Maples Group Dubai Recognised in 2025 IFN Awards
Maples and Calder, the Maples Group’s law firm, is pleased to announce that its Dubai office has been recognised across several categories in the IFN Deals of the Year 2025 and the Inaugural IFN Investor Service Providers Poll Awards, reinforcing the firm’s market‑leading position in Islamic finance across the Middle East.
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The Dubai team advised on three transactions that received top honours in the IFN Deals of the Year 2025, including Kuwait International Bank’s US$300 million Tier 2 Sukuk issuance under its senior unsecured Sukuk programme, which was awarded both the IFN Kuwait Deal of the Year 2025 and the IFN Regulatory Deal of the Year 2025.
The firm also acted on Kuwait Finance House’s US$850 million Additional Tier 1 Sukuk, which received the IFN Mudarabah Deal of the Year 2025. These awards reflect the team’s strong regional expertise and continued involvement in innovative, market‑shaping Islamic finance matters.
Alongside these deal recognitions, the Maples Group was also named IFN Investor Best Law Firm to the Islamic Funds Industry 2025 as part of the inaugural IFN Investor Service Providers Poll Awards.
This accolade highlights the firm’s commitment to Shariah‑compliant investment structures and its leadership in advising institutional investors across global markets.
Manuela Belmontes, Joint Managing Partner of the Dubai office, commented:
“We are delighted to receive these prestigious recognitions from IFN. These awards reflect the depth of our Islamic finance capabilities and the trust our clients place in our team. We are proud to contribute to landmark transactions across the region, and I would like to thank our clients and colleagues for their continued confidence in the Maples Group.”
Philip Ireland, Joint Managing Partner of the Dubai office, added:
“These achievements underscore the exceptional work of our Dubai team and our Islamic finance and funds practices. We are honoured to be recognised by IFN, particularly for our role in the Islamic funds industry. We look forward to building on this momentum and supporting our clients through another year of innovation and growth.”
The Dubai office continues to advise on high‑profile Sukuk issuances, Shariah‑compliant investment funds and bespoke Shariah compliant investment structures as well as other complex cross‑border transactions across the GCC and internationally. This recognition reflects the strength of the team and its central role in the development of the Islamic finance and funds market.
The awards will be presented at the IFN Annual Awards Ceremonies in Dubai on 14 April 2026 and Kuala Lumpur on 22 April 2026.
