I Squared Capital Expands in Middle East with New Regional Platform and Riyadh Office
I Squared Capital, a leading global infrastructure investment manager, announced today a major expansion of its presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the broader Middle East. The firm is building a dedicated regional investment platform to drive infrastructure investments and related activities, underscoring its long-term commitment to one of the world's most dynamic and strategically vital regions.
This next phase of I Squared's regional strategy builds on the successful launch of its Abu Dhabi office in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and marks a significant step toward establishing a fully integrated GCC-wide platform.
As part of this expansion, I Squared will open a new office in Riyadh in 2025, deepening its engagement with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The Riyadh office will focus on opportunities in energy transition, digital innovation, infrastructure development, and the development of capital markets—key pillars of the Kingdom's transformation agenda.
To support this expansion, I Squared is pleased to welcome Ali Mandour as Managing Director. Mr. Mandour brings extensive investment banking experience and was most recently at Evercore, where he led a broad range of strategic transactions across sectors in Europe and the Middle East. He joins a growing Middle East investment team based in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Delhi.
'Scaling our platform across the GCC is a strategic priority for I Squared,' said Sadek Wahba, Chairman and Managing Partner of I Squared Capital. 'The region's strong fundamentals, bold national visions, and commitment to infrastructure modernization make it a natural fit for our model. We're not just investing—we're partnering to attract Foreign Direct Investment along with operational expertise to build smart, sustainable, and future-ready infrastructure.'
Wahba emphasized I Squared's aim to support global capital investment into the Middle East, particularly from the Global South, across both core infrastructure and the development of capital markets that enable long-term financing for infrastructure assets.
'Whether it's scaling clean energy platforms, deploying digital infrastructure, or modernizing logistics, we believe our hands-on, tech-driven approach aligns perfectly with the region's ambitions,' added Harsh Agrawal, Senior Partner overseeing Asia and the Middle East.
Mahmoud Mohieldin, Senior Policy Advisor at I Squared and a former Minister of Investment for Egypt and Executive Director at the IMF representing 12 middle eastern economies, reinforced the region's current momentum and promising potential: 'The Middle East is well poised for sustained economic growth in light of decisive reforms currently underway that place its countries on the path to a more resilient and inclusive economic future.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
38 minutes ago
- Zawya
Dubai's US$10bln infrastructure spending key to the growth of the commercial vehicle market
The latest automotive advancements and regional industry updates will be showcased at Automechanika Dubai from 9 to 11 December Dubai, UAE: Automechanika Dubai returns from 9 to 11 December at the Dubai World Trade Centre and in the lead up to the event, industry experts have emphasised that significant investments in large-scale construction and infrastructure projects are key to ensuring the growth of the GCC commercial vehicle market. In 2024, the global commercial vehicle market experienced a downturn, with the medium and heavy-duty truck segment particularly impacted. Light commercial vehicle volumes also declined in Asian markets such as China, India, and the ASEAN countries despite strong growth in recent years. Amid these shifts, China's electric truck segment emerged as a standout, more than doubling sales from the previous year due to strong government support and a growing focus on sustainability. However, according to industry experts, the GCC's commercial vehicle market is poised for growth, driven by substantial infrastructure investments and strategic economic initiatives in key member states. Sunny Manjani, Mobility Consultant at Frost & Sullivan, said: 'Dubai has earmarked US$10 billion for infrastructure spending, focusing on scaling the Emirate's tourism economy. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has announced investments worth US$267 billion, and Qatar is focusing on tourism and hospitality under its Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.' According to Frost & Sullivan's research, Saudi Arabia is leading the commercial vehicles industry in the Middle East, leveraging its strategic location and substantial infrastructure investments. Manjani continued: 'Current supply chain disruptions in maritime routes are creating short-term opportunities for road transportation in the region. For example, goods from Europe are currently being transported from Saudi Arabia, through the UAE, and then to Asia.' He further noted that the Middle East is emerging as a prime destination for investment and emphasised that supportive policies and increasing trade ties with Asian partners are catalysing multisector growth across the region. Looking at the year ahead, Frost & Sullivan's research predicts that the non-oil economy in the Middle East will remain a key driver of economic growth, with key industries identified as manufacturing (including automotive), renewables, infrastructure, construction, tourism, artificial intelligence, and fintech. In the UAE, a resilient non-oil economy performance will push GDP growth to 5.8% in 2025, up from 4% in 2024, while investments in Saudi's non-oil segments including, tourism, technology, infrastructure, and renewables, will see real GDP growth reach 4.8% in 2025. Both scenarios have the potential to positively impact the commercial vehicle market due to increased demand. Commenting on the upcoming edition of Automechanika Dubai, Tommy Le, Show Manager for Automechanika Dubai, said: 'Automechanika Dubai is the largest international trade show for the automotive aftermarket industry in the MEA region. The 22nd edition will span 20 halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre, featuring over 20 Pavilions and a host of new features. 'This year, we are excited to introduce a brand-new Commercial Vehicles vertical dedicated to the mining, construction and agricultural industries. Other new features include a Road Safety Day and a regional focus on the GCC, which spotlights manufacturing. We look forward to welcoming the industry back to Automechanika Dubai as we drive business growth in the automotive aftermarket.' Automechanika Dubai is based around six key pillars – sustainability, electrification and digitalisation, innovation, training, recruitment and safety. Returning features include the Automechanika Academy, Innovation4Mobility, the Automechanika Awards, the Pitstop Challenge, the Modern Workshop and the Lubricants, Base Oil and Additives Conference. The show will feature 10 product sections, which include Parts and Components, Electrics and Electronics, Accessories and Customising, Car Wash, Care & Detailing, Body & Paint, Diagnostics & Repair, Oils, Lubricants and Fuels, Tyres & Batteries and a new product area focusing on Connectivity and Autonomous Driving. The latest Automechanika Dubai news stories are available on the 'Press Releases' page. About Automechanika Dubai Automechanika Dubai is the largest international automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre between 9-11 December 2025. Automechanika Dubai acts as the central trading link for markets that are difficult to reach connecting the Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Asia and key CIS countries. For more information, please visit our website. About Messe Frankfurt The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world's largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,500* people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2024 were around € 780* million. We serve our customers' business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt's key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity. For more information, please visit our website at: With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, please visit our website at:
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Qatar Insurance Company: A legacy of excellence and innovation
Qatar Insurance Company (QIC, QIC Group) is a publicly listed insurer with a consistent performance history spanning over 60 years and a global underwriting footprint. Founded in 1964, QIC was the first domestic insurance company in the State of Qatar. Today, QIC stands as the market leader in Qatar and a dominant insurer in the GCC and Mena regions. As one of the largest insurance companies in the Mena region in terms of written premium and total assets, QIC is listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation exceeding QR7 billion. In 1968, just four years after its inception, QIC expanded its operations to the UAE, establishing a branch fuelled by optimism and a long-term vision. Our modest operations, initially based in Deira (Dubai) and Abu Dhabi, have grown steadily over the past 57 years. Today, QIC is a prominent insurer in the UAE, offering comprehensive risk solutions across Property, Casualty, Engineering, Marine, Motor, and Health Insurance segments. Over the past six decades, we have built extensive knowledge and expertise to provide effective risk transfer solutions for our clients. We have faced and overcome numerous challenges, including the severe floods in the UAE in 2024, where we were at the forefront of delivering on our promises and proving our resilience. In this interconnected world, QIC is guided by the vision set by our board of directors and led by Salem Khalaf Al Mannai. Under his dynamic leadership, QIC Group has achieved numerous milestones and received prestigious awards and recognitions. QIC UAE operates under the vigilant oversight of the Central Bank of UAE, which celebrated its golden jubilee this year. The regulator is dedicated to ensuring the protection of the insuring public's interests, and QIC is fully aligned with this philosophy. We are proud to hold an A- (Excellent) credit rating from AM Best Europe and an A- rating from Standard & Poor's. Recognising that risk is an inherent aspect of any significant endeavour, QIC is well-positioned to serve the public with innovative and competitive solutions.
Arabian Post
2 hours ago
- Arabian Post
Aramco's $5bn Bond Sale Highlights Investor Appetite Amid Market Volatility
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Saudi Aramco has successfully raised $5 billion through a three-part dollar-denominated bond issuance, marking its return to the international debt market. The offering comprises five-year, ten-year, and thirty-year tranches, with the longest maturity attracting nearly half of the total proceeds. The 30-year tranche, amounting to approximately $2.5 billion, was priced at a spread of 185 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, reflecting strong investor demand despite prevailing market uncertainties. The five-year and ten-year tranches were priced at spreads of 80 and 130 basis points over Treasuries, respectively. These tighter spreads indicate robust confidence in Aramco's creditworthiness and the broader appeal of long-dated corporate debt. ADVERTISEMENT Aramco's bond sale comes amid a backdrop of heightened volatility in the U.S. Treasury market, with 30-year yields fluctuating due to concerns over fiscal policy and rising national debt. Despite these challenges, investors have shown a keen interest in long-term corporate bonds, as evidenced by similar issuances from Alphabet, Siemens, and Snam, which have also been well-received. The success of Aramco's bond offering underscores a broader trend where investors are seeking higher yields through long-duration corporate debt, even as government bond yields remain volatile. This shift is partly driven by the search for stable returns in a low-interest-rate environment and concerns over inflation and fiscal sustainability. Aramco's move aligns with its strategic objectives under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, aiming to diversify the kingdom's economy beyond oil. The funds raised are expected to support Aramco's international expansion and investment in non-oil sectors, reinforcing its commitment to long-term growth and diversification. The bond issuance also reflects Aramco's proactive approach to capital management, leveraging favourable market conditions to secure funding at competitive rates. By tapping into the global debt market, Aramco demonstrates its financial resilience and adaptability in navigating complex economic landscapes.
