SAFE agreements
  • founders' agreements
  • investment rounds

Joint ventures

Creation of joint ventures for international investment projects.

  • joint venture structuring
  • joint venture agreements
  • shareholder agreements
  • corporate governance
  • exit mechanisms
  • deadlock resolution

Family offices

Creation of investment structures for international capital management.

  • family office structuring
  • holding companies
  • investment holding
  • capital structuring
  • family management
  • investment platforms

Investment agreements

Preparation of legal documentation for investment projects.

  • share purchase agreements (SPAs)
  • shareholders agreements (SHAs)
  • investment agreements
  • subscription agreements
  • option agreements
  • convertible instruments

Due Diligence

Comprehensive legal due diligence of investment properties.

  • due diligence
  • corporate due diligence
  • regulatory due diligence
  • compliance check
  • commercial risk assessment

Integration after M&A

Legal support of the business after the completion of the transaction.

  • corporate integration
  • implementation of corporate governance
  • business restructuring
  • management integration
  • compliance integration
  • operational synchronization

Exit from investment

Development of an exit strategy from an investment project.

  • going out of business
  • secondary sale
  • sale of shares
  • preparation for IPO
  • management buyout
  • exit structuring

— Results

Relevant experience

Legal support for the acquisition of a business in the UAE by an international company

Creation of an investment platform for a private equity fund

Structuring an international transaction between investors from Europe, the UAE and Asia

Preparing a family office corporate structure for managing international assets

Comprehensive support for a joint venture in the industrial sector

Conducting due diligence before acquiring a manufacturing company

Supporting the sale of a business to a strategic investor

Reorganization of an international group of companies after the completion of an M&A transaction

— Who do we help?

We accompany international companies operating in the following sectors:

  • industrial production
  • energy
  • oil and gas sector
  • infrastructure
  • construction
  • technologies
  • artificial intelligence
  • fintech
  • digital assets
  • healthcare
  • pharmaceuticals
  • logistics
  • aviation
  • maritime sector
  • real estate
  • hotel sector
  • direct private investment
  • venture capital
  • family offices

— Advantages

Why Erich Rath

  • 01support of international transactions between Europe, UAE, UK, North America, Asia and CIS countries
  • 02integration of M&A, corporate structuring, regulatory support and investment strategy
  • 03support of the full investment cycle - from deal structuring to business integration
  • 04experience in supporting strategic investors, investment funds, family offices and international holdings
  • 05legal solutions focused on preserving business value, protecting investments and long-term growth

— FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. We support the acquisition of companies, participation interests, assets and international businesses, including transaction structuring, due diligence, preparation of documentation, negotiations and completion of the transaction.

Yes. We assist foreign investors, international corporations, investment funds, family offices and private investors in implementing projects in the UAE.

Review of corporate structure, licenses, contracts, litigation, regulatory requirements, intellectual property, labor relations, material risks and other factors affecting the investment decision.

Yes. We support the structuring of joint ventures, the preparation of a joint venture agreement, shareholder agreement, corporate governance mechanisms and the withdrawal of participants from the project.

Yes. We support corporate preparation, restructuring of the corporate structure, elimination of legal risks, preparation of data room for legal review and support of negotiations with potential investors.

— Discuss the project

Tell us about your task

Erich Rath assists international investors, corporations, private equity and venture capital funds, and family offices on investment projects in the UAE, helping to structure transactions, protect capital and create sustainable corporate models for long-term business development.