Aatif Ahmad

Aatif is a highly experienced financial services lawyer with extensive experience of working in-house in UK banks and in the financial services departments of major London law firms.

Aatif's work includes advice on general financial services regulation, regulatory investigations and enforcement, insurance, banking, crypto assets, claims management companies, wealth managers/IFAs and investment funds.

As well as advising clients on specific financial services issues, Aatif also supports our corporate and commercial lawyers on financial services related projects and transactions, including the negotiation of commercial agreements.

Aatif is a qualified Solicitor-Advocate with higher rights in England & Wales and a qualified barrister.

Experience includes:

• Advising various financial services firms on authorisation, perimeter and financial promotion issues, including in relation to crypto assets.
• Handling FCA and PRA authorisation applications, as well as regulatory change of control applications.
• Advising various clients on interpretation of PRA and FCA rules, including COBS, SYSC, MiFID II, CASS, EMIR, Payment Services Regulation and E-Money Regulations.
• Advising clients on financial crime legislation, including AML, sanctions, anti-fraud and anti-bribery and corruption legislation.
• Drafting various joint venture and commercial agreements for financial institutions, including revenue share agreements, appointed representative agreements, service level agreements, outsourcing agreements and brokerage agreements.
• Negotiating share purchase agreements and merger agreements in M&A deals including ICE’s acquisitions of APX Endex, NYSE Euronext and Singapore Exchange.
• Advising a credit fund manager on its acquisition of a UK firm, including drafting transfer agreement for transfer of LLP interests.
• Undertaking due diligence on the acquisition of an insurance broker and drafting/negotiating share purchase agreement.
• Advised a Bermuda credit fund on investing into a structured receivables programme run by a European bank as junior investor.
• Advising LMAX Ltd in the establishment of the first MTF for retail financial derivatives, including drafting the rulebook, contract terms, and various market-making agreements.
• Drafting and negotiating various agreements for wealth and asset managers, including investment management agreements, distribution agreements, brokerage agreements, fund co-manufacturing agreements, side letters, and currency administration agreements.