Muhammad Zukhairi bin Muhammed Salehudin

Zukhairi is a Partner of the Corporate Finance and Securities practice group at Zaid Ibrahim & Co. In addition to being an advocate and solicitor of the High Court of Malaya, he is also a Chartered Professional in Islamic Finance.

With extensive experience advising both local and international clients—including listed and unlisted entities—Zukhairi has been involved in a wide range of corporate transactions. Many of these engagements were novel, complex, and high-profile, spanning across multiple jurisdictions and sectors. His areas of expertise include:

• Equity Capital Markets: Advising on capital-raising exercises on exchanges such as Bursa Malaysia, Singapore Exchange, Hong Kong Exchange, and the London Stock Exchange.
• Mergers & Acquisitions: Representing both buyers and sellers in transactions involving public and private corporations, including foreign direct investments.
• Corporate Restructuring: Handling reorganisations involving schemes of arrangement, capital reductions, and repayments for both public and private entities.
• Takeovers and Privatisations: Advising on take-private transactions and mandatory general offers for companies listed on Bursa Malaysia.
• Islamic Finance and Shariah Funds: Advising on the establishment, management, investment, and closure of Shariah-compliant funds.
• Corporate Advisory: Providing strategic counsel on management buy-outs, rights issues, restricted offers for sale, derivatives, business trusts, employee share schemes, and foreign equity offerings into Malaysia.

Zukhairi’s clientele includes government-linked companies, statutory bodies, and corporate conglomerates across sectors such as banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, property development, oil & gas, energy, logistics, retail, and private equity.

Career

Zukhairi joined the firm as a Senior Associate in 2013. Prior to that, he held the same position at one of Malaysia’s top 10 corporate law firms. During his tenure there, he was seconded to PETRONAS, where he gained valuable exposure to the oil and gas sector. In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious and highly competitive British Chevening Scholarship (co-sponsored by Yayasan Khazanah) to pursue an LLM in Corporate Law in the United Kingdom.

Selected Notable Engagements

Mergers and acquisition 

• Advised Telenor (the single largest shareholder of Digi.Com Berhad, a listed company on Bursa Malaysia) in its proposed acquisition of and merger with the telecommunications business of Axiata by way of an asset acquisition. This was considered to be the largest telco sector merger in Malaysian history. 
• Advised MBSB Bank, a listed company on Bursa Malaysia, in its proposed acquisition and merger with another financial group, MIDF Group. This was considered the first acquisition by Islamic financial group of a conventional financial group –setting a precedent in Malaysia market. The acquisition creates the second largest Islamic financial group in Malaysia.
• Advised Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad in a 3-way merger with SME Bank Berhad and Exim Bank Berhad groups. This is the first merger involving development financial institutions in Malaysia, creating a mega development financial institution. 
• Advised RHB financial group on its proposed RM37 billion merger with AmBank group, both group listed on Bursa Malaysia. (aborted) 
• Advised listed RHB financial services group in its proposed public acquisition and merger with listed CIMB financial services group and listed MBSB, to form Malaysia’s largest domestic financial services group with potential market capitalisation in excess of RM80 billion. (aborted)  

Takeovers 

• Advised Sime Darby Berhad, a listed company on Bursa Malaysia, in its proposed acquisition of controlling interest in UMW Holdings Berhad (“UMW”), also a listed company on Bursa Malaysia, and subsequent mandatory general offer of the remaining shares in UMW. This was reported to be one of the largest merger and acquisition deals in Malaysia. 
• Advised Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia in its involvement in a consortium undertaking a voluntary general offer of the entire shares of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad –a high-profile transaction involving the national asset. 
• Currently advising a foreign private equity firm in a proposed takeover of a group listed on Bursa Malaysia involved in healthcare sector. 

Internal corporate restructuring 

Advised Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia’s largest electricity utility company listed on Bursa Malaysia, in its major internal reorganisation of its generation, transmission and retail businesses via scheme or arrangement. 

Capital Markets 

• Advised CIMB Investment Bank Berhad, as an underwriter, pursuant to the initial public offering and listing of Bison Consolidated Berhad (now known Mynews Holdings Berhad) on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia. 
• Advised Top Glove Berhad in its proposed listing on Hong Kong Stock Exchange. (aborted) 
• Advised FGV Holdings Bhd in its initial public offering and listing on Bursa Malaysia. This was considered to be the largest plantation listed company. 
• Advised Malaysian Bulk Carriers Berhad, a listed company on Bursa Malaysia, in relation to one-of-its kind renounceable restricted offer for sale of shares in PACC Offshore Services Holdings, a listed company on SGX, Ltd to its entitled shareholders. 

Others 

• Advising ConocoPhilips in the proposed transfer of operatorship of Petroleum operation in Sabah. 
• Advising one of the leading private equity players in Malaysia in its establishment (and winding-down) of various Shariah-compliant funds (4 funds altogether). 

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