Arbitration

The Firm’s scope relating to hotel management disputes includes: [the next bullets especially agency and real estate cannot be related to hotel management]

• Proceedings related to tax and insolvency;
• Disputes related to construction and real estate;
• Disputes related to shareholders’ agreements;
• Disputes related to domestic and international commercial arbitrations, as well as investment treaty arbitrations; and

• Successfully defended the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against Lagardère Sports (“Lagardère”) in ICC Emergency Arbitration proceedings initiated by Lagardère in connection with the termination of a 28-year USD 1 Billion contract for the commercial exploitation of CAF Competitions;
• Representing CTIP Oil & Gas UAE in a case in which the client and National Gas SAE, CTIP’s Egyptian subsidiary and Egypt’s petroleum regulatory authority, commonly referred to as the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) entered into an agreement for the Transmission of Natural Gas to Residential, Commercial and Industrial Areas and Power Stations in the Governorate of Sharkeya.
• Representing a Canadian upstream Oil & Gas company in two CRCICA arbitrations arising out of the contract for the provision of drilling and overwork rig.
• Representing one of the leading companies in the construction industry in an arbitration under the CRCICA rules relating to a construction contract (“FIDIC”) regarding the renovation of an international school.
• Representing an owner of a mega-corporate and residential complex project in a construction arbitration concerning the completion of concrete works of the project’s first phase.
• Acting for a major Korean heavy industries company in all disputes associated with a contract (FIDIC) entered into with the international consortium responsible for the building and operation of one of the Egyptian ports. with successful enforcement of interim measures before the Egyptian courts.
• Representing a German investor, in an arbitration case under international institutional rules, against the Arab Republic of Egypt. The dispute relates to the distortion of the cement market in Egypt, and unfair competition by state-owned enterprises.
• Advising the Arab Company for Tourism Projects (ACTP) – owning company of Cairo Sheraton – on managing their relationship with Sheraton, particularly during the phase of the hotel revamp and associated disputes with the contractors.
• Representing a major international hotel management company in a dispute under the CRCICA rules concerning breaches of an international management contract; as well as successfully settling other similar disputes.
• Representing Doosan Heavy Industries and Constructions in a case where it is believed that, for the first time, an Egyptian court has recognized and enforced an interim measures order issued by a foreign arbitral tribunal–in an ICC dispute between a South Korean industrial group and the developer of Damietta port in northern Egypt that ended in a more than USD72 million award.
• Acting as co-counsel to Gesenu S.p.A against the Arab Republic of Egypt before ICSID over the expropriation (among other things) of its business in Egypt.
• Representing Qatari Diar in the biggest tax evasion case in the real estate market initiated by the Egyptian Tax Authority regarding the alleged evaded income tax and associated penalties EGP 6.5 Billion for a share transaction that took place in 2014.
• Representing investors before the Ministerial Committee on Investment Dispute Resolution in disputes where the State or one of its bodies or authorities is a party (or involved), concerning expropriation and rightful ownership of mass areas of lands.
• Acting as local co-counsel for a major Japanese trading company in contractual disputes under the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Grain and Feed Trade Association
• Representing a Claimant in an arbitration case against one of the developers in the UAE before the Dubai International Arbitration Center (DIAC). . The case, governed by UAE laws, revolved around a failed residential project and the Claimant’s right to terminate the purchase agreement and the restitution of paid amounts.
• Representing a major Saudi investor in two CRCICA arbitrations, filed against one of the biggest Egyptian publicly listed conglomerates providing financial services in the region related to cross-border major transactions involving the acquisition of shares and debt-equity agreements.
• Representing a Saudi construction company in a multi-million-dollar dispute under the ICC rules against an international conglomerate. This dispute relates to major Saudi gas project governed by Saudi laws.
• Acting for Tantalum International Ltd and Emerge Gaming Ltd. (Australia) in an arbitration case concerning the unlawful actions taken by the Egyptian State against Australian investments in two mining projects: a gold exploration venture at Wadi Allaqi and a tantalum, tin, and feldspar mining project at Abu Dabbab. These investments were made by Australian companies Gippsland Ltd. (later renamed Arrowhead Resources Ltd) and its subsidiary, Tantalum International Limited.
• Representing Abbott in a CRCICA arbitration filed against Egyptian International Medical Center E.I.M.C. and North Africa Holding Company for breach of a Distributorship Agreement for certain medical products.  The Tribunal issued an award in favor of Abbott in the approximate amount of EGP100 Million. In particular, Georges assisted with an innovative argument whereby the Tribunal was convinced to deduct any payments made from the accrued interests and not from the original claimed amount.
• Representing a major US industrial automation company in a DIFC-LCIA arbitration, governed by UAE Laws, concerning breaches of a distribution agreement.
• Representing an upstream company in an Oil and Gas arbitration saga arising out of one contract for works, particularly, well drilling and workover. The Firm succeeded in dismissing the entire claim for compensation for all damages, exceeding USD 15 million.
• Advising Egyptian General Co. For Tourism and Hotels (EGOTH) in its negotiation and eventual execution of EGP 1.4 billion co- development and financing agreement with the Saudi Al-Sharif Group Holding for the development of the historic Shepheard Hotel, bringing back to life one of Egypt’s iconic hotels following the suspension of its operations in 2013.
• Representing a buyer in an Arbitration case under international institutional rules, initiated against one of the developers in the UAE (seller). The case, governed by UAE laws, revolved around a breach of a Residential Unit Sale and the Claimant’s right to terminate the Purchase Agreement and the restitution of the paid amounts.
• Representing an Egyptian family with a judgment against the Libyan State for damages exceeding USD 200 million, attempted to enforce this judgment against the assets of the Arab Company for Touristic Project (ACTP), arguing that ACTP is ultimately owned by the Libyan state.
• Representing Heidelberg Cement Group, as co-counsel, in an arbitration case before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, against the Arab Republic of Egypt. The dispute relates to the distortion of the cement market in Egypt, and unfair competition by state-owned enterprises.