Shahir Guindi

Shahir Guindi, Partner, Corporate

Contact Information

  • tel: 514.904.8126
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Areas of Expertise

Bar Admission

Québec, 1990 ; New York, 1990

Education

  • McGill University, LL.B.
  • McGill University, B.C.L.

Office

Montréal

Language(s)

English, French, Arabic

Biography

Shahir is the managing partner of the Montréal office, and formerly a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and private equity/venture capital (including in the areas of technology and life sciences). He acts for many private equity funds in their portfolio investments and divestitures and for corporations and investment banks in connection with corporate finance transactions. Shahir has extensive expertise in cross-border M&A and private equity fund formation. He is a director of the Business Development Bank of Canada and sits on the boards of several other companies and is currently Co-Chair of Réseau Capital (Québec’s private equity and venture capital association).

Notable Matters

  • POSCO of Korea and China Steel Corporation of Taiwan in their $1.1 billion investment in ArcelorMittal Mines Canada’s iron ore mine business.
  • Turris Sites in its sale of a controlling interest to InSite Wireless of the United States.
  • SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) in direct equity investments into North America.
  • Jubilant Organosys Ltd. of India in its $250 million acquisition of NASDAQ and TSX listed Draxis Health Inc.
  • Beyond the Rack, in over $55M of financings, including with Highland Capital and Panorama.
  • Accedian Networks in its various financings, including the $25M financing by Summit Capital andRho Capital.
  • Hopper Travel in its various financings totalling over $20 million, including by Atlas Ventures and Omers Ventures.
  • Investors in Enerkem in over $50M of various financings.
  • Investissement Québec and Desjardins Capital de risque in their acquisition of GFI Informatique.
  • Oz Communications Inc. in its sale to Nokia Corporation.
  • Persistence Capital Partners in the disposition of MedAxio Insurance Medical Services to Gamma-Dynacare and the Medisys Independent Medical Assessment division of Medisys Corporate Health to SCM Insurance Services.
  • Radialpoint, in all of its financings in an aggregate amount of approximately $200 million.
  • Formation of the following funds: Rho Canada, Persistence Capital Partners, Inovia Capital, Real Ventures, TVM Capital, Lumira Fund II, Lumira Merck, Celtic House and others.
  • Teralys Capital in the formation of the $1.3 billion managed fund of funds.
  • Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: corporate legal reform project.
  • Genuity Capital Markets, BMO Nesbitt Burns and the rest of the underwriting syndicate in Miranda Technologies Inc.’s IPO.
  • AXA Private Equity, CBC Pension Fund and Caisse de dépôt in the establishment of two Novacap Funds, namely Novacap Technologies III and Novacap Industries III, in an aggregate amount of $600 million.
  • Investors in Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc. in various equity and debt financings (over $75 million) and in the sale to Pharmaxis.
  • Caisse de dépôt et placement, Tandem Capital, Rho Capital, Inovia Capital, Real Ventures, Garage Technology, Ventures West, Vimac Ventures, Entrepia Ventures, Desjardins Venture Capital,  Société Innovatech du Grand Montréal and Investissement Québec in several private equity and venture capital investments.
  • Investment banks in public offerings in various financings, Caprion, Kangaroo TV, Redline Communications, Diagnocure, Nstein Technologies.

Affiliations

  • New York State Bar Association
  • Association du Barreau du Québec
  • Canadian Bar Association

Industry Recognition

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2012: Biotechnology; Computer & IT Law; Corporate Commercial Law; Corporate Finance & Securities; Corporate Mid-Market; Mergers & Acquisitions; Private Equity; Technology Transactions (Most Frequently Recommended)
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2013: Information Technology Law; Technology Law
  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2012: Named Montréal Technology Lawyer of the Year
  • The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada 2012: Technology Transactions
  • Lexpert’s Top 40 Under 40 Awards (2004)

Publications/Events/Education

  • Canadian M&A Gets an International Flavour, Osler Outlook, Autumn 2008.
  • Opportunities and Challenges in Today’s Capital Markets’ Reality: Perspectives for 2008 and Beyond (Moderator), Réseau Capital, Montreal, Canada, April 2008.
  • Forming and Investing in Private Equity Funds (Conference Chair), The Canadian Institute,  Toronto, Canada, June 2007.
  • A Made in Canada Merger: Caprion + Ecopia = Thallion (Panellist), CANMEDBIO 2007, Toronto, Canada, May 2007.
  • Les structures possibles à l’occasion d’un investissement dans une companie privée, Transactions de Capitaux de risque et d’investissement, Montréal, Canada, May 2007.

Pro Bono/Community Work

  • Business Development Bank of Canada, Board of Directors
  • St. Mark Orthodox Church, Board of Directors
  • College St. Antoine le Grand, Advisor
  • St. Peter and St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church, Board of Directors

Downloadable Profile

Shahir Guindi