Firm to present Virtual Aerospace & Defense lunch

Miller Canfield will present the September Virtual Aerospace and Defense Luncheon “Challenges and Opportunities for A&D Companies in Entering Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia and the UAE” online Tuesday, September 28, from noon to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are key strategic allies of the United States in the Middle East and huge customers for U.S. and other Western defense companies. Under their long-term strategic development plans – Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia and Economic Vision 2030 in the UAE – both countries have been seeking to diversify their economies and reduce their traditional reliance on oil and petrochemicals, create new high-tech industries and job opportunities, and strengthen their indigenous defense capability. Both countries have been trying to develop their defense industries by encouraging or requiring foreign defense contractors to enter joint ventures with state-owned companies like SAMI in Saudi Arabia and Tawazun in the UAE.

Miller Canfield’s program will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing U.S. and other Western defense companies in entering into these joint ventures with state-owned companies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This will include a discussion of how flexible the Saudis and Emiratis have been in negotiating these joint ventures with Western defense companies, key contractual and operational issues that need to be addressed in establishing and operating these joint ventures, and how Western defense companies have addressed export control, anti-corruption and antiboycott law compliance, intellectual property protection, and other issues that may arise in international joint ventures in the Middle East.

The panel will include:

  • Greg Golden, senior corporate counsel, Middle East North Africa, Northrop Grumman Corporation
  • Chris Tierney, senior legal counsel, Bechtel Corporation
  • Greg Waddoups, lead, International Legal Group, Raytheon Technologies

Howard Weissman of Miller Canfield’s Washington, D.C. office will moderate the discussion.

This event will be subject to the Chatham House Rule to encourage an open and frank discussion.  It will begin promptly at noon utilizing Zoom with the lines opening for connections beginning at 11:50 a.m.

For additional information or to register, visit www.millercanfield.com and click on “News & Events.” A meeting link will be forwarded once the registration form is completed.