Structured capital for assets that cannot fail. Jurisdiction, covenants, and enforcement engineered from day one.
Project Finance Structures
Project Finance Structures: Capital That Survives the Asset
Handle structures project finance for assets that must perform under legal, regulatory, and lender pressure; from energy and infrastructure to logistics, healthcare, and industrial capacity. We align sponsors, lenders, and regulators into one enforceable framework that protects capital, ring-fences risk, and sustains operations across cycles.
Working from the UAE as a hub jurisdiction, we design and negotiate project finance structures that control security, cash flows, and governance. Term sheets, covenants, intercreditor arrangements, step-in rights, and security packages are executed as one model. Capital protected. Lenders aligned. Projects bankable and enforceable.
Our Project Finance Structures Services: Built for Bankability and Control
Handle leads the full structuring cycle of project finance transactions across the UAE and cross-border, integrating law, capital, and governance into one execution path. We move from feasibility to financial close to post-close enforcement with disciplined control over risk, cash flow, and counterparties.
Project Structuring & Risk Allocation
Allocation of construction, operating, market, and political risk into bankable contractual frameworks.
Term Sheet & Covenant Architecture
Design and negotiation of term sheets, covenants, and ratios that withstand stress and default.
Security, Intercreditor & Step-In Rights
Ring-fenced security packages, intercreditor arrangements, and enforceable lender step-in mechanisms.
Financial Close & Post-Close Governance
Execution to financial close, ongoing covenant monitoring, waivers, and restructuring pathways when tested.
Why Work with a Project Finance Structures Expert
Large-scale projects fail at the structure, not the asset. Handle designs project finance structures that withstand cash flow volatility, regulatory change, and sponsor or lender disputes, with jurisdiction and enforcement controlled from the outset.
We integrate legal documentation, financial covenants, and governance architecture into a single, enforceable capital stack that institutions can underwrite and boards can rely on.
- End-to-end structuring from risk allocation to financial close
- Deep familiarity with UAE free zone and onshore regulatory frameworks
- Bankable covenant and security design aligned with lender expectations
- Intercreditor and step-in rights that function in real default scenarios
- Integrated view across sponsors, lenders, contractors, and offtakers
- Execution discipline that protects capital and preserves project viability
Better Ask Handle
Why Choose Us to Handle Your Project Finance Structures
High-value projects demand structures that institutions trust and courts can enforce. We lead project finance mandates from the UAE with uncompromising focus on covenant integrity, security perfection, and jurisdictional clarity.
Handle sits at the intersection of law, capital, and governance; structuring project vehicles, contracts, and capital stacks to deliver durable bankability, not theoretical models.
Talk to a PartnerIntegrated Law–Capital Execution
Legal documentation, financial covenants, and capital structure designed and negotiated as one execution track.
Lender-Grade Documentation Standards
Structures aligned with regional and international lender requirements, rating agency logic, and investment committees.
Jurisdiction and Enforcement Focus
Careful choice of governing law, forum, and security mechanics to secure real-world enforceability.
Resilience Under Stress and Default
Structures designed for performance under delay, cost overrun, force majeure, and counterparty failure.
Anchored in the Region’s Most Strategic Hubs
We work across the UAE’s leading financial centers, free zones, regulatory authorities, and courts; giving our clients certainty in both capital and law.
When your business turns legal, capital turns critical, and legacy turns strategic… #BetterAskHandle
What's Included in Our Project Finance Structures Services
We structure project finance transactions with disciplined allocation of risk, enforceable security, and controlled governance; from greenfield assets to brownfield refinancings.
Our model converts technical feasibility and commercial contracts into capital that closes, performs, and survives stress, with clear pathways for amendment, waiver, and enforcement.
- Project risk mapping and allocation across EPC, O&M, offtake, and supply contracts
- SPV and holding structures aligned with UAE onshore and free zone regimes
- Term sheet design, financial covenant matrices, and cash waterfall mechanisms
- Security package structuring, including share pledges, assignments, and account charges
- Intercreditor agreements, direct agreements, and lender step-in frameworks
- Documentation through to financial close and post-close governance and restructuring scenarios
“Before offering your business for M&A, you must raise it with discipline. Strengthen governance, restore financial clarity, and sharpen strategy. A parented business attracts investors with confidence, not discounts.”
Mohamed abu El-MakaremManaging Partner & Chairman
“Good litigation is disciplined project management. Clear filings, clean evidence, and a hearing plan that your board understands. That is how outcomes travel from courtroom to cash.”
Hamda Al FalasiPartner, Law & Arbitration
The Powerhouse of Law & Capital⚬
The Powerhouse of Law & Capital⚬
The Powerhouse of Law & Capital⚬
The Powerhouse of Law & Capital⚬
The Powerhouse of Law & Capital⚬
#BetterAskHandle⚬
#BetterAskHandle⚬
#BetterAskHandle⚬
#BetterAskHandle⚬
#BetterAskHandle⚬
Frequently Asked Project Finance Structures Questions
Handle structures project finance across energy, infrastructure, and real assets, built for enforceability, capital protection, and long-term governance control from the UAE.
How do you approach risk allocation in project finance structures?
We start by mapping construction, operational, market, regulatory, and counterparty risks against the project’s contractual matrix. Each risk is then allocated to the party best positioned to manage and price it, using EPC, O&M, offtake, and supply contracts. The structure is tested against default, delay, and cost escalation scenarios. The result is a bankable allocation that supports lender underwriting and sponsor returns.
What jurisdictions and governing laws do you typically use for project finance in the UAE?
We select governing law and forum based on enforceability, lender comfort, and regulatory context, not habit. UAE onshore, DIFC, ADGM, and foreign governing law are each assessed for security perfection, enforcement pathways, and recognition. The final choice aligns with project location, asset type, and financing sources. Jurisdiction becomes a tool of control, not a constraint.
How do you ensure security packages are enforceable in practice?
We structure security packages to align with local registration requirements, banking regulations, and insolvency regimes. Each security instrument is tested against potential enforcement scenarios, including share pledges, account charges, assignments, and guarantees. Documentation, filings, and corporate approvals are aligned to eliminate execution gaps. The objective is clear: security that can be enforced when stress arrives.
At what stage should we engage you in a project finance transaction?
The mandate is strongest when engaged before term sheet finalisation, while risk allocation and covenant logic are still flexible. We then structure the SPV, contractual framework, and financing model in parallel. If documentation has already commenced, we focus on correcting structural weaknesses and tightening enforcement mechanics. In all cases, we anchor the process to financial close and post-close resilience.
How do you handle intercreditor and multi-lender structures?
We design intercreditor frameworks that clearly define ranking, decision-making, enforcement triggers, and standstill mechanics. Senior, mezzanine, and ancillary lenders are aligned within a single set of rules that can withstand a real default event. Voting thresholds, cure rights, and waterfall priorities are documented with precision. This preserves capital structure stability while retaining enforcement clarity.
Can you work with export credit agencies and multilaterals in project finance?
Yes, we structure transactions to align with ECA, multilateral, and DFI requirements, including policy constraints and risk appetites. Documentation is calibrated to their due diligence frameworks and covenant expectations. We ensure compatibility between commercial banks, ECAs, and multilaterals inside the same capital stack. The outcome is a coherent structure that satisfies all institutional stakeholders.
How do you address regulatory and licensing risk in UAE-based projects?
We integrate regulatory risk into the structuring phase, not as an afterthought. Relevant federal, emirate-level, and free zone regulators are mapped against licences, consents, and approvals that affect bankability. Conditions precedent and ongoing covenants are then drafted to capture regulatory milestones and compliance obligations. This preserves both financing timelines and operational continuity.
What role do you play post financial close?
Post-close, we remain aligned to governance, covenant compliance, and amendment or waiver processes. We review periodic reports, monitor covenant performance thresholds, and advise on remedial steps when metrics deteriorate. In stress or default scenarios, we execute pre-defined restructuring or enforcement pathways. Governance remains active, not theoretical.
How do you integrate ESG or sustainability requirements into project finance structures?
Where ESG is material, we embed it into covenants, reporting obligations, and performance tests rather than high-level statements. Lender and investor standards are translated into measurable indicators and triggers. This allows ESG commitments to be monitored, enforced, and reflected in pricing or default mechanics where appropriate. Sustainability becomes part of the capital structure, not a separate narrative.
Can you restructure existing project finance facilities that are underperforming?
We analyse the existing documents, security, and performance metrics to identify structural and commercial pressure points. Then we design a restructuring path that may include covenant resets, tenor extensions, equity injections, or asset sales, anchored by enforceability and lender alignment. Intercreditor positions and security realisation options are reassessed and, where necessary, renegotiated. The objective is a viable capital structure that restores control and continuity.
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