Elliott Sawford
Partner
Abu Dhabi
Elliott Sawford
Partner
Abu Dhabi
Contact details
Elliott advises governments, developers, lenders and contractors on infrastructure and energy projects across all sectors, including utilities, oil and gas, social infrastructure and transport.
He has particular experience of large-scale development projects, major PPPs (and associated legislative reform), and project-financings. Clients regularly praise Elliott for his solution-orientated, practical and personable approach to matters, his knowledge of the Middle East and his ability to solve issues to get deals done.
Elliott qualified in the UK and spent over five years practicing in London before relocating to the Middle East with Allen & Overy in 2014. He is recognised as a “Rising Star” for Middle East projects by IFLR.
Office
Abu Dhabi
5th Floor, Al Mamoura Building B, Muroor Road
Abu Dhabi
P.O. Box 7907
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, 2008-2009
Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School, 2007-2008
Bachelor of Arts in Politics, University of Nottingham, 2004-2007
Related articles
Publications: 23 November 2023
Low-carbon hydrogen projects – how do you get from concept to financial close?
As the appetite for giga-scale low-carbon hydrogen projects grows, major questions arise about what it takes to actually get these projects financed, built and into production at a speed and on a…
Publications: 21 November 2023
News: 23 January 2023
Experience highlights
GCC government clients on the establishment of regulatory and transaction frameworks
Read more Experience highlightsGCC government clients on the establishment of regulatory and transaction frameworks
Advising various GCC government clients on the establishment of regulatory and transaction frameworks to support PPP programmes, as well as the tendering and implementation of pathfinder projects including the KSA TBC Schools’ Building Programme, the Dubai Healthcare Authority’s CCOE PPP and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s programme of transport and social infrastructure projects.
Sponsors and lenders on power projects across the Middle East
Advising a mix of sponsors and lenders on power (traditional and renewables), water (wastewater and desalination), waste (waste to energy and sewage treatment) and social infrastructure (health, education and municipal infrastructure) projects across the Middle East.
Re-generation projects across the Middle East
Advising on significant re-generation projects across the Middle East.
NOCs and IOCs on oil and gas-related projects
Advising NOCs and IOCs on the development of upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas-related projects, including E&P, pipelines, refineries and petrochemicals.
Office
Abu Dhabi
5th Floor, Al Mamoura Building B, Muroor Road
Abu Dhabi
P.O. Box 7907
Qualifications
Professional
Academic
Legal Practice Course, BPP Law School, 2008-2009
Graduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School, 2007-2008
Bachelor of Arts in Politics, University of Nottingham, 2004-2007
Other noteworthy experience
Advising:
- The Abu Dhabi Investment Office on all aspects of the establishment of its cross-sector PPP programme
- The KSA government on its pathfinder Schools PPP programme (the first social infrastructure PPP programme in the GCC region)
- The Dubai Health Authority on all aspects of the first hospital PPP project in the UAE
- Sponsor consortia on the KSA REPDO solar PV projects and various renewables programmes in the UAE and Jordan
- Sponsors / Lenders on various ISTPs in KSA, including lenders on the Dammam ISTP, the first ISTP to reach financial close in the Middle East
- Sponsors / Lenders on various water projects (wastewater and desalination) across the UAE, KSA, Oman and Jordan
- A port operator on various port concession projects in the Middle East and Africa
- Sponsor governments and IOCs on refinery and petrochemical projects in Oman, Bahrain, Pakistan and Nigeria
- An oil major on all aspects of its USD$45bn investment into infrastructure and greenfield / brownfield explorations in Iraq
Recognition
Rising Star
IFLR: Middle East Projects
