Mohamed Shahdy Anwar
Managing Partner
Shahdy is “probably one of the best – if not the best – corporate and commercial lawyer in the Maldives”
– citation in Chambers Global rankings 2021.
Mohamed Shahdy Anwar has been working in private legal practice, advising various corporations and entities on a wide variety of corporate and commercial issues ranging from project financing for tourism and infrastructure projects, to major international banks and financial institutions on lending for projects in the Maldives and abroad and also in related litigation.
Shahdy played a key role in drafting several key legislation including, the Business Profit Tax Act, the GST Act, the Corporate Tax Bill, the Income Tax Bill, the Partnership Bill, the Companies Act (Amendment) Bill, and the Land Law (Amendment) Bill. He also has extensive drafting experience in preparing structured finance and syndicated loan documentation, bidding, and awards documentations.
He was also appointed in May 2019 as Chairman of the Board of the Maldives International Arbitration Center.
Education, Professional Affiliations and Memberships
Bachelor of Laws (Hons), University of Bristol, UK
Master of Laws (Corporate and Financial Services), National University of Singapore, Singapore
Master of Laws (Corporate and Financial Services), National University of Singapore, Singapore
Chairperson, Maldives International Arbitration Centre
President, Maldives Law Institute
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (FSIArb)
Member, International Bar Association
Advocate of the Supreme Court of Maldives
Editor, Maldives Law Review
Member of the University Council (Maldives National University)
Vice Chair, Appeals Committee, Bar Council of the Maldives
President, Maldives Law Institute
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
Fellow, Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (FSIArb)
Member, International Bar Association
Advocate of the Supreme Court of Maldives
Editor, Maldives Law Review
Member of the University Council (Maldives National University)
Vice Chair, Appeals Committee, Bar Council of the Maldives
Notable Matters
Acted as legal counsel for:
- Hotel Properties Limited (HPL) in their acquisition of ‘Kanuhura Maldives’
- A private equity fund in their acquisition of ‘Anantara Dhigu’, ‘Anantara Veli’ and ‘Naladhu’ resorts in the Maldives and as local counsel in the related financing for the acquisition from a German Bank;
- A Thai listed company’s local subsidiaries as local counsel in relation to the public offering and sale of 1,368,918,808 ordinary shares by the listed company;
- A Thai real estate investment trust in their acquisition of the holding company of ‘Dusit Thani Maldives’ resort in the Maldives and as local counsel in the related financing for the acquisition from a Thai Bank;
- An American real estate fund in their acquisition of ‘Conrad Maldives Rangali Island’ resort in the Maldives and as local counsel in the related financing for the acquisition from a German Bank;
- A private equity fund in their acquisition of the majority shareholding in Trans Maldivian Airways, a seaplane operating company in the Maldives and as local counsel in the related financing from the branch of a Hong Kong Bank;
- A middle eastern entity in their acquisition of the holding company of ‘Cheval Blanc Randheli’ resort and as local counsel in the related financing for the acquisition from an Abu Dhabi Bank;
- An Abu Dhabi Bank in relation to the offering of USD 100m notes by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on behalf of the Government of Maldives;
- A Hong Kong listed company’s Hong Kong subsidiary in relation to the offering of USD 200m notes by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on behalf of the Government of Maldives;
- A Thai listed company, in their acquisition of the holding entity of ‘Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort’ and as local counsel in the related financing for the acquisition from two Thai Banks.
Awards and Recognition
- Chambers and Partners UK ranks him as a leading top tier (band 1) lawyer in the Republic of Maldives consistency since 2012.
- IFLR 1000 recognizes him as a leading lawyer (financial and corporate) in the Republic of Maldives in their 2013 and 2014 editions.
- Asia Law Profiles recognizes him as a leading lawyer in the Maldives in their 2014 edition.
Practice Area
- Arbitration and Mediation
- Foreign Investments
- Tourism and Real Estate
- Banking and Finance
- Tax
- Construction and Infrastructure
- Restructuring and Insolvency