International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has advised Cognita Limited on its strategic expansion in the Middle East through strategic partnerships with five premium schools across Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Oman. This expansion marks Cognita’s entry into three new countries simultaneously and sees the number of schools that it operates in the Middle East rise to 14.
The schools include King’s College Doha in Qatar, King’s College Riyadh and Downe House Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, and Downe House Muscat and Cheltenham Muscat in Oman. Together, they join Cognita’s international network of more than 100 schools in 20 countries, educating over 100,000 students worldwide.
The Addleshaw Goddard team in the UAE led the transaction supported by its offices in Oman and Saudi Arabia and counsel in Qatar. The cross-practice AG team advising on the transaction was led by Lowri Llwyd and James Whittam (Corporate, UAE), alongside deal teams in the firm’s Oman and KSA offices and counsel in Qatar.
Lowri Llwyd, Partner and Head of Corporate UAE at Addleshaw Goddard, who led the deal, commented: “We are delighted to have supported Cognita on this landmark transaction, which not only represents a milestone in their global growth story but also reflects the increasing demand for world-class education across the Gulf. Managing a cross-border process of this complexity required close collaboration across our regional offices, and it has been a privilege to bring our expertise to bear on such a significant step for our client. As ever, it was fantastic to work closely with the Cognita team and help deliver such a great transaction.”
This latest mandate builds on Addleshaw Goddard’s growing track record of advising on high-profile education sector transactions across the Middle East, reinforcing its position as a leading adviser to global operators expanding in the region.
