ALN Mauritius has announced the appointment of Jason Harel as its Chairman while Valérie Bisasur and Fayaz Hajee Abdoula are appointed Co-Managing partners, with effect from January 2024. Iqbal Rajahbalee, the present Managing Partner, is due to continue as counsel in the Disputes Resolution practice until his exit from the firm at the end of 2024.
The announcement was made on the 18th year anniversary of the Firm set up by Iqbal Rajahbalee and Jason Harel in a prime move from the characteristic solo practice of lawyering in Mauritius in a bid to better serve the local business community as well as the global business clients.
“It has been an exciting journey over the last 18 years building from scratch a law firm with the essential values of professional commitment to serve its clients with the highest level of integrity, skill and competence.” says Iqbal Rajahbalee. “I am proud to hand over the management to my fellow partners and the great team at BLC Robert which has had a pioneering role in the development of law and in law practice in Mauritius. Our younger members were groomed to be leaders in their own right.”
For Jason Harel, the newly appointed Chairman, the change at the top management reflects the law firm’s culture of shared leadership, innovation, and diversity.
“I would like to thank Iqbal for his outstanding leadership over the last 18 years which has been instrumental in the development of the firm”, says Jason, “I am delighted to support the new generation of partners and our dynamic team of associates in taking the firm even to greater heights. They are vested with the right energy levels, technical ability and experience to maintain the firm’s position as the leading business law firm in Mauritius”. As Chairman, Jason will focus on the firm’s strategic planning and business development while maintaining his role as head of the Corporate and M&A practice.
Valérie Bisasur and Fayaz Hajee Abdoula started their professional career with BLC Robert in 2008 and were made partners in 2018.
“The appointment confirms my belief in the firm’s empowerment policy,” confides Valérie Bisasur. As much as it was at the beginning a solid training ground in legal techniques, it broadened very quickly into self-development in soft skills, managerial responsibilities, mentoring and leadership.”
For Fayaz Hajee Abdoula “The firm open textured management has allowed us to hone up our potentials and working under the wings of our experienced seniors have given us a unique opportunity to acquire modern leadership skills and we benefitted from onsite trainings in the wide spectrum of international law firms with whom BLC Robert has close professional ties. With our team of partners and associates, we have what it requires to consolidate our leading position and build the legal firm of the future.”
Jason Harel is a co-founding partner of BLC Robert and boasts substantial experience in corporate M&A, workout transactions as well as taxation. He generally practises in the areas of corporate and commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate insolvency, real estate, tax but also advises on litigation matters.
Valérie Bisasur is a Partner at BLC Robert in the Banking and Finance practice. Valerie routinely acts for local and international banks, DFIs, project sponsors and financial institutions in structuring and financing various projects locally and internationally. She has developed specific expertise in funds’ financing, sustainable finance and secured bonds. She also regularly advises on banking regulatory aspects of the setting up, operations, mergers or acquisitions of banks.
Fayaz Hajee Abdoula joined BLC Robert as a pupil in 2009 and was called to the Mauritius Bar in January 2010. Over the last 9 years, Fayaz has developed a corporate and commercial practice being involved on a number of sizeable M&A transactions, joint ventures involving amongst others private equity firms, regulated entities, listed companies, hotels and multinationals.
While co-managing, Valérie and Fayaz will also continue their role as partners in the Banking and the Corporate/M&A practices respectively.
