Laurent Levac

Laurent is a Partner at ASAR, based in the firm’s Kuwait office, where he advises on banking and finance, capital markets, corporate transactions, financial regulation, and private client matters. He has been with the firm since 2014.

His practice includes advising on the establishment and regulation of financial institutions, the chartering of banks, and the regulatory aspects of cross-border acquisitions involving banks, wealth management firms, and other financial entities. He also advises international and regional clients on transactional matters across the GCC, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

In the corporate and M&A sphere, Laurent assists clients with joint ventures, acquisitions, and strategic investments across both emerging and developed markets, with experience in sectors including energy, finance, and private equity. He also advises high-net-worth individuals and family offices on wealth management, estate planning, succession structuring, and philanthropic initiatives.

Before joining ASAR, Laurent worked at major international law firms with postings in France, the United
Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada, providing him with a global perspective on complex, multi-jurisdictional
matters.

• Laurent supported a number of international financial institutions in establishing their onshore presence in Kuwait, including securing licences from the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Capital Markets Authority. His role included regulatory analysis, preparation of documentation, and overseeing the coordination needed to meet local compliance and operational requirements
  
  
• Laurent advised the shareholder of Alghanim Trading Co. WLL on its sale to Warba Bank K.S.C.P. This transaction resulted in Warba acquiring an indirect 32.75% stake in Gulf Bank K.S.C.P., introducing a significant Islamic banking shareholder into the ownership structure of a major conventional bank. Laurent’s role covered legal strategy, transaction structuring, documentation, and engagement with regulatory and bankingsector stakeholders. The matter involved cross-sector considerations and complex regulatory approvals, reflecting the scale and strategic significance of this transaction within Kuwait’s financial landscape.
  
  
• Laurent advised a Qatari consortium on the acquisition of a Luxembourg-based international private bank with operations in more than 20 jurisdictions. His work included coordinating transaction documentation and liaising with regulatory authorities across multiple jurisdictions to support the completion of the acquisition.

• Banking
• Capital markets: Derivatives
• Financial restructuring
• Financial services regulatory
• Hedge funds
• Investment funds
• M&A
• Private equity
• Private equity funds
• Real estate funds
• Securitisation
• Structured finance/securitisation

• Banking
• Financial services
• Insurance
• Investment management

• Bachelor of Civil Law (L.L.L) - University of Ottawa, Canada, 2002
• Bachelor of - Common Law (L.L.B) - University of Ottawa, Canada, 2003
• Program in International Taxation - Oxford University, United Kingdom, 2004
• Masters in American Common Law (L.L.M) - Cornell Law School, USA, 2005
• In-depth Tax Program (Part 1) - Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, Canada, 2006

• Member of the Quebec - Bar (Canada), 2005
• Member of the Law - Society of England and Wales, 2010