Ragia Omran

Practice Areas

Banking, Finance, International Debt Capital Markets

Career

Ragia Omran, Of Counsel, specializes in banking and finance, commercial and corporate law, BOOT/BOT projects, syndicated loan agreements, project finance, joint venture agreements, share purchase agreements, share subscription agreements, shareholders agreements, commercial and real estate mortgage, mergers and acquisitions, tender offers, due diligence, share transfer, restructuring, incorporation and administration of companies, and aviation compensation claims.

With 22 years of experience and having joined ZH in 2012, selected recent examples of the matters that Ragia has handled include:

* Advising the Cotton & Textile Industries Holding Company in the Euro 540 Million Facility Agreements from SACE S.p.A. and the Swiss Export Risk Insurance. (2023)

* Advising the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company SAE in the Green Bonds Refinancing of Benban solar energy project. (2022)

* Advising the Dealers and Joint Lead Managers in the establishment, updates and all issuances under the Arab Republic of Egypt’s USD 20 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme (GMTN). The Dealers and Joint Lead Managers consist of: Banca IMI S.p.A. UK, BNP Paribas UK, Citigroup Global Markets Limited UK, Deutsche Bank AG UK, First Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC, Goldman Sachs International UK, HSBC Bank plc UK, J.P. Morgan Securities Plc UK, Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc UK, the National Bank of Egypt, Natixis, and Standard Chartered Bank UAE. (2015 – to date)

* Advising the Joint Lead Managers in the USD 750 million issuance of Green Bonds by the Arab Republic of Egypt (2020)

* Advising UK Export Finance and JPMorgan in the ca. EUR 1.885 billion loan granted to the National Authority for Tunnels towards the construction of two monorail lines in Cairo (2020)

* Advising UK Export Finance in the EUR 1,885,630,553.20 Exporter Agreements with Bombardier, Orascom and Arab Contractors in relation to the Construction of Two Monorail Lines in Cairo (2020)

* Advising Banque Misr and a syndicate of Egyptian banks in the EGP 1.25 billion syndicated long term facility to Cairo 3A Poultry (2020)

* Advising Bank of Communications Co., Ltd. Hong Kong Branch in the USD 37.5 million loan granted to finance a Boeing aircraft (2019)

* Advising Raya Foods in the EUR 5 million Loan Agreement from EBRD. (2019)

* Advising the consortium of eight lenders led by the Commercial International Bank in Orascom Development Egypt’s Syndicated Loan Agreement and Common Terms and Intercreditor Agreement. (2018)

* Advising Damietta Furniture City on the EGP 765 million Facility Agreement from Banque Misr (2018)

* Advising HSBC Bank plc on the GBP 12,500,000 Term and Revolving Facility Agreement and Egyptian Security Documents granted to Aquaterra Energy Group Limited. (2018)

* Advising Deutsche Bank AG and HSBC (the Lenders) on the Euro 171,014,404.88 BPIAE Facility Agreement (and its Amendment) towards financing EETC’s Beni Suef, Ismailia, Mostasmereen and Tamyelamdeed Electricity Substations. (2017 & 2018)

* Acting as Legal Advisor to the Egyptian Silicon Industries Corporation (the borrower) on the EGP 52 million ESICO Facility Agreement granted by Banque Misr. (2018)

* Advising SFIL (a French société anonyme) in the €171,014,404.88 Facility Agreement between the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company and Deutsche Bank and other banks. (2017)

* Advising Misr Cement Qena on the LE 915 million loan agreement with a syndicate of banks to finance the acquisition on ASEC Cement Minya and ASEC Ready Mix. (2016)

* In cooperation with Allen & Overy (as international counsel), advising BNP PARIBAS FORTIS and SOCIETE GENERALE (lead arrangers and lenders) on the Euro 201 million facility agreement with the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company towards financing of the installation of EETC’s six electricity transmission substations of El Baroud, West Maghagha, Kafr El Zayat Extension, Wadi El Natroun, East Assuit and East Banha. (2016)

* In cooperation with Allen & Overy (as international counsel), advising HSBC Bank plc on the Euro 186 million facility agreement with the EEHC towards the conversion of the 6th of October 600 MW Electricity Generation Plant into combined cycle. (2016)

* Advising HSBC Bank PLC (UK) (as SACE facility agent) HSBC Bank plc and HSBC Bank Middle East Limited (as mandated lead arranger and structuring bank) in the Euro 179,114,962 Facility Agreement towards financing EEHC’s 4,400MW Beni Suef Combined Cycle Power Plant. (2016)

* Advising the Commercial International Bank (as facility agent) and Ahli United Bank SAE, Banque Misr SAE, HSBC Bank Egypt SAE, National Bank of Abu Dhabi PJSC, National Bank of Egypt SAE, and Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait Egypt SAE (as lenders) in the EGP 443 million and USD 61.4 million Debt Refinancing Package to Orascom Hotels & Development. (2016)

* Advising Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications SAE (the borrower) on the US 10 million facility agreement with HSBC Bank Middle East Limited (the lender). (2016)

* Advising El Sewedy Power System Projects SAE (the borrower) on the USD 496,268,000 Syndication Facility Agreement with the National Bank of Egypt (as facility agent), Banque Misr, Arab African International Bank, QNB, and Abu Dhabi National Bank (as lenders). (2016)

* Advising the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) on the USD 50,000,000 Line of Credit Agreement providing the African Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) with a fund for financing trade operations between Arab exports and African imports from African countries eligible to BADEA funding. (2016)

* In cooperation with Allen & Overy (as international counsel), advising the lenders (HSBC Bank plc and SACE S.P.A., the Italian export credit agency) in the Euro 210 million financing and foreign sovereign guarantees of EEHC’s 600 MW simple cycle power generation unit. (2015)

Chambers and Partners ranked Ragia as “Band 2” in Banking & Finance and Capital Markets in 2022 and 2023. She had also been ranked in Banking & Finance in 2021. IFLR1000 ranked Ragia as “Highly Regarded Leading Lawyer” in the Banking and Project Finance practices in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 - and recognized her as one of the “IFLR1000 Women Leaders” in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. The LEGAL 500 ranked her as “Leading Individual” in the Banking & Finance practice in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

She is member of the Egyptian Bar Association since 2002 and has been admitted to the Egyptian Courts of Appeal. She is fluent in Arabic, English, and has a basic proficiency in French.

Ragia achieved the LL.B. from Cairo University’s Faculty of Law in 2001, a Master’s degree in Law, Banking and Finance from Queen Mary College of the University of London in 2003, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania USA in 1994.