People

Mark Bisch
Mark Bisch
Partner | Department Chair - Corporate (Middle East)

Overview

Mark is described by clients as a 'top-notch lawyer' and 'distinguished'

Chambers Global 2023

Mark Bisch is a trusted advisor to numerous international clients on their operations throughout the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Mark has over 25 years of experience residing and working in the Middle East. Clients rely on Mark's experience in advising on a wide range of international commercial transactions, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, corporate formations and governance, banking and finance matters, real estate and construction, technology transactions, intellectual property issues, labor and immigration matters and resolution of international disputes. Mark has extensive corporate and transactional experience throughout the Middle East and North Africa. He regularly advises clients on matters in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Mark is particularly sensitive to the needs and demands of in-house counsel, having been seconded to the international law department of PepsiCo, Inc. for a period.

Mark has spoken at numerous conferences and authored numerous articles on matters relating to international business.

Admission & Affiliations

  • Missouri Bar
  • J.D., St. Louis University School of Law 1994
  • B.B.A., University of Notre Dame 1991

Experience

  • Represented the owner of a global sports television channel in the sale of half of its equity to a strategic partner. The value exceeded $56 million.
  • Represented several major U.S. institutions of higher learning in their joint ventures with both government institutions and private investors in the region, including a strategic alliance with the Dubai Government for the Dubai Healthcare City.
  • Represented contractors on direct and Foreign Military Sales programs for the sale of aircraft, radar systems and other products and technologies.
  • Represented foreign contractors on contracts for the provision of training, maintenance and support services to Middle East governments.
  • Negotiated offset obligations and structuring and implementing of offset programs and investments throughout the Arabian Gulf region.
  • Represented commercial charter and air cargo operators on licensing, regulatory and general commercial matters throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Represented construction, architecture, engineering and design firms on regulatory and licensing issues, procurement, contracting and disputes throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Represented a wide range of clients, primarily developers and owners or managers of lodging, timeshare and mixed use developments, on all aspects associated with the regulation, development, financing and operation of hospitality and tourism projects in the Middle East and North Africa, a growing industry segment in the region.
  • Represented one of Dubai’s leading real estate developers and the world’s first purpose-built sports city, in connection with its corporate transactions, real estate development and financing, and other commercial activities.
  • Represented banks and developers in connection with negotiation of a variety of Islamic Finance residential funding products.
  • Assisted financial institutions with registration, compliance and operations in the newly created Dubai International Financial Centre.
  • Represented many fast moving consumer goods and industrial companies in a wide range of corporate and commercial matters in the Middle East and North Africa.
  • Represented leading technology and IT service providers with the negotiation of technology services agreements, including outsourcing arrangements.
  • Represented leading hardware and software companies in connection with product sales and development, licensing, implementation and maintenance of a variety of software programs.
  • Advised a software developer in connection with the negotiation of a software licensing program designed to coordinate several different types of previously incompatible software programs and hardware components utilized throughout the government of one of the G.C.C. countries into a nation-wide, fully-integrated “intranet” network.
  • Advised one of the world’s largest software developers in connection with the development and structuring of a software support services relationship with the Ministry of Finance of a Middle East country.
  • Represented telecommunications companies in the implementation of their operations throughout the region, including bidding for telecommunications licensing and other regulatory issues.
  • Advised a U.S. company in connection with the establishment and operation of joint ventures to manufacture float glass in state-of-the-art plants based in the Middle East.
  • Represented major U.S. and non-U.S. companies in internal and due diligence investigations under the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and analogous local anti-bribery laws, as well as a wide range of other foreign and local regulatory issues.
  • Represented one of the worlds leading providers of off-shore oil rigs in its transactions and activities in the Middle East.

Pro Bono

  • Provide advice to Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders), the USO (United Service Organizations) and other charitable organizations operating in the Middle East.
  • Act as United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia country editor for Trace, Inc. (Transparent Agents and Contracting Entities - Raising Standards Against Corruption), a non-profit membership association of multinational companies and their commercial intermediaries committed to the highest standards of transparency.


Awards and Community

Recognized in Chambers Global, 2007-2013, 2016-2024

Recommended in The Legal 500 EMEA, 2007-2009, 2013, 2020

Recognized in The International Who's Who of Franchise Lawyers, 2013-2015, United Arab Emirates