Aldar Properties and Mubadala Capital have joined to launch an investment management platform that will connect global institutional investors with real estate and infrastructure opportunities in the UAE and Gulf region.
Based in Abu Dhabi Global Market, Aldar Capital will offer professionally managed funds for institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, fund of funds, insurance companies and family offices, the two companies said on Thursday in a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX).
Its first fund, which will be launched in 2026, will have an investment target of $1 billion.
The launch of Aldar Capital will create “a dedicated investment management platform that transforms our business from a regional real estate leader into a manager of global capital”, said Talal Al Dhiyebi, group chief executive of Aldar, Abu Dhabi's biggest listed developer.
“Aldar Capital will enable international investors to access the region’s next wave of growth and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s role as a leading hub for institutional investment.”
Measures introduced by the UAE to attract foreign investment, combined with its position as a gateway to the broader Middle East region, Africa and South Asia, have boosted its appeal. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are drawing large family offices, institutional wealth, global financial institutions, hedge funds and asset managers.
Abu Dhabi’s economy is projected to grow by about 6 per cent this year, driven by the easing of oil production cuts and a strong real estate sector, the International Monetary Fund has said.
The country's property market has been booming in recent years, having benefitted from government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme and overall growth in the UAE’s economy due to diversification efforts.
The collaboration combines Aldar’s real estate investment and development expertise with Mubadala Capital’s institutional fund management capabilities and global investor network, they said.
Aldar Capital will aim to offer fund investment strategies “spanning the full risk-return spectrum” designed to meet the diverse objectives of global institutional investors seeking “tailored exposure” to the region, they added.
Hani Barhoush, chief executive of Mubadala Capital, the Abu Dhabi investment company's asset management subsidiary, said institutional investors are increasingly prioritising real assets for their diversification benefits and long-term income potential, yet access to institutional-grade opportunities in the UAE and Gulf has been limited. Aldar Capital will seek to address this gap, he added.
Global investment in infrastructure is flourishing, driven by demand for new and upgraded systems and investment capital from institutional investors, said a new whitepaper from Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. At least $100 trillion in global investment will be needed by 2040, the research found.
Gulf sovereign investors now control $7.3 trillion in infrastructure assets – expected to rise to $10.2 trillion by 2030 – and are emerging as formidable players in the global investment landscape, the report said.
The UAE and wider region’s real estate market has the “scale, maturity and transparency” global institutional investors seek, Mr Al Dhiyebi said.
Aldar Capital will further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a centre for institutional investment and support the acceleration of non-oil economic growth. By channelling institutional capital into “productive” sectors, the platform will contribute to gross domestic product diversification and employment creation, the two companies said.
Arvind Ramamurthy, chief of market development at ADGM, said the move reinforced Abu Dhabi’s position as a “trusted destination” for real asset investment.
“This partnership … will further expand access, deepen market maturity and connect global investors with the region’s most compelling opportunities,” he added.
With Dh47 billion ($12.8 billion) of real estate assets under management, Aldar has previously partnered with global investors including Apollo Global Management, the Carlyle Group and Ares Management Corporation to allocate capital to real estate opportunities.
The launch of Aldar Capital marks the execution of a “key growth driver” towards its 2030 strategy to reach Dh20 billion in annual net profit, the developer said.
Mubadala Capital administers over $430 billion in assets through its asset managers and strategic partnerships.
