Peter Wielgosz
Partner
Peter Wielgosz is an accomplished senior legal professional who focusses his practice on emerging companies, finance and family offices. Mr. Wielgosz is currently based in Dubai.
Through his varied and versatile background, Mr. Wielgosz has developed a holistic perspective in both the buy and sell sides of financial transactions, with experience in deal structuring and start-up funding. With a passion for entrepreneurial spirit and early-stage technology research and development, Mr. Wielgosz advises start-up tech companies and supports them in finding investors. He works with emerging companies to establish an early foothold in their respective markets by setting up their legal structures, contractual relationships and assisting with all aspects of their initial capital raises. His expertise includes private equity structuring, acquisitions (including fine art), family office establishment, due diligence, contract negotiations, funding and fund formation, divestments, cryptocurrency and crypto mining advisory, and governance structuring. Mr. Wielgosz also has a strong background in capital markets and has led multi-million and multi-billion-dollar commercial transactions for global corporates.
Mr. Wielgosz has impressive experience working with high-net-worth individuals, family offices and family-run businesses. Notably, he provided legal counsel to the private office of a member of the Saudi Royal Family where he spent four years as sole international legal counsel. In this role, he established various corporate vehicles, SPVs, and trusts for a variety of private equity asset acquisitions (including real estate investments), as well as the overarching governance structure to apply across a variety of jurisdictions.
SELECTED EXPERIENCE
FinTech, Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain
- Advising a newly established UAE free-zone on its regulatory framework in relation to licenses for companies operating in the crypto-currency/blockchain industry.
- Advising Dubai-based companies on the application process for Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) licenses granted by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).
- Advising an ADGM-incorporated VASP on various regulatory matters.
- Advising a Dubai-based corporate service provider on various VARA licensing requirements and procedures.
- Advising various Dubai-based startups on compliance with VARA regulations related to marketing of Virtual Assets in Dubai.
- Establishing a decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO) for a Spanish-based education services metaverse project.
- Advising a global FI headquartered in Dubai on various aspects relating to its token issuance for use on its trading platform.
- Serving as interim board director for a listed crypto-mining operator during a corporate take-over.
- Advising a family office with extensive exposure to cryptocurrencies on:
- structuring a venture capital vehicle focussed on investments in the sector and related due diligence of start-ups;
- acquisition and disposition of crypto-mining equipment and related hosting agreements;
- negotiating/advising on OTC acquisitions of cryptocurrencies;
- contractual relationship pertaining to chain (code) audit; and
- negotiating/advising on community policies.
- Advising deep-tech drone manufacturer with inter-drone blockchain/peer-to-peer communication layer on inaugural Initial Exchange Offer (including deal structuring and drafting white paper).
- Advising a start-up on its NFT platform for emerging musicians.
- Advisory work for start-ups and deep-tech R&D company related to Initial Exchange Offers and engagement of developers/coders.
Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
- Advising a European tech start-up focused on the development of a ground-breaking new signal processing technology. Mr. Wielgosz was involved in all legal aspects of the development, including: company incorporation, shareholder agreements/negotiations, third-party supply contracts, investor documentation, IP registration as well as the development of corporate strategy.
- Representation of technology start-up companies in Ukraine and in Russia to establish an early foothold in their respective markets by setting up their legal structures, contractual relationships and assisting with all aspects of their initial capital raises.
Family Offices
- Helped found the family office of a member of the Saudi Royal Family and subsequently was invited to act as sole internal legal advisor to provide general counsel on all of the principal’s private business ventures and personal investments. This included leading numerous investments in real estate, tech start-ups, financial assets and fine art. Mr. Wielgosz was involved in all aspects of deals, including legal advisory, documentation, due diligence, commercial negotiations, structuring and transaction management. He was ultimately recognised as ‘‘Lawyer of the Year’’ for Investment Companies, Funds, and Trusts for serving an integral role in the establishment of various corporate vehicles, SPVs and trusts as well as governance structure for companies across a variety of jurisdictions.
- Structuring a fund for a Portuguese-based family office to enable other investors to co-invest alongside the family office in large scale ($300m+) infrastructure projects in former Portuguese colonies in Africa.
- Structuring a venture capital vehicle for a family office interested in increasing the utility of a crypto-currency chain over which the family office has significant influence.
Capital Markets
- Acting as counsel to the trustee on an issuance of USD 500 million 10 percent notes secured over a private equity portfolio and issued by a Bahraini private investment firm engaged in direct equity investments with a focus on mid-sized companies in the GCC markets and other select countries of the MENA region.
- Supporting the listing process for the inaugural initial exchange offer (IEO) of a vertical take-off and landing autonomous aerial vehicle manufacturer that uses blockchain technology for inter-vehicle communication and advising the company’s strategy for entry into Middle Eastern markets. Advised on various aspects of the listing process from the incorporation of the SPV token issuer to advisory and third-party supply contracts, investor documentation and corporate strategy.
- Serving as transitional non-executive Director on the Board of Directors for a publicly listed company transitioning from a venture capital conventional mining/natural resources company to a crypto mining ASIC chip and rig manufacturer and crypto-mining data centre operator. Assisting the company through a significant capital raise and providing counsel on a corporate take-over to expel former management team and board. Leading negotiations on various third-party terminations and new service agreements.
- Leading AED7.5B Sukuk Liability Management Exercise as obligor’s counsel in relation to a consent solicitation to amend existing sukuk terms and conditions to allow for a redemption and dissolution of the trust with respect to sovereign assets owned by the Emirate of Dubai.
- Spearheading U.S.$ 1B Sukuk-Al-Ijara Issuance Programme with a central role acting for the lead arrangers in closing the sukuk element of a Regulation S / Rule 144A programme establishment for a UAE-based telecommunications firm.
- Leading a variety of Tier 1 / Tier 2 capital raises for regional (MENA) banks.
- Acting on behalf of obligors and arrangers on a variety of regional and cross-border Regulation S and Rule 144A offerings of CLOs, CDOs, and whole of business securitisations as well as other structured debt deals including RMBS and CMBS as listed and/or rated offerings with respect to ECB eligibility or Bank of England SLS Scheme.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
- Law Institute of Victoria
- International Bar Association
- Institute of Directors
