Natalia Kumar

The 2025 Healthcare Odyssey

Welcome to the first edition of Law Update for 2025. As we begin this exciting year, we are pleased to turn our attention to one of the most dynamic sectors in the UAE and the broader GCC region – healthcare. Over the past several years, the region has seen unprecedented growth in this sector, driven by legislative advancements, technological innovations, and the increasing focus on sustainability and AI. As such, healthcare is set to be one of the most important sectors in the coming decade.

In this issue, we explore key themes that are significantly shaping the future of healthcare in the UAE, such as recent changes in foreign ownership laws. These reforms present a major opportunity for foreign investors, opening up new avenues for international collaborations and improving the overall healthcare infrastructure. The changes in ownership laws are an important milestone, and we provide an analysis of what this means for the industry and the various players involved.

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The leading law firm in the Middle East & North Africa region.

Natalia Kumar

Senior Counsel

Biography

Natalia is a ranked English qualified solicitor with over 12 years’ experience practicing in the UK and Bahrain.

She specialises in the full spectrum of banking and finance matters including conventional bilateral and syndicated financing, secondary market transactions, debt capital markets, trade finance, funds, Islamic finance, derivatives, project finance and regulatory work. Natalia represents both lenders and borrowers including local and international banks, financial institutions, and multi-national corporate clients, both as lead international and/or local counsel.

Natalia is recognised by leading legal directories, Chambers Global, as an Associate to Watch, Bahrain 2023 and Legal500, as a Next Generation Partner, Bahrain 2023. Natalia was ranked as a Stand Out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2023 and has been shortlisted for the Rising Star Award for the Chambers and Partners Awards, 2024.

Recent Experience

Ahli United Bank B.S.C. (C). (“AUB”), – acting as lead and local counsel for AUB in relation to the drafting of its Islamic accounts, credit card, invoice factoring – non-recourse/limited recourse (disclosed), invoice factoring – with recourse (undisclosed) and supply chain finance (with the buyer as customer) documents following its conversion from a conventional to an Islamic bank.
The Government of Bahrain acting through the Ministry of Finance and National Economy (“MOFNE”), – acting as local counsel in relation to various matters including its Sukuk programme, its GMTN Programme and syndicated financings.
Goldman Sachs International (UK) and HSBC UK Bank PLC, acting as lead and local counsel in relation to advice pertaining to the validity and enforceability of the ISDA/IIFM Tahawwut Master Agreement, the Islamic Credit Support Annex for Variation Margin Credit Support and the ISDA/IIFM 2017 Credit Support Deed for Cash Collateral (VM) from a Bahrain Law perspective.
The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance – Jordan, acting as lead and local counsel in relation to the development of 131 social housing units with the developer and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.
Bahrain Development Bank B.S.C.(C) (“BDB”), acting as lead and local counsel in relation to developing and drafting their invoice discounting product documentation (i.e. the facility agreement and ancillary documents).