July 24, 2025 – In a further strategic expansion of its leading Hospitality Practice, global law firm Greenberg Traurig added industry veteran Elias J. Hayek as co-chair of the firm's Middle East and European Hospitality Group, working from its UAE and KSA offices.
DUBAI, UAE, July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In a further strategic expansion of its leading Hospitality Practice, global law firm Greenberg Traurig added industry veteran Elias J. Hayek as co-chair of the firm's Middle East and European Hospitality Group, working from its UAE and KSA offices. Hayek joins from an international law firm where he led that firm's global Hospitality & Leisure Group for close to a decade.
In addition to Dubai and Riyadh, Hayek also plans to spend time in London. He represents major clients in the hospitality, leisure and entertainment industries, helping them navigate complex commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, management agreements, licensing and franchising, hotel project leasing, mixed-use and branded residential developments, and sale-leaseback deals. With three decades of cross-jurisdictional experience, he has closed more than 500 transactions in 45+ cities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Earlier in his career, he spent 17 years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in Brussels, where he served as vice president of legal for the Europe, Africa, and Middle East division, responsible for the regional legal affairs of the company and over 300 hotels.
"Greenberg Traurig's clear commitment to strategic growth in the Middle East and around the globe continues to yield exceptional results for our clients and the firm. With the addition of Elias, a globally respected leader in hospitality law, we are not only expanding one of the world's top real estate and hospitality practices — we are further solidifying our position as the preeminent real estate practice in the Middle East and Europe. This move aligns with our long-term vision: selecting extraordinary talent fully versed in their relevant industries, building strength on strength, empowering our teams on the ground, and delivering market-leading, pragmatic and responsive counsel to clients involved in the region's most transformative projects," said Richard A. Rosenbaum, Executive Chairman of Greenberg Traurig.
Hayek's clients include multi-asset owner-developers, private equity funds, brand owners, and third-party operators. In addition to sector-specific corporate and commercial transactions, he handles management and licensing agreements for food and beverage, restaurants, and health and wellness operations, as well as hotel management, licensing, franchise, and service agreements. Hayek also advises clients in connection with hospitality disputes and arbitrations.
"Elias has developed a highly successful practice advising clients on the full lifecycle of their hospitality projects and transactions worldwide," said Khalid A. Al-Thebity, Greenberg Traurig's Middle East Regional Chair and Managing Shareholder of the firm's Kingdom of Saudi Arabia location. "His arrival underscores our ongoing commitment to attracting top legal talent and providing best-in-class service that helps our clients grow and succeed in the Middle East and beyond."
Hayek's experience includes representing a UAE government entity in creating a joint venture agreement with a leading global gaming and hospitality company to develop a multi-billion-dollar gaming resort in the region. He has advised subsidiaries of Saudi Arabia's public investment fund on the development, subdivision and branding agreements for several multi-billion dollar "giga project" developments. He has also represented European private equity fund subsidiaries on the acquisition, development and operational agreements for multiple high-end luxury and upscale properties across Europe.
"I was attracted to Greenberg Traurig because it has the preeminent hospitality practice in the world and its industry leading platform will allow me to better serve my clients," Hayek said. "The opportunity to help lead the firm's hospitality efforts in the Middle East and Europe was the ideal next step for my practice."
"Elias adds a significant dimension to our already formidable hospitality team in the Middle East and Europe, where we continue to grow and enhance our services amid client demand," Co-Heads of the Middle East Real Estate Practice Stephen Kelly and Sarah Mahood said in a joint statement. "His deep experience and broad industry knowledge further strengthen our extensive capabilities to support our hospitality industry clients in their operations and investments around the world."
"Elias's arrival further strengthens our leading hospitality and real estate teams in Europe and globally. His deep industry insight and cross-border experience enhance our ability to support clients on their most complex and transformative hospitality projects across the region and beyond," said Steven Cowins, Co-Chair of the Global Real Estate Funds Practice, and Dr. Christian Schede, Co-Chair of the Global Real Estate Practice in a joint statement.
Hayek received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel's (ACC) Global Board of Directors and is a former chairman and president of the ACC's Middle East chapter. He also has served as chair and co-chair of the International Bar Association's Leisure Industries Section, vice-chair of the Corporate Counsel Forum, and as an officer of the Arab Regional Forum's Legal Practice Division.
Hayek is licensed to practice law in California and as a Dubai Legal Consultant. He earned a J.D. from the University of Pacific McGeorge School of Law and a B.Sc. in business administration and finance from California State University. He speaks English, Arabic and French.
Greenberg Traurig's United Arab Emirates office is operated by Greenberg Traurig Limited.
About Greenberg Traurig's Hospitality Group: Greenberg Traurig's Hospitality Group advises developers, owners and operators of hotel, resort and club properties, as well as governments, private government corporations, governmental and private financial institutions, and financial consultants on virtually all aspects of their involvement in the hospitality industry in the United States, the Americas, and overseas. Our multidisciplinary team brings corporate, real estate, tax, and environmental attorneys together with recognized industry leaders experienced in the development and financing of hotel and resort properties, as well as the design and implementation of club and resort membership programs.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2,850 attorneys across 49 locations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm's broad geographic and practice range enables the delivery of innovative and strategic legal services across borders and industries. Recognized as a 2025 BTI "Best of the Best Recommended Law Firm" by general counsel for trust and relationship management, Greenberg Traurig is consistently ranked among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100, NLJ 500, and Law360 400. Greenberg Traurig is also known for its philanthropic giving, culture, innovation, and pro bono work. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.
Media Contact
Amira Alyamani, Greenberg Traurig, +971 (0) 4595 3637, [email protected], https://www.gtlaw.com/
SOURCE Greenberg Traurig
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