Company Insights ADQ Banking and Finance Latest ADQ DevelopmentsAI Insights ADQ recently completed an important acquisition in the logistics sector by securing a majority stake in Dubai-listed Aramex. This development followed the resignation of Aramex CEO Othman Al-Jeda.5 The group has a significant role in the ambitious Ras El Hekma megaproject in Egypt. It appointed Modon Holding as the master developer, aiming to drive economic growth through this landmark development.3 ADQ owns a substantial 75 percent stake in AD Ports Group. AD Ports recently reported a first-quarter revenue increase attributed to favourable impacts from disruptions in the Red Sea region. The firm saw a net profit rise and capital expenditure growth, despite closing shares slightly lower.1 Last February ADQ announced plans to invest $35 billion in Egypt to construct a new city in Ras El Hekma. This project is part of Egypt's broader economic reform efforts aimed at bolstering growth through significant foreign investment.2 ADQ's portfolio further extends into the aviation sector where it holds ownership of Etihad Airways. The airline reported record first-quarter profits and announced plans to expand its fleet with Boeing aircraft over the next five years.4 ADQ Overview ADQ – Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company – was established in 2018 by the government of Abu Dhabi. It is the 10th-largest sovereign wealth fund in the world, according to data from analyst Global SWF, and the 16th-largest fund when public pension funds are also considered. Abu Dhabi’s government transferred its stakes in 13 companies to ADQ in 2019. These included Abu Dhabi Power Corporation (since merged with Taqa), Abu Dhabi Ports, Etihad Rail, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, National Health Insurance Company (Daman) and Abu Dhabi Airports Company. ADQ’s portfolio now spans about 25 companies across sectors including utilities, transportation, healthcare, agriculture and real estate. Subsidiaries include Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Emirates Water and Electricity Company, Louis Dreyfus Company and LuLu Group International. In February 2024 ADQ signed a $35 billion agreement with the Egyptian government to develop Ras El Hekma, and it is also busy with a $5 billion investment in infrastructure and other projects in Jordan announced in May May also saw ADQ issue its first bonds, selling $2.5 billion of debt on the London Stock Exchange, in what the company said marked a “significant step” in diversifying its funding sources. ADQ News Analysis Banking and Finance Why government-related debt is worth a punt Debt sales by government-related entities (GRE) in the Gulf, such as Saudi Electricity Co and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Co, offer better investor value than their sovereigns, experts say. Gulf foreign currency sales of conventional and sukuk (sharia-compliant bonds) rose 9 percent to $72.4 billion in the five months to May 31, compared with the […] June 11, 2025 Opinion Finance The UAE’s debut stablecoin has real-world significance Stablecoins have hitherto operated in a regulatory grey zone, hindered by vague and inconsistent rules June 10, 2025 Finance Mubadala’s $1bn sukuk order book oversubscribed five times Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has sold $1 billion in 10-year US dollar-denominated Islamic bonds, or sukuk, in its first debt sale of the year, news service IFR said on Wednesday. Acting through the Mamoura Diversified Global Holding debt vehicle, Mubadala priced the bonds at 60 basis points (bps) over US treasuries, narrower than […] May 29, 2025 Utilities Abu Dhabi’s Taqa focuses on US market Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, or Taqa, is exploring buying companies in the US and elsewhere, its chief executive told Reuters. The state-owned utility is continuing its international expansion and is striving to reach ambitious growth targets. “The US is a key market for us,” and “if the right opportunity presents itself for Taqa, we […] May 27, 2025 Industry UK’s Wood wins contract for UAE’s first methanol facility UK-based engineering company Wood Group has been awarded a project management consultancy contract for the UAE’s first methanol production facility, the British company said in a statement. The contract was awarded by Ta’ziz, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and state-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ). Construction of the plant, in […] May 27, 2025 Aviation Etihad comfortable with Boeing deliveries as profit rises Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, which posted record profit in the first quarter, said it expects to take delivery of at least 100 planes from US plane maker Boeing over the next five years, helping to equip its route expansion plans. “We’re getting more than 20 planes a year for the next five years,” Etihad Airways […] May 21, 2025 Aviation Ex-Etihad CEO James Hogan takes stake in UK’s Global Airlines James Hogan, the former Etihad Airways chief executive who was at the helm during the airline’s loss-making expansion, is set to become a shareholder in the UK’s Global Airlines, a startup attempting to bring the Airbus A380 back into commercial service. Hogan’s advisory firm, Knighthood Global, will take a stake in Global Airlines and advise […] May 20, 2025 Aviation Etihad Airways commits $15bn for 28 Boeing jets Etihad Airways has invested $14.5 billion in 28 Boeing aircraft. Since 2023, the UAE’s national airline has grown its fleet as part of a long-term strategy to double in size by 2030. The agreement includes a mix of Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft, powered by GE Aerospace engines and supported by a services package, […] May 16, 2025 Health ADIO expands US office in health sector push The state-backed Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), which aims to attract inward investment into the UAE capital, is expanding its US operations to secure new funds for the local health sector. The expansion of the San Francisco office will support Abu Dhabi’s clinical validation and regulatory advancement in the healthcare and other priority sectors, state-run […] May 9, 2025 Logistics AD Ports reports revenue gains from Red Sea crisis Abu Dhabi-listed AD Ports Group said first-quarter 2025 revenue jumped as Red Sea disruptions positively impacted its container shipping business. The top line was up 18 percent year on year to AED4.6 billion ($1.3 billion), supported by revenues from ports, economic cities and free zones, as well as maritime and shipping clusters, the company said […] May 9, 2025 Posts navigation 1 2 … 22 Next
Analysis Banking and Finance Why government-related debt is worth a punt Debt sales by government-related entities (GRE) in the Gulf, such as Saudi Electricity Co and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Co, offer better investor value than their sovereigns, experts say. Gulf foreign currency sales of conventional and sukuk (sharia-compliant bonds) rose 9 percent to $72.4 billion in the five months to May 31, compared with the […] June 11, 2025
Opinion Finance The UAE’s debut stablecoin has real-world significance Stablecoins have hitherto operated in a regulatory grey zone, hindered by vague and inconsistent rules June 10, 2025
Finance Mubadala’s $1bn sukuk order book oversubscribed five times Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has sold $1 billion in 10-year US dollar-denominated Islamic bonds, or sukuk, in its first debt sale of the year, news service IFR said on Wednesday. Acting through the Mamoura Diversified Global Holding debt vehicle, Mubadala priced the bonds at 60 basis points (bps) over US treasuries, narrower than […] May 29, 2025
Utilities Abu Dhabi’s Taqa focuses on US market Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, or Taqa, is exploring buying companies in the US and elsewhere, its chief executive told Reuters. The state-owned utility is continuing its international expansion and is striving to reach ambitious growth targets. “The US is a key market for us,” and “if the right opportunity presents itself for Taqa, we […] May 27, 2025
Industry UK’s Wood wins contract for UAE’s first methanol facility UK-based engineering company Wood Group has been awarded a project management consultancy contract for the UAE’s first methanol production facility, the British company said in a statement. The contract was awarded by Ta’ziz, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and state-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ). Construction of the plant, in […] May 27, 2025
Aviation Etihad comfortable with Boeing deliveries as profit rises Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, which posted record profit in the first quarter, said it expects to take delivery of at least 100 planes from US plane maker Boeing over the next five years, helping to equip its route expansion plans. “We’re getting more than 20 planes a year for the next five years,” Etihad Airways […] May 21, 2025
Aviation Ex-Etihad CEO James Hogan takes stake in UK’s Global Airlines James Hogan, the former Etihad Airways chief executive who was at the helm during the airline’s loss-making expansion, is set to become a shareholder in the UK’s Global Airlines, a startup attempting to bring the Airbus A380 back into commercial service. Hogan’s advisory firm, Knighthood Global, will take a stake in Global Airlines and advise […] May 20, 2025
Aviation Etihad Airways commits $15bn for 28 Boeing jets Etihad Airways has invested $14.5 billion in 28 Boeing aircraft. Since 2023, the UAE’s national airline has grown its fleet as part of a long-term strategy to double in size by 2030. The agreement includes a mix of Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft, powered by GE Aerospace engines and supported by a services package, […] May 16, 2025
Health ADIO expands US office in health sector push The state-backed Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), which aims to attract inward investment into the UAE capital, is expanding its US operations to secure new funds for the local health sector. The expansion of the San Francisco office will support Abu Dhabi’s clinical validation and regulatory advancement in the healthcare and other priority sectors, state-run […] May 9, 2025
Logistics AD Ports reports revenue gains from Red Sea crisis Abu Dhabi-listed AD Ports Group said first-quarter 2025 revenue jumped as Red Sea disruptions positively impacted its container shipping business. The top line was up 18 percent year on year to AED4.6 billion ($1.3 billion), supported by revenues from ports, economic cities and free zones, as well as maritime and shipping clusters, the company said […] May 9, 2025
