Profile
James Osun-Sanmi has over ten years’ experience advising on capital markets and finance transactions, focusing on conventional and Islamic international debt capital markets transactions. He advises financial institutions, corporate clients, government-related entities and sovereigns on standalone issuances, programmes, regulatory capital, corporate hybrids and liability management (including tender offers and consent solicitations). His experience spans both Regulation S and Rule 144A debt issuances inside the GCC and globally.
James handles complex financial transactions and has worked with obligors, managers and Shari’a scholars to structure sukuk issuances and re-structure trust certificate issuance programs following changes to Shari’a standards. James also advises on green and sustainable bond and sukuk finance.
Concentrations
- Debt Capital Markets
- Islamic Finance
- Green / Social / Sustainable Bonds and Sukuk
Capabilities
Experience
- Advised the joint lead managers on the debut issuance of US$500 million sukuk due 2028 by Omniyat Holdings, issued under its US$1 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme (as well as advising on the establishment of the programme).°
- Advised First Abu Dhabi Bank on its US$5 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme and its US$20 billion bond programme, including advising on a number of drawdowns under those programmes.°
- Advised The Commercial Bank of Qatar on its issuance of CHF 225 million Senior Guaranteed Green Notes due 2027.°
- Advised Qatar International Islamic Bank on its issuance of US$300 million Additional Tier 1 Capital Certificates and its related tender offer.°
- Advised Arada Developments on its issuance of US$400 million sukuk due 2029, and its US$150 million tap issuance of those sukuk, issued under its US$1 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme (as well as advising on the establishment of the programme).°
- Advised Bank of Sharjah on its issuance of US$500 Notes million due 2029 and its related tender offer.°
- Advised The National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah on its issuance of US$250 million Tier 2 Capital Securities due 2034.°
- Advised Tabreed on its tender offer for its US$500 million sukuk due 2025.°
- Advised Qatar International Islamic Bank on its issuance of US$500 million sustainable sukuk due 2029, and its US$250 million tap issuance of those sukuk, issued under is US$2 billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme.°
- Advised The National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah on its US$600 million Social Notes due 2029.°
- Advised The Commercial Bank of Qatar on its issuance of US$750 million senior guaranteed notes due 2029.°
- Advised the managers on the US$500 million sukuk issuance of MAF Sukuk Limited and the dealers managers on the tender offer for MAF Global Securities Limited’s US$800 million Notes due 2024.°
- Advised Bank of Sharjah on its issuance of US$500 Notes million due 2028.°
- Advised the joint lead managers on the issuance of US$500 million Reset Subordinated Perpetual Notes by MAF Global Securities Limited.°
- Advised Damac on a consent solicitation from the holders of the outstanding US$400 million sukuk due 2023 issued in April 2018 by Alpha Star Holding V Limited.°
- Advised Warba Bank on its issuance of US$250 million Additional Tier 1 Capital Certificates and its associated tender offer.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Osun-Sanmi prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig Limited.
- Legal Secondee, Debt Capital Markets – Transaction Management Group, HSBC, 2018
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, The Legal 500, “Leading Associates” United Arab Emirates – Capital Markets, 2025
- “Rising Star” United Arab Emirates – Capital Markets, 2022
- Listed, IFLR1000, “Rising Star” Capital Markets: Debt, 2023
- Selected, “Rising Star Lawyer of the Year,” 2021
- Solicitor, England & Wales
Credentials
- LPC, The College of Law - London
- B.A., Jurisprudence, University of Oxford
- England and Wales
- Dubai Legal Consultant