What we actually do
We are a licensed commercial broker in Ajman Free Zone. In practice that means we sit between two parties who want to transact and do not yet know each other, and we make that introduction on terms that are written down before anyone starts work.
- Origination. Identifying counterparties for a specific requirement, rather than circulating your requirement around a network and hoping.
- Screening. Establishing that a counterparty exists, is licensed for what they claim to do, and has a plausible history. This is where most enquiries end, and it is the most useful thing we do.
- Introduction. A structured introduction with both sides briefed, rather than an email address handed over.
- Mandate execution support. Coordinating documentation, timelines and communication between the parties through to conclusion.
What we are not
We never act as principal. We do not buy, sell, hold title, or take a position in the goods or the money. We are an introducer, a facilitator and an adviser, and every engagement is governed by a signed mandate or service agreement that says so.
How a broking engagement runs
- Initial discussion. What you want, what you have, what your constraints are. No charge.
- Compliance pre-screening. KYC on you, and on any counterparty before an introduction is made. If a party will not complete KYC, that is the end of it.
- Mandate. Scope, exclusivity or not, fee basis, and duration, all in writing and signed before origination begins.
- Origination and screening. We come back with a shortlist and what we found, including what we could not verify.
- Introduction and support. We stay in the engagement through documentation and settlement coordination.
- Fee. Payable on the terms agreed at step three, not renegotiated at the end.
Fees
Our published ranges for this service:
| Structure | Range |
|---|---|
| Success fee | 1% to 5%, depending on transaction size and complexity |
| Retainer option | Monthly retainer plus a reduced success fee |
| Minimum | A minimum engagement fee may apply |
Whichever applies is agreed in writing before any work starts, and it is not renegotiated afterwards.
| Structure | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Success fee | Straightforward origination where the outcome is clearly measurable |
| Fixed engagement fee | Defined scope of work with a defined deliverable |
| Monthly retainer | Ongoing origination across multiple requirements |
All fees are agreed in writing before work begins. We do not work on unwritten success arrangements, because they are the single commonest source of dispute in this business.
Why the screening matters more than the network
Anyone can produce a counterparty. The UAE trade corridor in particular is full of intermediaries whose entire product is an introduction to someone who does not exist, or who exists but cannot perform. The value in a broker is not the size of the contact list. It is the willingness to come back and say that the counterparty did not check out, having done the work to establish it.
If you are new to the region, the pattern to watch for is an intermediary who moves quickly to fees, resists KYC, and produces documents that cannot be independently verified. We are happy to look at something you have been offered elsewhere and tell you what we think, whether or not you engage us.
Whose side we are on
Al Hisn Partners acts for the client and only the client. We are retained by you, we take instructions from you, and our fee is paid by you.
In brokerage this is the whole question. A great many intermediaries in this corridor are quietly paid by both parties, which means nobody in the room is actually representing you. We are retained by one side, and we tell the counterparty so.
Common questions
Do you act as principal in any transaction?
No. We act only as an introducer, facilitator and adviser. We do not buy, sell, hold title, or take a position. Every engagement is governed by a signed mandate that records this.
Do you facilitate SBLCs, bank guarantees or letters of credit?
No. We discontinued that part of our scope because of the fraud risk in that market. Our paymaster and disbursement coordination service remains active for legitimate, KYC-approved commercial settlements.
How are your brokerage fees structured?
Depending on the engagement: a success fee, a fixed engagement fee, or a monthly retainer. Whichever applies is agreed in writing before any work starts, and it is not renegotiated afterwards.
Will you sign an NCNDA?
We will consider a non-circumvention and non-disclosure agreement as part of a mandate. What we will not do is work on an NCNDA alone with no underlying mandate, because that arrangement gives neither side a defined scope.
What happens if the counterparty does not pass screening?
We tell you, we explain what we found and what we could not verify, and we do not make the introduction. That outcome is a normal part of the service, not a failure of it.
Can you look at a deal someone else has offered me?
Yes, and we are happy to do that as a standalone piece of work. A second opinion before you commit is considerably cheaper than the alternative.
Who pays you, and do you ever take a fee from the other side?
Our client pays us, and only our client. We do not accept a fee, commission, rebate or referral payment from a counterparty, or from any agent, provider, supplier or institution we introduce or work alongside. If one is offered, we decline it. This applies across every service we provide, without exception.