Advises sovereign entities, institutional investors, public companies and financial sponsors on complex transactional mandates, including M&A, private equity transactions and strategic capital deployment.
Provides commercially oriented legal advice, informed by his experience previously co-founding ventures in consumer technology and agritech.

Syed has extensive experience advising on public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, restructurings and outbound investments across the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the United States. His practice focuses on complex, multijurisdictional mandates involving strategic acquisitions, divestitures and capital deployment across both high-growth and established sectors.

Syed regularly advises clients on transactions across a range of sectors, including technology (artificial intelligence (AI), digital assets and data infrastructure), health care and life sciences, energy and infrastructure, financial services and natural resources. His work frequently involves structuring and executing cross-border investments, supporting long-term capital deployment strategies, and navigating legal, regulatory and governance considerations in highly complex transactional environments.

Prior to joining the firm, Syed practiced corporate law at leading Canadian law firms in Toronto.

Representative Work

Advised MGX, a leading AI and advanced technology investor, on a range of strategic investments across the AI, data-infrastructure and technology sectors.
Advised a major sovereign wealth fund in its multibillion-dollar acquisition of a specialized investment vehicle focused on high-growth technology sectors and global disruptive ventures.
Advised a Saudi sovereign wealth fund on its $1.3 billion acquisition of minority stakes in four Egyptian companies listed on the Egyptian Stock Exchange (eFinance, Abu Qir Fertilizers and Chemical Industries Company, Misr Fertilizer Production Company (MOPCO) and Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling Company).
Advised a United Arab Emirates (UAE) sovereign wealth fund on multiple strategic investments totaling several billion dollars, including investments in a health technology company delivering data-driven solutions to improve patient outcomes, a biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation and regenerative medicine, and the electric vehicle arm of a multinational automotive group.
Advised a UAE digital assets infrastructure company on a joint venture arrangement with one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency mining businesses, in order to establish a first-of-its-kind cryptocurrency mining facility in the UAE.
Advised a Saudi sovereign wealth fund on multiple acquisitions in Egypt, including a significant minority position in BTECH, one of Egypt’s largest importers and distributors of electronics, appliances and other household goods.
Advised a sovereign-backed investment platform on the formation of a multibillion-dirham strategic joint venture focused on global metals and mining investments, including structuring the partnership, establishing investment frameworks across multiple asset classes, and supporting capital deployment into emerging markets across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Advised a private equity sponsor on the sale of its healthcare assets in Africa, providing strategic support across negotiations and transaction execution.
Advised a global investment manager on the acquisition of a regulated fund management platform and the establishment of a landmark, multibillion-dollar climate-focused investment vehicle.
Advised Olin Corporation on its global joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd., known as the Blue Water Alliance, which aims to optimize procurement, sales and logistics operations in the chlor-alkali industry and to accelerate industrial efforts for decarbonization.
Advised on the formation of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings plc, which operates Europe’s fastest growing airline.
Advised a UAE sovereign entity on a business combination with an aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul provider that will create the region’s leading provider specializing in maintaining, repairing and servicing aircraft.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund on its purchase of convertible debt issued by one of Sweden’s largest battery developers and manufactures, with a specialty on lithium-ion technology for electric vehicles.
Advised a number of the world’s largest asset managers in establishing and growing a financial services presence in the UAE, including advising on UAE securities laws.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund on the development and implementation of its data and AI program, including the drafting of key legal and operational documents and negotiating with internal stakeholders, external service providers and portfolio companies.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund in relation to revamping their internal software offerings by negotiating on behalf of the client with several Software as a Service (SaaS) providers.
Advised Birch Hill Equity Partners in the sale of Bio Agri Mix, LP, Canada’s largest manufacturer and distributor of medicated feed additives and water-soluble medications for livestock, to DW Healthcare Partners.
Advised the shareholders of Canaccede Financial Group, the largest buyer of charged-off consumer receivables and insolvencies in Canada, in their sale to Jefferson Capital Systems LLC, a portfolio company of J.C. Flowers & Co.
Advised a syndicate of underwriters led by Bank of America Securities, Credit Suisse Group and Bank of Nova Scotia in the initial public offering (IPO) of common shares of Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. (TSX:TFPM), for gross proceeds of $250 million.
Advised a syndicate of agents, co-led by CIBC Capital Markets, Scotia Capital Inc. and TD Securities Inc., in a $150 million offering of series J senior unsecured notes of Crombie REIT.
Advised a syndicate of underwriters including Mackie Research Capital Corporation, Canaccord Genuity Corp. and National Bank Financial Inc. on a bought deal by Theratechnologies Inc. (TSX:TH; NASDAQ:THTX), a biopharmaceutical company, for gross proceeds of $46 million, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option.
Advised Relay Medical Corp., a technology innovator focusing on the development of novel technologies in the diagnostic and AI data science sectors, in its acquisition of Cybeats Technologies Inc., an integrated cybersecurity platform designed to secure and protect high value connected Internet of things (IoT) devices.
Advised BrandProject Capital Fund LP in connection with its Series B investment in Clutch Canada Inc., a Canadian online car-selling platform.

List may include matters worked on prior to joining Akin.

Advised a private equity sponsor on the sale of its healthcare assets in Africa, providing strategic support across negotiations and transaction execution.
Advised a global investment manager on the acquisition of a regulated fund management platform and the establishment of a landmark, multibillion-dollar climate-focused investment vehicle.
Advised Olin Corporation on its global joint venture with Mitsui & Co., Ltd., known as the Blue Water Alliance, which aims to optimize procurement, sales and logistics operations in the chlor-alkali industry and to accelerate industrial efforts for decarbonization.
Advised on the formation of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings plc, which operates Europe’s fastest growing airline.
Advised a UAE sovereign entity on a business combination with an aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul provider that will create the region’s leading provider specializing in maintaining, repairing and servicing aircraft.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund on its purchase of convertible debt issued by one of Sweden’s largest battery developers and manufactures, with a specialty on lithium-ion technology for electric vehicles.
Advised a number of the world’s largest asset managers in establishing and growing a financial services presence in the UAE, including advising on UAE securities laws.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund on the development and implementation of its data and AI program, including the drafting of key legal and operational documents and negotiating with internal stakeholders, external service providers and portfolio companies.
Advised a UAE sovereign wealth fund in relation to revamping their internal software offerings by negotiating on behalf of the client with several Software as a Service (SaaS) providers.
Advised Birch Hill Equity Partners in the sale of Bio Agri Mix, LP, Canada’s largest manufacturer and distributor of medicated feed additives and water-soluble medications for livestock, to DW Healthcare Partners.
Advised the shareholders of Canaccede Financial Group, the largest buyer of charged-off consumer receivables and insolvencies in Canada, in their sale to Jefferson Capital Systems LLC, a portfolio company of J.C. Flowers & Co.
Advised a syndicate of underwriters led by Bank of America Securities, Credit Suisse Group and Bank of Nova Scotia in the initial public offering (IPO) of common shares of Triple Flag Precious Metals Corp. (TSX:TFPM), for gross proceeds of $250 million.
Advised a syndicate of agents, co-led by CIBC Capital Markets, Scotia Capital Inc. and TD Securities Inc., in a $150 million offering of series J senior unsecured notes of Crombie REIT.
Advised a syndicate of underwriters including Mackie Research Capital Corporation, Canaccord Genuity Corp. and National Bank Financial Inc. on a bought deal by Theratechnologies Inc. (TSX:TH; NASDAQ:THTX), a biopharmaceutical company, for gross proceeds of $46 million, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option.
Advised Relay Medical Corp., a technology innovator focusing on the development of novel technologies in the diagnostic and AI data science sectors, in its acquisition of Cybeats Technologies Inc., an integrated cybersecurity platform designed to secure and protect high value connected Internet of things (IoT) devices.
Advised BrandProject Capital Fund LP in connection with its Series B investment in Clutch Canada Inc., a Canadian online car-selling platform.