Carolyn J.D. Abram

Carolyn also advises and represents significant institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, seeking to deploy capital into a range of investment structures including open- and closed-ended funds, separate managed account arrangements, co-investments, and other bespoke private placements across asset classes, as well as ongoing advice in connection with such investments including transfers of interest, most-favoured nations processes, and additional equity injections.

In addition, Carolyn undertakes work for a range of pro bono clients, including the International Senior Lawyers Project.

She has practiced law from London, New York, and the UAE, and has been seconded to both the New York and London offices of one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers.

• Represents multiple Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and other sovereign wealth funds on the investment of billions of US dollars, including into private funds across asset classes, separate managed accounts, co-investments, and funds-of-one.
• Represented and advised multiple GCC-based investment managers on the establishment of open- and closed-ended private investment funds across asset classes, domiciled across the GCC and internationally, including:
  • $4.5 billion in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) targeting global private equity investments
  • An ADGM real estate investment trust (REIT) investing in a portfolio of sustainable income-generating real estate assets
  • $1 billion MENA infrastructure fund with a structure involving both GCC and international vehicles
  • Two separate $250 million venture capital funds domiciled in the ADGM, targeting incubator investments and medical technology assets, respectively
  • $50 million cryptocurrency staking fund in the ADGM
  • $250 million private equity healthcare fund in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
  • $400 million MENA private equity fund in the ADGM
  • $300 million Shari’a-compliant private credit fund domiciled in the Cayman Islands with a DIFC asset manager, targeting both MENA and US investments
  • $350 million MENA private credit fund in the ADGM
  • $300 million MENA real estate fund in the DIFC
  • $150 million Shari’a-compliant real estate fund in Bahrain
  • Open-ended fixed income and equities funds established in the DIFC targeting in excess of $60 million at launch
  • $160 million MENA mezzanine credit and $300 million Shari’a-compliant credit funds established in the Cayman Islands with a DIFC investor adviser
  • Umbrella fund in the ADGM with multiple sub-funds for investment in Shari’a-compliant fixed income and equities, targeting $200 million at launch
  • A leading Saudi Arabian financial institution on the establishment of a $150 million Cayman Islands feeder fund for investment into a US logistics property fund
• Advised Warba Bank in respect of multiple Shari’a-compliant investments into private investment funds
• Advised NBK Capital on the structuring and documentation of regional mezzanine and real estate funds and carried interest arrangements in respect thereof
• Advised TVM Capital Healthcare Partners on structuring, documentation, investment, and ongoing compliance issues relating to regional healthcare investment vehicles
• Regularly provides advice on securities law and asset manager regulation for the GCC region to international investment managers
• While seconded in-house to one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, assisted with raising private funds across private equity, real estate, and infrastructure platforms, including one of the largest private infrastructure funds ever raised at the time