Stephenson Harwood awarded Legal Consultant of the Year at MESIA Awards 2026
International law firm Stephenson Harwood has been awarded “Legal Consultant of the Year” at the Middle East Solar Industry Association (“MESIA”) Awards 2026.
The award was presented in particular recognition of the firm's role advising Yellow Door Energy on a multi-million term loan financing facility with Arab Banking Corporation. The facility finances 25 operational solar PV projects, totalling over 42MW, across Majid Al Futtaim shopping malls in the UAE, Bahrain and Oman.
The transaction required coordination across three GCC jurisdictions, whereby legal advice was provided in relation Omani, UAE, Bahraini and English law, which was led by Dubai-based Banking and Finance Partner Rustum Shah and Managing Associate Murtaza Hussain. This matter is significant as it represents a pioneering approach to commercial rooftop solar financing in the region. The shopping mall distributed solar model demonstrates how commercial real estate can serve as a catalyst for decarbonisation, aligned with the Net-Zero 2050 goals for the UAE and Oman and Bahrain’s Net-Zero 2060 goal.
Iwan Walters, Dubai-based Projects, Energy and Infrastructure Partner, commented, “We are delighted to have won the MESIA Legal Consultant of the Year award. Energy transition is one of the five key areas of focus for Stephenson Harwood. This award reflects our teams technical ability to deliver on leading C&I solar projects in the MENA region. As a team, we remain committed to be the leading energy transition team in MENA.”
MESIA promotes solar power in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Founded in 2012, MESIA is a non-profit, non-governmental trade organization promoting the solar industry’s growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The annual awards program celebrates the exceptional talent and achievements in the MENA solar market.
