
Aldar subsidiary raises $500m through green sukuk
13 Mar 2025 22:04
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Aldar Investment Properties (AIP), a subsidiary of Aldar Properties (Aldar), and owner-manager of Dh28 billion portfolio of income-generating properties, has successfully raised $500 million through a 10-year green sukuk. The issuance saw overwhelming investor demand, with an order book exceeding $3.6 billion, making it 7.2 times oversubscribed, a statement from Aldar said. Regional investors accounted for 61% of allocations, while international investors took up the remaining 39%.With a 5.25% coupon rate, the sukuk was competitively priced at a spread of 110 basis points over 10-year US Treasuries. It follows a similar green sukuk issued in May 2024 when Aldar achieved its lowest-ever spread for a public debt issuance. The strong investor demand was supported by Moody's reaffirmation in January of investment-grade ratings of Aldar and AIP of Baa2 and Baa1 respectively, with a stable outlook. The transaction marked the company's third green sukuk issuance under its $2 Billion Trust Certificate Issuance Programme launched in May 2023.Faisal Falaknaz, Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer at Aldar Properties, commented: 'Aldar's ability to consistently achieve a favourable cost of capital, even in the context of global market volatility, underscores the strength of our financial position and disciplined capital management. The strong demand for our latest green sukuk is a clear sign of investor confidence in our strategy and commitment to sustainable growth.'Proceeds will be deployed in accordance with Aldar's Green Finance Framework, which guides a broad programme of sustainability initiatives, including Aldar's ongoing investments in optimising energy efficiency. To date, Aldar has invested over Dh150 million in retrofitting 67 properties with new measures designed to optimise energy efficiency and reduce emissions.The new issuance supports the early redemption of a sukuk maturing in September 2025 and the repayment of outstanding bank debt.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The National
44 minutes ago
- The National
How top UK schools are helping shape educational landscape of the UAE
Flagship British schools are primed to be at the forefront of a new era of education in the UAE, as the nation seeks to bring cutting-edge technology and the latest teaching methods to the classroom. King's College School Wimbledon will be the latest high-profile arrival from the UK when it swings open its doors at Abu Dhabi's Fahid Island in 2028. It was announced by developers Aldar on Monday morning that the prestigious school would open on the just-announced island in Abu Dhabi, making it the first school to be confirmed there. The school, which will hold up to 2,200 pupils. It will be part of an illustrious list of British curriculum schools helping to redefine an expanding education landscape as the Emirates aims to serve a rapidly- growing population, including an influx of super-rich residents drawn from across the world demanding the best schooling for their children. The number of millionaires living in Dubai has doubled in the past decade, making it one of the world's fastest growing wealth hubs, the World's Wealthiest Cities Report 2025 found. From Harrow to helipads The renowned Harrow School is to launch campuses in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai under a partnership with UAE education provider Taaleem. Harrow International School Abu Dhabi is set be to the capital's first boarding school. It was announced in February that the Abu Dhabi branch will open from the middle of next year, with enrolment beginning in October. A second UAE campus will be 'fully operational' in Dubai in 2026. Applications for places will be accepted from September, with the school initially catering for pupils from Early Years to Year 6 as the expansion is gradually phased in. 'Harrow has a long-established reputation for excellence, and through our collaboration with Harrow International Schools Limited, we are proud to bring the same values-driven education to Dubai that has shaped generations of leaders,' said Khalid Al Tayer, chairman of Taaleem, at the time. Harrow's alumni include royalty, world leaders such as Winston Churchill and Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as prominent figures from the arts and sport. The number of pupils who were enrolled in Dubai's private schools increased by 6 per cent this year, according to data from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). Gems School of Research and Innovation, which is opening in Dubai in August, will teach the British curriculum. Former UK foreign secretary William Hague is to serve as its honorary patron. It has been built with an investment of $100 million (Dh367 million) and will feature an elevated football field that doubles as a helipad, a 600-seat auditorium, an Olympic-size swimming pool and an NBA-spec basketball court. The campus also has disruption labs to develop entrepreneurial skills, specialist primary spaces for technology, design, sports and the arts, tech hubs and an immersive research centre. Fees range from Dh116,000 ($31,500) for pupils in foundation stage one to Dh206,000 in year 12, and enrolment is open. Top of the class Out of 227 private schools in Dubai, 90 operate under a British curriculum, according to the KHDA's 2024-25 report on private schools. The next closest is the Indian curriculum operated by 34 schools. The report also revealed that British schools are the second most popular choice for Emiratis, with only US schools ranking higher. While British schools are popular in the UAE, they often don't come cheap. The two Harrow-branded schools set to open in the UAE next year will have fees of Dh80,000 to Dh100,000 ($21,780 to $27,230) for pupils in Early Years to Year 6, The National reported earlier this year. 'You're looking at state-of-the-art facilities and an incredible performing arts auditorium and dance studios,' Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem, the education provider behind the project, told The National at the time. 'You're looking at robotics facilities and also a beautiful learning environment.' Other British schools also charge premium rates. A place, for example, at Nord Anglia International School (Dubai), which was founded in 2014, costs between Dh68,026 and Dh102,871, while Brighton College Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2011, charges between Dh50,830 and Dh80,780. There are currently 387,441 pupils enrolled at 227 private schools for the academic year 2024-25. Official statistics show that more than 365,000 pupils were enrolled in Dubai's classrooms in 2023, up from 326,000 in November 2022. Ten schools opened in the emirate for the current academic year. In line with Dubai's Education Strategy 2033, the KHDA aims to establish more than 100 private schools by 2033. Highly regarded The highest ranked British school in Dubai, according to a 2025 league table released by is The Sheffield Private School, which opened in 2004. It provides education for close to 1,200 pupils and the average fee is Dh30,500. The website ran a survey in which 74 per cent said their child felt a strong sense of belonging to the school, above the 53 per cent average in all UAE schools. This was closely followed by Victory Heights Primary School, which opened in 2013, where the average fee is Dh47,500. In Abu Dhabi, the highest-ranked school in 2025 was British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi, founded in 1968, which came first in a table released by 'The British School Al Khubairat offers children a beyond-outstanding education with inspirational and caring leadership and faculty driven by ambitions for every child at the school bar none,' read the review from the website for the school, which charges an average fee of Dh61,500.


Time Out Abu Dhabi
2 hours ago
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
The new British school coming to Abu Dhabi's Fahid Island has been revealed
Just when we thought Abu Dhabi's newest island couldn't get any glossier, it goes and bags a super-premium British school. That's right – King's College School Wimbledon is officially opening its first regional campus on Fahid Island. Set to welcome students in September 2028 (pending final approvals), the upcoming K-12 campus will sit on a massive 50,000 square metre site and cater to up to 2,200 students. This isn't just another international school – we're talking one of the UK's top institutions, promising an academic track that paves the way to the world's best universities. More: Fahid Island will include a 10km fitness track, a beach club and a five-star resort The news comes hot on the heels of Fahid Island's big reveal – Aldar's latest luxury lifestyle destination, where beaches, blue lagoons, bougie resorts and now, a world-class school are all part of the master plan. Prices for the island's residential units are already turning heads, with one-bedroom apartments starting from over Dhs3 million. And with a school of this calibre in the works, interest might spike further still. Aldar Education, the force behind some of the capital's most respected schools, is leading the charge here – and with campuses already flourishing on Yas Island, Saadiyat and Khalifa City, this latest move feels like a natural evolution. According to Aldar, the addition of King's College School Wimbledon will help the group deliver 4,000+ new student places by the 2028-29 academic year. This project isn't a one-school wonder – future phases of Fahid Island will bring even more educational institutions into the mix. It's shaping up to be the kind of community where families can live, learn and lounge without ever leaving the island. Sahar Cooper, CEO of Aldar Education said: 'Aldar Education's robust network – with schools on Yas Island, Khalifa City and Saadiyat Island – will expand capacity by offering over 4,000 new student places by the 2028-29 academic year, ensuring diverse, accessible and high quality education opportunities throughout Abu Dhabi.' Living in Abu Dhabi When is the next public holiday? Here's when you'll have your next day off 5 unexpected Emirates ID perks you should seriously be using And yes, they all make our lives a little bit easier 12 brilliant day trips from Abu Dhabi for when you need to escape the city And some of them are free


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
Mideast Stocks: UAE shares end higher as outcome of US-China trade talks awaited
Stock markets in the United Arab Emirates ended higher on Monday, in step with Asian peers, as investors awaited the outcome of U.S.-China trade talks in London in the hope that a deal could boost the global economic outlook. Top U.S. and Chinese officials will sit down in London on Monday for talks aimed at defusing the high-stakes trade dispute between the two super powers that has widened to export controls over goods and components critical to global supply chains. Dubai's benchmark index hit its highest levels since 2008 and settled up 1%, with almost all sectors in positive territory. Tolls operator Salik Company gained 2.3% and Deyaar Development surged 14.6%. In Abu Dhabi, the index was up for a third straight session and gained 0.1%, lifted by a 1.6% rise in blue-chip developer Aldar Properties and a 1.8% advance in Abu Dhabi's flagship energy firm Abu Dhabi National Energy Company. ** Most stock markets in the Gulf and Egypt including Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait are closed on Monday due to a public holiday