
Brookfield appoints Saad Alfadly as Chairman of its KSA Board
In the new role, Saad will oversee Brookfield's strategic direction and objectives in the Kingdom.
Over his career, Saad has held senior leadership roles at NCB Capital, Morgan Stanley Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi Central Bank. He was also the Chief Executive Officer of Hassana for over a decade.
Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield, commented: 'We are pleased to welcome Saad to Brookfield. Saudi Arabia represents a key pillar of our global strategy, and his leadership and experience will be valuable as we grow our business across the Kingdom.'
Last year, Brookfield announced its regional private equity fund, Brookfield Middle East Partners, which will target buyouts, structured solutions and other investment opportunities across industrials, consumer and business services, technology and healthcare in Saudi Arabia and the region. The company intends to allocate 50 per cent of the capital to investments in the Kingdom.
Brookfield is one of the largest foreign direct investors in the GCC with a portfolio of approximately US$15 billion of managed assets across infrastructure, private equity and real estate. Headquartered in New York, Brookfield has over US$1 trillion of assets under management across renewable power and transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit.
Saad, who has a bachelor's degree from King Saud University and a master's degree from Boston University, added: 'I am pleased to join the team at Brookfield. Saudi Arabia presents tremendous opportunities across sectors aligned with Brookfield's capabilities and long-term perspective, globally. I look forward to leveraging this ecosystem in advancing Saudi Vision 2030.'
Jad Ellawn, Brookfield's Head of the Middle East, said, 'This appointment is a milestone in the continued expansion of our presence and platform in Saudi Arabia. The addition of Saad to the team will help us further accelerate this growth as we seek to deploy more capital across the Kingdom.'
Brookfield is not presently authorised by the Capital Market Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to carry out securities business in the Kingdom.
Hashtags

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

The National
25 minutes ago
- The National
UAE residents warned against using credit cards for property deposits
Using a credit card to cover part of a property down payment in the UAE is quite common but comes with risks, experts warn. The issue is in focus after Indian property buyers in Dubai reportedly faced regulatory challenges back home after using international credit cards to make down payments during their UAE visits. 'It is a relatively common practice in Dubai to use credit cards for partial down payments, particularly among buyers purchasing directly from developers,' says Farooq Syed, chief executive of Springfield Properties. 'Most developers allow a portion of the initial deposit – typically between Dh40,000 [$10,890] and Dh100,000 – to be paid through credit card. This amount is often used to reserve the unit, giving buyers additional time to complete the transfer of remaining funds.' The UAE Central Bank had instructed banks to stop financing the Dubai Land Department registration fees and real estate broker fees from February 1. The banking regulator will no longer allow customers to include the DLD and broker fees as part of their mortgage financing. This could result in home buyers having to set aside a larger down payment. In addition to the required 20 per cent or 30 per cent property down payment, buyers will now need liquid funds to cover the 4 per cent DLD fee and 2 per cent agent fee. Safe downpayments As well as the DLD and agent fees, the associated costs of buying a property in Dubai include a fixed DLD trustee fee of Dh4,200, 0.25 per cent of the loan amount as mortgage registration fee and a Dh500 title deed fee. These amount to about 6 per cent to 7 per cent of the property's purchase price. Banks used to finance 80 per cent of these costs. Now, the Central Bank has told banks to stick to the original loan-to-value ratio of 80 per cent of the collateral. 'In most cases, buyers who opt to use a credit card do so because they may not have immediate access to liquid funds but want to lock in a unit – particularly during high-demand launches,' Mr Syed says. 'While it can serve as a short-term solution, it's not a widespread or recommended approach due to the high interest rates associated with credit card borrowing.' This practice is more prevalent among end users, especially first-time buyers securing off-plan properties with lower initial commitments, he adds. Property down payments for buyers with mortgages need to be self-sourced and a credit card is not accepted, says Sandeep Tekchandani, co-founder of mortgage advisory company YouAE Mortgages. Typically, credit cards can be used to cover property transfer charges, the DLD fee, trustee fee, mortgage registration fee and developer service charges, he says. 'Developer booking amounts can be paid in the form of credit cards, so long as the merchant banks allow the credit card transaction and the customer's individual card spend is within permissible card limits. Certain bank cards can support this to be converted into an easy payment plan,' Mr Tekchandani adds. Watch: Dubai property investors 'becoming more selective' Issue for Indian buyers Under Indian law, specifically the Foreign Exchange Management Act (Fema), there are clear rules about sending money abroad, says Anurag Chaturvedi, chief executive of financial advisory Andersen UAE. Buying property overseas is considered a capital transaction, but credit cards are only allowed for spending such as travel, shopping or education, not for big investments such as real estate. 'So, when someone uses their international credit card to pay for a house, it can bypass the official route set by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),' he says. 'The legal way to buy property overseas is through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).' Indian residents can send up to $250,000 per year through a bank. This route ensures proper reporting, tax compliance and RBI approval, adds Mr Chaturvedi. The central bank clarified that if an Indian resident investor uses an international credit card (ICC) overseas, it is usually treated like a capital outflow and must comply with LRS rules. 'ICCs are meant for current account use [hotels, travel, etc.], not capital transactions like buying real estate. Since real estate purchase is a capital account transaction, using an ICC bypasses the LRS route and violates Fema,' Mr Chaturvedi adds. 'The investor could face investigations by RBI, the tax department or the Enforcement Directorate. Also, credit cards have high interest rates and forex charges, making them an expensive option,' he warns.


Emirates 24/7
25 minutes ago
- Emirates 24/7
Orient Insurance achieves AED503 million profit in H1 2025
Orient Insurance on Thursday reported a 21 percent year-on-year increase in net profit after tax for the first half of 2025, reaching AED503 million, up from AED416 million in the same period last year. Insurance revenue rose 24 percent to AED4.47 billion, compared to AED3.60 billion in H1 2024. The company's total assets stood at AED16.90 billion, up by 16 percent from AED14.63 billion in H1 2024. Omer Elamin, President of Orient Insurance Group, said, 'Our H1 2025 results underscore Orient Insurance's strong momentum and strategic agility. The impressive growth across the key financial metrics is a direct result of our sustained commitment to operational excellence and sound risk management.' Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.


UAE Moments
an hour ago
- UAE Moments
From Sci-Fi to Reality: Dubai Ruler Meets Humanoid Robot
During a visit to Union House in Dubai on August 6, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was spotted waving at something straight out of the future—a humanoid robot. And yes, the robot waved back. It wasn't just a casual meet-and-greet. The high-tech moment was part of a live demonstration of the Unitree G1, one of the latest humanoid robots developed by Dubai Future Labs. The Robot That Walks, Runs, and Waves The Unitree G1 didn't just wave—it ran inside the majlis, showing off just how smoothly it mimics human movement. We're talking full-on futuristic agility in a 130cm-tall, 35kg package packed with sensors, 3D LiDAR, and smart tech. It's not just a behind-the-scenes robot either—it's set to appear soon at the Museum of the Future, welcoming visitors and letting everyone witness its sci-fi energy up close. Dubai's Message: Innovation in Motion At the same event, Sheikh Mohammed took a moment to highlight the UAE's forward-thinking vision. He pointed out that the country's growth is fueled by innovation, entrepreneurship, and a partnership-driven economy. Dubai, he said, continues to be a major driver of that vision, especially through plans like the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to boost global competitiveness and opportunity for all.