Ahsan Zahir Rizvi

Ahsan Zahir Rizvi is the Global Senior and Managing Partner of RIAA Barker Gillette, specialising in Mergers and Acquisitions. He is globally recognised as a leading international corporate lawyer with over 40 years of experience in contentious and non-contentious legal matters, including contract negotiations, strategic planning, corporate and financial restructuring, privatisations, mergers, acquisitions, Islamic financing and project finance.

Mr Rizvi has acted in most of Pakistan and Afghanistan's major independent power projects, drafting and negotiating project development and financing documentation for infrastructure and power projects valued at over USD 15 billion in project finance and corporate finance transactions, and more than USD 5 billion in M&A transactions. He has also drafted statutory enactments and regulatory frameworks for Pakistan, including the natural gas, telecommunications, securities and corporate sectors. Notable representations include advising MetLife, Pfizer, Clariant, Occidental Petroleum and Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works on major transactions and advising on privatisations including Pakistan Telecommunication Company, Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan State Oil.

Mr Rizvi holds an LL.M. from the University of London (1981), a Bar Vocational Course from the Inns of Court (1980), and an LL.B. (Hons) from the London School of Economics (1979). He is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn.

He has received the prestigious Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) from the President of Pakistan and is consistently ranked as a Top-Tier Band 1 Lawyer by Chambers Global and as a Senior Statesperson by Chambers Asia Pacific.