Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Maroun Abou Harb
The rights you think you have: five legal stress tests for a more resilient business
By Joe David, CEO of Nephos Group “Move to Dubai for tax.” I hear this constantly. From founders, investors, crypto-native operators – people building real businesses who reduce one of the biggest decisions of their professional lives to a single line on a spreadsheet. And honestly, it is the wrong way to think about it. Tax should rarely be the sole reason to relocate. When it is, it is usually where things go wrong. The corporate structure is not set up correctly.
Investing in Northern Italy
There are the mountains, the lakes, the old villages, the clean air, the proximity to Switzerland, and the feeling that you can still find something real there. Not every property is priced like Milan. Not every town is as expensive as central Como. In smaller places around Lake Como, including areas such as Lanzo d’Intelvi, foreign buyers may still find apartments at prices that feel surprisingly accessible.
The Most Dangerous Clause Is the One That Never Gets Written
That is where many structures begin to fail. The shareholders’ agreement is signed. The articles are adopted. The governance structure is approved. The company is incorporated. The registers are updated. The signatories are appointed. Everyone leaves the room believing the structure is clear. On paper, it is. The rights are allocated. The obligations are recorded. The voting thresholds are defined. The reserved matters are listed. The exit mechanisms are inserted. Everything appears to have been captured.
What lawyers get wrong about Structuring
Not because they are invalid. Not because they fall outside the law. But because they were never truly designed to do what their creators believed they would do. On paper, they appear sound. They read well. They pass scrutiny. They satisfy formal requirements and give the impression of control. And yet, the moment pressure is applied, whether by investors, regulators, counterparties, or simply the passage of time, they begin to behave differently. Assumptions unravel. Outcomes diverge.
Power Settles in Speed, Form, Trust, and Silence: Tallinn, Milan, Zurich, and Lanzo d’Intelvi
Not financial gravity. Not demographic gravity. Legal gravity. Every jurisdiction bends behavior differently. Some accelerate it. Some formalize it. Some monetize it. Some absorb it. Tallinn, Lanzo d’Intelvi, Milan, and Zurich sit within a relatively small geographic radius of Europe. Yet they operate as profoundly different legal ecosystems. Understanding them is not about tax rates or incorporation speed. It is about understanding how each place treats structure, permanence, and control.
Jurisdictional Dark Matter: Why Control Accumulates in Quiet Places Like Lanzo d’Intelvi
Power does not concentrate where most people think it does. It does not settle where the laws are loud, the courts are famous, or the advisors are expensive. It does not naturally accumulate in capital cities, financial centers, or jurisdictions that appear on conference panels and compliance checklists. 1. Law Is Not Flat, It Is Topographical Legal systems are often discussed as if they were uniform grids.
New tenancy and property reforms reshaping the UAE property market
The UAE property market continues to develop with regulatory reform across the United Arab Emirates. In late 2024, significant changes affected the rental industry, landlord–tenant obligations, service-charge recovery and even expropriation for public benefit. Dubai: Smart Rental Index Pursuant to Law no.
Timely Decision By Dubai Government To Expand Freehold Areas Creating New Joint Venture Opportunities
BA BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP More BSA is a full-service law firm headquartered in Dubai, UAE, with 9 offices across the region. We are deeply rooted in the region, offering a competitive advantage to clients seeking advice that works in the real world and is truly in tune with the market. We have rights of audience in every country where we have an office, means that we can litigate all the way from the boardroom to the courtroom.
UAE Non-Compete Clauses: Employers Could Face Challenge Of Enforcement If Terms Unclear, Experts Warn
BA BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates LLP More BSA is a full-service law firm headquartered in Dubai, UAE, with 9 offices across the region. We are deeply rooted in the region, offering a competitive advantage to clients seeking advice that works in the real world and is truly in tune with the market. We have rights of audience in every country where we have an office, means that we can litigate all the way from the boardroom to the courtroom.
Impôt Sur Les Sociétés : Nouvelle Décision Imposant Une Pénalité Sur L'enregistrement
L'Autorité Fédérale des Impôts, l'entité gouvernementale responsable de la gestion, de la collecte et de l'application des impôts fédéraux aux Émirats Arabes Unis ("EAU"), a publié la Décision n° (3) de 2024 (la "Décision") le 27 février 2024 dernier, fournissant des directives détaillées sur les délais d'enregistrement fiscal pour les (i) personnes morales résidentes(1), (ii) les personnes morales non-résidentes(2) et (iii) les personnes physiques(3).
Dubai's Taxation On Foreign Banks
The United Arab Emirates (the "UAE") has recently introduced Dubai Law No. (1) of 2024 on 'the Tax of Foreign Banks Operating in the Emirate of Dubai' (the "Law"). The Law mandates a 20% tax on the annual taxable income of all foreign banks, including those located in special development zones and free zones. However, foreign banks registered in the Dubai International Financial Centre are exempt from the provisions of the Law.
Corporate Tax Registration Timeline
The Federal Tax Authority has issued Decision No. 3 of 2024 on Feb 27, 2024, providing detailed guidelines on the tax registration timelines for Resident Juridical Persons, Non-Resident Juridical Persons, and Natural Persons. The decision follows the updates made to certain provisions of Cabinet Resolution No. (75) of 2023.
UAE Golden Visa: Dubai Makes Major Change To Property Down Payment Requirement
1. What is the new rule and how is it different from the earlier rule? The new rule in the UAE regarding the golden visa through real estate investment involves the removal of the AED1 million ($272,294) minimum downpayment requirement. Previously, in order to qualify for the 10-year renewable residency scheme introduced in 2019, investors were required to acquire property valued at AED2 million or above.
Aperçu de l'impôt sur les sociétés: Emirats Arabes Unis
Les Emirats Arabes Unis (EAU) ont adopté un nouveau régime fédéral d'impôt sur les sociétés (IS) avec le décret – loi No47 de 2022, entré en vigueur depuis le 1er juin 2023. On constate que les Emirats Arabes Unis ont voulu, en adoptant ce décret-loi, effectuer une réforme fiscale qui leur permettra de se rapprocher des normes internationales et de s'aligner sur l'initiative d'imposition minimale mondiale de l'OCDE.
UAE Corporate Tax: Who Is Considered A Qualifying Free Zone Person?
The UAE has recently introduced the corporate tax law, reshaping the nation's fiscal landscape. This comprehensive article focuses on free zone persons—juridical entities within free zones—and explores the conditions that grant exemptions from corporate tax.
Dividends Under UAE Corporate Tax Law
1. Introduction The United Arab Emirates (“UAE”) took a significant step forward on 9 December 2022 with the release of the Federal Decree-Law no. 47 of 2022 on ‘the Taxation of Corporations and Businesses' (the “Corporate Tax Law”). This legislation, which became effective on 25 October 2022 and applicable to Taxable Persons (as defined below) as of 1 June 2023 onwards, marks the introduction of the UAE's first federal corporate tax regime.
The Right To Proper Education And Dispute Resolution In The UAE
In the following article Maroun Abou Harb writes for Economy Middle East about understanding the legal aspects of education rights. Education is an essential and fundamental right for every child, and parents have the right to ensure their children receive a proper education within a safe and nurturing environment. Recognizing the importance of this right, the United Nations has taken steps to protect and uphold education as a basic and core right for individuals worldwide.
The right to proper education and dispute resolution in the UAE
Education is an essential and fundamental right for every child, and parents have the right to ensure their children receive a proper education within a safe and nurturing environment. Recognizing the importance of this right, the United Nations has taken steps to protect and uphold education as a basic and core right for individuals worldwide.
Unveiling The Green Facade: Comparing FTSE100s And MENA's Progress In Climate Transition Planning
The recent news of Financial Times Stock Exchange ("FTSE") 100 companies failing on credible climate transition plan has wider implications in the context of the current environmental, social and corporate governance ("ESG") reporting landscape in the MENA region. This raises questions about how large firms and companies in the region compare regarding credible transition plans.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Maroun Abou
Contact Maroun Abou, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack