Our office in Abu Dhabi is a gateway between Ardian’s largest US and Europe operations.

For how long have you been leading Ardian’s efforts in the Middle East?  

François-Aïssa Touazi: I joined Ardian in 2008, at that time we were managing around $200 million from Middle Eastern clients. Today we are managing close to $20 billion of assets for around 65 clients in the region and we have established ourselves as clear strategic partners for the largest and most sophisticated sovereign wealth funds, governmental bodies and institutions.

On the industrial side, our co-investment program offers direct exposure to EU and US companies for our largest partners. Many of our portfolio companies will also seek to expand their activities in the region, and to benefit from the sizable opportunities offered by the local diversification programs.

We are very proud to have such strong relationships.

Why did you decide on Abu Dhabi for Ardian’s first Middle Eastern office?

FT: Our historical clients in the Gulf are in Abu Dhabi. Also, there is a concentration of high-quality financial institutions in the United Arab Emirates and particularly in Abu Dhabi. Our partnership with ADIA, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, has grown to become today a model for the industry as a whole.

Ardian also has a longstanding relationship with institutions with diverse focuses such as the Emirates Investment Authority (EIA), which is focused on returns, as well as others such as Mubadala that are looking to participate actively in the transformation of their country through industrial transformation. By investing abroad in parallel to supporting the vision of the UAE’s leaders, these institutions reshape the economy and prepare it for a new era.

Our office in the heart of Abu Dhabi financial district at Abu Dhabi Global Market on Al Maryah Island is the natural translation of decades of shared trust between Ardian and its local partners.

Does this mean Ardian intends to invest in the Middle East as well as raising funds there?

FT: Definitely. COP28 will take place in Dubai this year and all eyes will be focused on the energy transition challenges in the Middle East. We want to play a major role in this enterprise and through Hy24 we already manage the largest clean hydrogen infrastructure fund in the world.

We strongly believe this strengthens our position as a natural partner for institutions in the Middle East that want to invest in green hydrogen. We know that Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE want to be leaders in hydrogen, and we are already working on several projects. We are also very excited that a lot of Ardian’s European portfolio companies are very interested in investing in the MENA region.

Governments in the Middle East want to transform their economies and there are many opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, technology, entertainment, tourism and logistics.

How many people will be working in the Abu Dhabi office initially?

FT: We have reached a team of ten people.

In order to develop stronger ties with more Middle Eastern clients and provide a higher level of service, this will comprise investment professionals from our Secondaries & Primaries team and members of our Investor Relations team.

Additionally, we plan to have Abu Dhabi-based direct investment specialists, particularly from the clean hydrogen fund team.

How would you describe the expectations of your Middle Eastern clients?

FT: They are very sophisticated investors who seek performance, but they are also concerned with long-term partnerships and place a high emphasis on personal interaction.

Having a strong local presence will strengthen and deepen those partnerships, as well as help us expand the Ardian franchise with other institutional players, private banks, and family offices. These investors are expanding their allocation to alternative investments, and we believe Ardian offers the solutions and expertise to satisfy their requirements.