ismail hegazy

Deputy General Counsel at Credit Agricole Egypt

• April 1993 to February 2017

Advocate eligible to appear and plead before the Egyptian Court of Cassation,
Egyptian High Court of Appeal and others of equivalent level, Eligible to appear before all courts (civil - criminal - administrative).
Represent the Bank Managing Director and Chairperson before judicial authorities (all courts), public administrations (ministries, authorities, etc.) Direct and co-ordinate all departmental activities (Corporate, Litigation, Administrative sections). Attend before the supervisory authorities to defend the banks position i.e. (police stations, attorney general, etc.)
Review researches and conduct detailed studies regarding judicial decisions and judgments, Oversee litigation related to retail customers and/ or Major legal cases handled by local external law offices.
Oversee and follow up foreign litigation, if and when any.
Conduct and supervise (as the case maybe) internal investigations.
Prepare and conduct training programs for lawyers and other Bank’s Employees.
Extensive experience in Civil, Commercial, Banking, Credit, Corporate and Company, Labour, Investment, Tax, Capital Market Laws,
Draft, revise, advise on, negotiate and conclude all major civil, commercial and banking contract types (including inter alia loans, corporate and other- settlement, syndicated loans, commercial and real estate mortgages, pledges, SPA agreements, mergers and acquisitions, , operations agreements.
Draft, review, amend and advise on IT Agreements related to the bank’s activity, and renewal of same,
Prepare and regularly review standard agreements, banking formats
Communicate with Foreign law firms for advice on foreign transactions. Review and update on new laws, regulations circulars issued from different authorities related to the banking business and circulate the same to the concerned depts. in a timely manner, Revise and instruct compliance with the Bank’s internal policy requirements.
Review and translate numerous types of agreements and other legal documents. Monitor all received client’s complaints, and review the bank’s feedback prior to dispatch it.
Solve transaction problems by analyzing and identifying the problems, to create, initiate solutions.
Draft, review, and provide legal opinions to various departments of the parent Co. and or its subsidiary . in different countries; i.e. Paris, China, Stockholm Helsinki, Amsterdam, Berlin, regarding transactions which are relate to Egyptian laws or clients.
Assist in International Forfaiting transactions parent company or subsidiaries and act on their behalf in Egypt in transactions related to Egyptian customers; Provide legal opinions on the validity and enforceability of the transaction in case of default by the customer; and
Assist with Union de Banques Arabes et Françaises (UBAF) in legal and labour matters and provide legal opinions.
The General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel are the only authorized officers of the Bank’s Management to deal with the highest officers of CBE in all issues related to the bank, and all interpretations of CBE circulars, or any approvals of whatever nature.
Assist Compliance Dept. in all the legal circulars and legal interpretations in order to comply with the correct legal implementation,
Conduct and assist the Corporate Secretary of the bank in all Corporate Governance.
Previous extensive experience in establishing all types of companies, joint ventures, branches and representative offices of foreign entities, etc…, including negotiation of constitutive instrument ( articles and memorandum where applicable), preparation of documentation and submission and following up thereof before various local competent authorities.