Profile
Alex Roussos focuses his practice on Capital Markets and Finance. He has more than 20 years of experience advising on debt, regulatory capital, hybrid, and equity-linked capital markets transactions for governments, international and regional financial institutions and large corporate entities across the Middle East and internationally.
Alex advises clients on cross-border transactions, including publicly listed bond and sukuk (Shari’ah-compliant) offerings, high yield and investment grade debt offerings, both Rule 144A and Regulation S, regulatory capital (Basel III) issuances and liability management exercises and has been at the forefront of developments around Islamic financing techniques and new Sharia’h standards.
Capabilities
Experience
- Acted for the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) on its US$25 billion trust certificate (sukuk) issuance programme and multiple public and private drawdowns thereunder over 12 years, including on the IsDB’s green and social sukuk issuances under the programme and assisting the IsDB on matters relating to ECB eligibility. The programme is listed on Euronext Dublin and Nasdaq Dubai.°
- Acting for the international and local joint lead managers (including HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Godman Sachs, Citibank, JP Morgan, Emirates Bank NBD and First Abu Dhabi Bank) on Majid Al Futtaim’s (MAF) US$2 billion trust certificate issuance programme and its US$3 billion bond programme and multiple issuances thereunder, including its US$600 green sukuk issuances. Also, advised the banks on MAF’s US$500 million corporate hybrid bond issuance. The trades were listed on the main market on the London Stock Exchange, Euronext Dublin and Nasdaq Dubai.°
- Acting on regulatory capital issuances (Basel III), both Additional Tier 1 and Tier 2, by a number of banks across the GCC (including RAKBANK, Commercial Bank of Dubai, United Arab Bank, Bank Dhofar, National Bank of Oman, Oman Arab Bank, Qatar International Islamic Bank, Kuwait Finance House, National Bank of Kuwait, Burgan Bank, Boubyan Bank, Warba Bank, Kuwait International Bank and Khaleeji Bank). The trades were listed on Euronext Dublin.°
- Representing First Abu Dhabi Bank on its US$5 billion trust certificate issuance programme and its US$20 billion bond programme and advising on a number of drawdowns under those programmes. The programmes are listed on the main market on the London Stock Exchange.°
- Representing Oman Electricity Transmission Company on its US$500 million and US$1 billion bond issuances listed on Euronext Dublin.°
- Representing Nama Electricity Distribution Company on the establishment of its US$-denominated trust certificate issuance programme and its US$- denominated bond programme and its issuance of US$1 billion sukuk under the former programme.°
- Acting for a number of local corporates and financial institutions and local and international consent solicitation managers and dealer managers in connection with bond and sukuk liability management exercises, including consent solicitations, tender offers and exchange offers.°
- Representing The Commercial Bank of Qatar on its US$5 billion Euro Medium Term Note Programme and drawdowns under that programme as well as its issuance of CHF 225 million green bonds.°
- Advised Tabreed on its tender offer for its US$500 million Trust Certificates due 2025.°
- Representing the local and international joint lead managers in connection with Binghatti Holding's US$300 million sukuk issuance and its tap issuance of US$200 million sukuk, listed on the International Securities Market in London and Nasdaq Dubai.°
- Representing Arada Developments LLC on the establishment of its US$1 billion trust certificate issuance programme and its drawdowns of US$400 million and US$150 million sukuk thereunder.°
- Representing the local and international banks (including Citibank, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered Bank, Emirates Bank NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Dubai Islamic Bank) on Omniyat Holding’s US$500 million inaugural sukuk issuance listed on the International Securities Market in London and Nasdaq Dubai.°
- Representing the local and international banks on Sobha Realty’s US$300 million inaugural sukuk issuance and tap issuance of US$230 million sukuk, listed on the International Securities Market in London and Nasdaq Dubai.°
- Representing Damac Real Estate Developments Limited on its US$500 million inaugural sukuk and its subsequent US$400 million sukuk issuance listed on Euronext Dublin.°
- Representing Virgin Mobile on its private placement of Standard Chartered Bank pre-IPO convertible sukuk out of its Middle East business.°
- Representing the international and local banks (including HSBC, Dubai Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Boubyan Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Mashreq Bank, Mizuho Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank) on Kuwait Finance House’s US$4 billion trust certificate issuance programme and its US$1 billion issuance thereunder listed on the International Securities Market in London.°
- Representing Bank of Sharjah on its US$2.5 billion Euro Medium Term Note Programme and its issuance of US$500 million bonds thereunder.°
- Representing a number of additional corporates and financial institutions on their multi-billion dollar senior unsecured bond or sukuk programmes, and/or the International and local banks acting as joint lead managers on those programmes and on the trades issued thereunder, including programmes set up by DP World, Mubadala, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Qatar International Islamic Bank, Bank Dhofar, National Bank of Oman, RAKBANK, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, Kuwait International Bank, Burgan Bank and Warba Bank.°
- Acted for Bidaya Home Finance on its SAR500 million sukuk issuance programme and drawdowns thereunder.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Roussos prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig Limited.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers Global Guide
- Capital Markets: Debt – United Arab Emirates, 2015-2025
- Capital Markets: Debt – Middle East-wide, 2016-2025
- Islamic Finance – Middle East-wide, 2019-2025
- Listed, Legal 500 EMEA
- Leading Partner, Capital Markets, United Arab Emirates, 2025
- Recommended Lawyer, Banking and Finance: Corporate Finance (including Islamic lending), United Arab Emirates, 2025
- Listed, IFLR1000, Capital Markets: Debt, 2022-2025
- Member, Athens Bar Association
- Member, New York State Bar
Credentials
Education
-
LL.M., Columbia Law School, 2015
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- Master 2, Assez Bien, University of Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne, 2012
- LL.B., Lian Kalos, University of Athens School of Law, 2011
Admissions
- England and Wales
- Dubai Legal Consultant
Languages
- English, Fluent
- Greek, Native