The new UAE Commercial Companies Law makes some modest changes but does not enact major reforms. It retains the 49% limit on foreign ownership of UAE companies. It aims to encourage more listings on local financial markets by lowering the free float requirement to 30% and allowing founders to sell shares during IPOs. The law also modernizes some provisions but does not address issues like liberalizing foreign investment rules or accommodating the needs of family businesses. Overall, the changes under the new law are more evolutionary than revolutionary.

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The New UAE Commercial Companies Law – Small Steps but No Great Leap
Introduction
After nine years of media speculation, the UAE Commercial Companies law, the first major
overhaul of the legislation since 1984 expected to come into force soon. This article identifies the
primary changes we will see now that the new law has arrived.
Despite much public discussion and speculation to the contrary, the new law applies a
conservative approach to foreign investment and retains the same legal ownership restrictions in
evidence under the existing law. So foreign investors are still limited to 49% ownership of UAE
companies.
One interesting provision permits free zone companies to operate “onshore” from their free zone
base premises (subject to the promulgation of a regulating Cabinet decree), but this seems to do
more than validate a common business practice which is anyway now tolerated.
Impact on Financial Markets
The most significant impact of the new law is to provide additional encouragement to UAE
companies to list on local financial markets.
The first measure which will encourage new listings is the reduction in the free float requirement
from 55% to 30%. The change allows these families to list their businesses yet retain 70% control.
The second encouragement is the fact that the new law allows the sell-downs of founding
shareholding as part of the IPO process. Whilst this is an important reform, it is must be noted that
once the company lists, any founders’ holdings which have not sold down during the initial
offering phase remain “locked in” for two years.
Thirdly, the new law creates framework for introducing new refined bookbuilding rules as a market
pricing mechanism of UAE IPO’s. This means that pricing will be aligned more closely to market
rather than regulator-approved valuations.
Fourthly, for the first time the law puts in place a framework for underwriting, a facility which
provides greater comfort for issues.
Modernisation and Reform
The new law introduces certain elements of modernisation and reform. For example, the law:
 permits public joint stock companies to make “strategic” share placements without having
to run the gauntlet of their shareholders’ pre-emptive rights, thus facilitating the formation
of important strategic alliances by UAE public companies;
 allows for sole-shareholder companies, either in the form of limited liability companies
(“LLC”) or private joint stock companies (“PJSC”). It has not been possible, other than in
some free zones, to establish an LLC owned by one individual or entity.
 enables shareholders in public joint stock companies to sell their preemption rights (rights
issue);
 enables shares in limited liability companies to be pledged as security to financiers. This
will enhance the opportunity for banks to take security over shares in limited liability
companies;
 permits more than five individuals to serve as Board members of limited liability
companies, enabling large closely held companies to broaden their director skill base and
business network.

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 prohibits joint stock companies from providing financial assistance to fund the acquisition
of their own shares (in line with the international market practice);
 facilitates the introduction of employees’ incentive share schemes;
Changes Missing from the New Law
There are a number of useful reforms which could have been made in the new law which have not
been made.
Liberalisation of Foreign Investment Rules
Under the new law any foreign investor can own a maximum of 49% of locally incorporated
company, apart from companies incorporated in a free zone in which they can own 100%. Where
a public joint stock company lists, there is not a 51% UAE ownership required but there is a 51%
GCC requirement. Yet even though majority GCC ownership is permitted, the new law imposes a
mandatory requirement that the chairman and majority of directors of any public joint stock
company must be UAE nationals.
Family Businesses
Specific needs of family businesses have not been addressed in the new law. One problem which
UAE family businesses face is that all shares in all onshore companies must have equal voting
rights. When combined with the operation of the UAE inheritance laws (which pre-ordain a
formula for distribution of inherited assets) there is limited flexibility for tailoring arrangements
which ensure that the heirs with the necessary commitment to and aptitude for the business are
the ones who are entrusted with stewardship to drive the decision-making process of the
business. Family businesses should be able to create different classes of voting and non-voting
shares so all heirs can share the economic benefit but not necessarily interfere in the decision-
making for the business.
.
Abolition of Statutory Pre-emptive Rights in Limited Liability Companies
Under the old companies law, every shareholder in an LLC company has statutory right of pre-
emption over all the other shares and this continues under the new law. Regrettably, this
mandatory and cumbersome statutory right has carried forward into the new law.
Conclusion
The new law is a definite improvement on the 1984 law but the changes are less sweeping than
many would have expected after a decade’s work. The main impact of the new law is to
encourage new listings of UAE companies on financial markets - but in more day-to-day matters,
it is largely business as usual in the UAE.
Author
Ahmed Ibrahim
Partner and Head of Equity Capital Markets
Al Tamimi & Company