Hesham Fayez

Hesham Fayez is a distinguished legal professional with over 20 years of expertise in Banking & Finance and Intellectual Property, currently serving as the Banking & Finance partner at Marei, Fayez, Dardiry & Partners Law Firm. His illustrious career has been marked by significant contributions to the legal landscape, showcasing his prowess in diverse areas of law. At the firm, he also provides invaluable legal support to numerous fintech companies operating in the fields of payment facilitation and aggregation, microfinance, payment solutions, and digital core banking infrastructure. His expertise in navigating the legal complexities of the fintech landscape has positioned him as a trusted advisor in this rapidly evolving industry.

In addition to his outstanding career in legal practice, Hesham is also a dedicated lecturer at the British University in Egypt. At the Faculty of Law, he imparts his knowledge in Money and Banking, contributing to the education and development of future legal professionals.

Hesham embarked on his legal journey as a legal researcher in the Egyptian Ministry of Trade, laying the foundation for his impressive career. Over the next four years, he honed his skills as a member of the Intellectual Property and Telecom departments in Zaki Hashem & Partners. In 2006, Hesham took a crucial step in his career by joining Citigroup as in-house Country Counsel, providing invaluable legal support across Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, and briefly Ireland.

During his tenure at Citigroup, Hesham emerged as a key legal advisor, playing a crucial role in navigating the bank through significant legal and regulatory changes. His expertise extended across various domains, including corporate and consumer businesses, acquisition finance, supply chain finance, asset-based lending, syndications, derivatives, custody, and Islamic finance.

A highlight of Hesham’s career came in 2016 when he led the legal aspects of the sale of Citi’s consumer portfolio in Egypt, recognized by IFLR as the Best M&A Deal of the Year in the Middle East. This transaction underscored Hesham’s proficiency and strategic acumen in the Egyptian banking market.

Towards the end of his tenure at Citigroup, Hesham contributed to Citibank Europe Plc (CEP) in Dublin, serving as a product development and initiatives relationship counsel. His responsibilities encompassed key client relations, addressing FX issues, and overseeing regulatory implementation.

Hesham’s contributions to the legal profession have been acknowledged by Legal 500, earning him two recognitions in the Corporate Counsel 100 Powerlist: Africa (2015) and In-house Legal Team GC Powerlist: Africa Teams (2016).

In 2019, Hesham assumed the role of General Counsel at Arab Investment Bank, where he became an integral part of a taskforce responsible for restructuring and upgrading the bank’s performance in preparation for acquisition. In less than two years, Hesham successfully restructured the legal affairs of the bank and was instrumental in managing a complex acquisition deal, showcasing his adeptness in handling intricate legal matters.

Education has been a cornerstone of Hesham’s career, with a Bachelor of Laws from Cairo University and postgraduate qualifications, including an LLM in Intellectual Property Law, LLM in Commercial & Corporate Law, Diploma in Common Law, PGC in Banking & Finance, all from the University of London. He is also admitted to practice before the Egyptian Court of Cassation.

Through his multifaceted career, Hesham Fayez continues to exemplify legal excellence, strategic thinking, and a commitment to advancing the fields of Banking & Finance and Intellectual Property while playing a pivotal role in shaping the legal landscape of the fintech industry.