Mishcon de Reya advises Group François on Dubai joint venture with Keybourne Hospitality Group

Mishcon de Reya is advising Group François, the group behind London restaurants Maison François and Café François, on its joint venture with Keybourne Hospitality Group to bring Café François to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in early 2027.

The planned opening marks a further step in Group François’ international expansion, building on its established presence in London. Beyond the Dubai launch, the joint venture also provides a framework for the partners’ wider ambitions across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.

Building upon its existing relationship with Group François in the UK, Mishcon de Reya is advising on all aspects of structuring, negotiation, brand protection and implementation of the joint venture arrangements. The firm will continue to provide corporate, intellectual property and commercial legal support as the partnership develops and the partners pursue their plans for the region.

The Mishcon team was led by Sandeep Dhama, partner in Corporate, Rob Flaws, partner in Technology and Innovation, and Callum Blundell, Corporate associate, working with Relationship partner for Group François,  Hayley Cross, partner in Emerging Companies.

Sandeep Dhama commented, “It is a pleasure to work with Group François and support them on the establishment of its joint venture as they bring an established restaurant brand into a new market. This is the first in a series of transactions that the UAE team has been working on in the leisure and hospitality sector and highlights our ability to help leading brands grow their businesses internationally. ”

François O’Neill, founder, Group François commented, “This marks the third major restaurant deal I have secured with Mishcon de Reya, and it has been great to work with Callum Blundell again, having previously worked together in the UK before his move to the UAE. Sandeep Dhama, Rob Flaws and Callum have guided us through our first joint venture and our first venture outside of the UK. They steered the whole process and have been brilliant to work with. I have also worked with Hayley Cross for over eight years, making this another successful chapter in a longstanding relationship with the firm.”