Mubadala Capital-backed ADCP invests in Abu Dhabi fund manager Measa Partners

The equity investment by ADCP will help support the growth of the Abu Dhabi Global Market as a major financial centre

Measa Partners aims to support the growth of the Abu Dhabi Global Market and establish the financial hub as a gateway to Measa region investments. Ruel Pableo\The National

Abu Dhabi Catalyst Partners, a Mubadala Capital-backed investment company, has made an investment in Abu Dhabi’s multi-asset class fund manager Measa Partners to encourage its growth and attract global capital to the emirate.

The equity investment by ADCP, a joint venture between Mubadala Capital and Alpha Wave Global, is in line with Measa Partners’ strategy of supporting the growth of the Abu Dhabi Global Market as a major financial centre, the company said on Tuesday.

It did not disclose the financial details of the deal, which is aimed at helping global institutional investors capitalise on the Middle East, Africa and Southern Asia region’s growth opportunities.

“Through this investment, we are looking to participate in the growth of an institutional-grade fund manager that has a clear vision for attracting global capital into the region’s most promising markets,” Maxime Franzetti, head of Public Investments at Mubadala Capital, said.

“We believe that Abu Dhabi in general, and the ADGM in particular, are natural homes for fund and asset managers focused on the Measa region.”

The ADGM, one of the region's fastest-growing financial hubs, is home to global asset managers and international financial institutions.

Last year, it expanded its assets under management by 56 per cent, with total active licences up by 30 per cent annually to 5,546, including permits for both financial services and non-financial companies.

Set up by Al Maskari Holding, Measa Partners is a multi-asset class fund manager. It facilitates institutional investments in the wider Measa region, which is home to more than half of the global population with a median age of less than 25 years.

The region accounts for about 15 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product. It currently accounts for less than 6 per cent of total institutional capital allocations, which underlines the significant growth opportunities for long-term investors.

Measa Partners has already co-launched the Measa Stock Fund, as well as the Transition Investment Lab, the first Abu Dhabi public-private research initiative to create a centre of excellence for impact finance and ESG research.

It is currently developing and launching new access strategies aimed at meeting the demands of global institutional investors.

The ADCP investment is a “vote of confidence in Measa Partners and the ability of our experienced management team to unlock the region’s potential,” Nabyl Al Maskari, chairman of Measa Partners, said.

“By forming a partnership with ADCP we are not only extending our long-standing relationship with Mubadala Capital but also reaffirming our joint commitment in positioning our home market of Abu Dhabi as the financial gateway to the Measa region.”

Set up in 2019, ADCP is a $1.65 billion entity with a mandate to partner with top-tier investment companies and businesses that would benefit from their presence in the ADGM.

ADCP seeks to contribute to the economic diversification of the Abu Dhabi economy, in line with the strategy of Mubadala Capital, an asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company.

Mubadala Capital, the wholly-owned asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, manages about $20 billion in aggregate assets across its own balance sheet and in third-party capital vehicles on behalf of institutional investors.