Zain Satardien

Spear’s Review

After practising as a tax and trade lawyer in South Africa for almost a decade, Zain Satardien relocated to the UAE to specialise in strategic tax advice.

As the head of tax and international trade at Hourani & Partners, Satardien works with three types of clients: large multinational corporations; institutional family offices; and UHNW private clients, including billionaires, royalty and shipping magnates. 

One key factor that separates his firm from the European-based tax firms that are increasingly expanding into the Middle East, Satardien notes, is Hourani & Partners’ understanding of how to best work with non-Western clients.

‘One client told me he liked me because I speak straight and give straightforward advice,’ he says. ‘It’s not about making long, pretty presentations. The key is to always be clear and certain.’