Saudi businessman’s ex-wife awarded ¬£56m, plus assets worth ¬£20m

Sandra acted for the prominent Saudi businessman whose wife issued an application under the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act for a financial remedy in the British Courts, following an overseas divorce. At the final hearing in June 2016, the wife’s claim was limited to needs and she was awarded ¬£56 million, plus assets in her own name worth ¬£20 million. The high profile case attracted significant media coverage.

Africa’s “youngest billionaire” ordered to pay ex-wife after trying to hide money offshore

Sandra is acting on a widely-reported case Thakkar v Thakkar for the wife of Africa’s so-called youngest billionaire and the founder of a group of companies with a turnover reported to be in excess of $1billion.

Yet, in the divorce, the husband disclosed assets worth only ¬£450k, and claimed that the group was legally and beneficially owned by the key members of his family. Sandra joined the husband’s key members of the family to the proceedings, and obtained disclosure orders against the husband, his family, the trust in the BVI and other third parties, with a view to establishing who beneficially owned the group.

Following a five day preliminary issue hearing, the judge found that the key members of the husband’s family were holding legal ownership of the group as the husband’s nominees, with the husband being the sole beneficial owner of the group. The husband was refused permission to appeal and will have to pay the wife’s costs on the indemnity basis.

Complex divorce case

Acting for a Kuwaiti business woman and a member of a wealthy Middle Eastern family in relation to a complex divorce, financial remedy and Children Act proceedings. The fundamental dispute was regarding the inherited nature of our clients‘ wealth and her assets primarily held in the Middle East and offshore.