Latest news with #SuhailAlbaz
Arabian Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- Arabian Post
Global Private Equity Giant Selects Abu Dhabi as Middle East Hub
Partners Group, a leading Swiss private markets investment firm managing approximately $152 billion, has inaugurated a new regional headquarters at Abu Dhabi Global Market, signalling a strategic intensification of its presence in the Middle East. Suhail Albaz, appointed Chairman of Middle East, Africa and Central Asia, will oversee the office. His brief includes deepening ties with Gulf institutions, expanding private wealth services, and targeting transformational investment opportunities in technology, energy, healthcare, education, infrastructure and luxury retail. This move follows a wave of asset managers and financial firms establishing regional outposts at ADGM, which is capitalising on Abu Dhabi's strategic efforts to diversify its economy and grow its financial centre. The number of firms at ADGM rose by 32%, and assets under management surged by 245% last year. Suhail Albaz's mandate reflects this momentum, with Partners Group seeking to leverage regional demand, especially from sovereign wealth funds, family offices and institutional investors. The firm has had a UAE presence since opening a Dubai office in 2010 and has since employed over 2,000 people regionally through its portfolio companies. Albaz noted that education and healthcare are natural entry points for investment, citing the group's International School Partnerships acquiring its tenth school in the region. The firm is now assessing opportunities in renewables and luxury retail, planning equity investments between $1 billion and $1.2 billion. ADVERTISEMENT This announcement also highlights Abu Dhabi's growing appeal as a hub for global financial institutions and fintech clients. ADGM has attracted heavyweights including BlackRock, Morgan Stanley, Circle, Coinbase and PGIM. ADGM Chief Market Development Officer Arvind Ramamurthy emphasised an accelerating pipeline of firms from Japan, India and China. Steffen Meister, Executive Chairman of Partners Group, stated that Abu Dhabi is evolving into a global focal point for technology, energy, next-generation manufacturing and digital services. He highlighted the region's ability to attract significant investment on account of both regional opportunities and partnerships with local investors. The firm's regional private wealth business appointed Venugopal Reddy as Head of Private Wealth Middle East last year, signalling further intent to grow its client base. Abu Dhabi's strategy to expand its financial centre is manifest in a 67% jump in new licences in the first quarter, bringing the total number of operating entities to over 2,380. Aside from Partners Group, U.S. firm Harrison Street, along with PGIM and I Squared Capital, have also announced new regional offices or licenses at ADGM. The surge is part of a broader trend as international firms seek access to the Gulf's nearly $2 trillion in sovereign wealth funds, favourable tax environments, well‑regulated financial markets and strategic geographic location. ADGM, writing its laws in English common law, and offering an attractive regulatory framework, stands as a credible gateway to both regional and global investment markets.
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Partners Group establishes new regional headquarters with opening of Abu Dhabi office
Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, has expanded its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Steffen Meister, Executive Chairman of the Board, Partners Group, comments: 'Abu Dhabi is increasingly becoming a center of gravity for global advancements in technology, energy, next- generation manufacturing, and digital services. It is attracting increasing amounts of capital, drawn to the regional investment opportunities and the chance to partner with Abu Dhabi's cutting-edge investors on global transactions. From our new regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi, we look forward to partnering with institutions to capitalize on the many opportunities arising from the upcoming technology-led transformation of industries, often with a nexus to the region.' Partners Group's Abu Dhabi office will be headed by Suhail Albaz, Chairman Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. He states: 'The Middle East is a key growth area for Partners Group, and we plan to significantly develop our business in the GCC and across the broader region. Not only are we focused on deepening our network of regional clients and business partners, but we are also actively pursuing the growing opportunities for transformational investing offered to our portfolio of businesses and assets by establishing themselves in the Middle East.' His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman, ADGM, says: 'We are delighted to welcome Partners Group, one of the largest and most respected firms in the global private markets industry to ADGM. ADGM is a strategic gateway to the region and beyond, and is committed to providing a robust, innovative, and business-friendly ecosystem that supports growth and excellence. We look forward to Partners Group's valuable contribution to the vibrant and diverse financial community within Abu Dhabi.' Partners Group has had a presence in the Middle East since the opening of its Dubai office in 2010. Today, Partners Group's portfolio companies employ over 2,000 individuals in the region, and many are actively looking to increase their footprint. For example, International School Partnerships, a leading group of private international schools founded by Partners Group in 2013, recently acquired its tenth school in the Middle East. On the client side, Partners Group collaborates with the leading institutional investors in the Middle East, led by Head of Institutional Clients Middle East Nael Antaki. In addition, Partners Group is focused on building out its regional private wealth business, and appointed Venugopal Reddy as Head of Private Wealth Middle East last year. The Abu Dhabi office brings Partners Group's total number of offices worldwide to 22.
The National
15 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Swiss asset manager Partners Group sets up ADGM office in regional expansion push
Partners Group, a Switzerland-based private market investment company with $150 billion in assets under management, is expanding its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi financial centre ADGM. The push to broaden its regional footprint is part of the company's strategy to tie up with institutional investors to capitalise on opportunities within the technology-led transformation of industries, 'often with a nexus to the region', it said in a statement on Tuesday. The move is about breaking bread with investors, being close and enabling a deeper partnership to invest globally, Partners Group's regional managing director told The National. "We cut out the noise," Suhail Albaz said. "We try and make our decisions based on our strategic priorities. We appreciate that there are people that you know, are trying to come over here and have short-term goals, but that's not us." Steffen Meister, executive chairman of the board, said Abu Dhabi is "increasingly becoming a centre of gravity for global advancements in technology, energy, next-generation manufacturing and digital services". 'It is attracting increasing amounts of capital, drawn to the regional investment opportunities and the chance to partner with Abu Dhabi's cutting-edge investors on global transactions," he added. Expansion to the UAE capital has increased the number of global offices operated by the company to 22. Partners Group joins a growing list of asset managers, insurers, financial institutions and investment houses that have chosen to set up a base in the financial hub and use it as a platform for their regional expansion. Last week, Harrison Street, a $56 billion US-based real estate and infrastructure investment manager, said it is entering the Middle East market with the opening of an office at ADGM, after it received a financial services licence from ADGM's regulator, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority. In February, German asset manager Patrizia was granted approval by the FSRA to start operations at ADGM. The Augsburg-based company, which has about €55 billion ($57.7 billion) in assets under management, plans to arrange and advise real estate investments for clients in the region. The two real estate managers add to a stream of companies that are eager to tap into the Middle East's growing investment market. New York-based BlackRock, the world's top asset manager with nearly $11.5 trillion in assets under management, in November received a commercial licence to operate at ADGM. In September, ADGM welcomed its first trillion-dollar asset managers – PGIM, the global asset management business of the New York Stock Exchange-listed Prudential Financial, and Chicago investment firm Nuveen, with both aiming to expand their operations and client bases in the Middle East. The flurry of new additions has pushed the number of companies in ADGM higher during the first quarter of this year, with assets under management also increasing by 33 per cent annually, the financial hub said this month. The total number of entities operating at ADGM rose by 43 per cent annually to 2,781 in the first three months of this year, it said in a statement. At the end of last year, the financial zone had 2,381 operational entities. Partners Group has maintained a presence in the Middle East since the opening of its Dubai office in 2010. The firm's investment mandate span private equity, private credit, infrastructure and real estate among other asset classes. Education and health care have been the leading investment themes, said Mr Albaz, given they have natural demand drivers around them, making them an easier entry point into the Middle East. Its current regional portfolio of companies employ more than 2,000 people and many are expanding their footprint. International School Partnerships, founded by Partners Group in 2013, has recently acquired its 10th school in the Middle East, it said. Partners Group is actively assessing investment opportunities in renewables and luxury retail sector companies with solid fundamentals, targeting $1 billion to $1.2 billion equity investment. Mr Albaz said. 'The Middle East is a key growth area for Partners Group and we plan to significantly develop our business in the GCC and across the broader region,' said Mr Albaz, who also leads the Abu Dhabi office. "Not only are we focused on deepening our network of regional clients and business partners, but we are also actively pursuing the growing opportunities for transformational investing offered to our portfolio of businesses and assets by establishing themselves in the Middle East.'
