Renewable Energy Masdar takes majority stake in Greek clean energy player Abu Dhabi’s Masdar has acquired a majority stake in Greek clean energy company Terna Energy to propel its European expansion. The UAE renewables major purchased a 70 percent stake in the Greek company from Gek Terna and other shareholders at €20 per share, valuing Terna Energy at €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion). Following the transaction’s closing, Masdar will […] November 29, 2024
Health PureHealth in talks to buy hospital operator NMC PureHealth Holding, the UAE’s largest healthcare group, is in discussions to acquire the UAE hospital operator NMC Healthcare, sources familiar with the matter say. A deal, if finalised, could be announced before the first half of 2025, sources told AGBI, speaking on condition of anonymity. Other potential bidders had explored the opportunity but were not […] November 15, 2024
Banking & Finance Bahrain bank merger to complete in 2025 A merger between National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) and Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) is expected to be completed in 2025. Plans to join the two banks were announced to the Bahrain Bourse earlier this year and preliminary proceedings started this month. “Considering that we are almost at the end of this year, I […] November 15, 2024
Oil & Gas Adnoc Gas considers M&A deals to meet LNG demand Adnoc Gas is looking at international acquisitions and mergers to cope with what it predicts will be strong demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the next decade, a senior executive said on Monday. “We have the balance sheet to do it, so if there is an opportunity, we will definitely consider it,” chief financial […] November 11, 2024
EXCLUSIVE Oil & Gas Adnoc Drilling JV M&A war chest to rise to $2bn Enersol Energy Solutions, the joint venture between Abu Dhabi’s Adnoc Drilling and the investment company Alpha Dhabi, is looking to expand its war chest by $500 million to $2 billion. The company has already spent $800 million on acquisitions this year. In its latest deal, the fourth since January, Enersol has acquired a 95 percent […] November 6, 2024
Industry Bahrain’s Alba looking to Europe after Ma’aden deal Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) will keep exploring mergers and acquisitions, with a particular eye on Europe, once it completes its multi-billion dollar deal with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden). The deal is expected to be signed off in the first half of next year. The two companies penned a non-binding agreement in September and are in […] November 5, 2024
Real Estate Adnec adds Business Design Centre to London portfolio Adnec Group has expanded its UK portfolio with the acquisition of the Business Design Centre in London. The historic building, which dates back to 1862 when it was the Royal Agricultural Hall, is a 4.5-acre Grade II listed venue that hosts events, awards and product launches. The North London venue is the location for long-standing […] October 30, 2024
Telecoms UAE telco e& purchases slice of PPF in eastern Europe The UAE telecommunications company e&, formerly known as Etisalat, has completed its acquisition of 50 percent plus one share in the Czech PPF Group’s telecoms business in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia and Slovakia. The deal, which was approved by the European Commission in September, is valued at €2.15 billion ($2.3 billion), plus a potential earn-out of up […] October 25, 2024
Finance ADQ buys 96% of Bank Audi’s Turkish unit The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ has signed an agreement to acquire 96 percent of Lebanon-based Bank Audi’s Turkish subsidiary, Odeabank. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals, including from Turkey’s banking regulation and supervision authority and the competition authority. As part of the deal, Bank Audi and other investors such as the International Finance […] October 16, 2024
Analysis Banking & Finance Japanese fund fails to deliver for Gulf investors Eight years ago next week Saudi Arabia became a founding investor in SoftBank’s Vision Fund, pledging $45 billion, and Abu Dhabi soon committed another $15 billion. The creator of the private equity fund, the world’s largest, was Japanese tech guru Masayoshi Son, who, at the time, predicted it would “accelerate the information revolution”. In October […] October 11, 2024
Video length: 04:53 Analysis Retail Rise in retail M&A predicted as Gulf stores struggle An increase in mergers and acquisitions in the GCC’s retail sector has been predicted for this year, as operators try to cope with an increasingly uncertain economic environment. Six retail M&A deals have taken place since the beginning of 2023, all involving intra-regional players. Thirteen retail M&A deals were concluded in 2022, of which five […] September 30, 2024
Analysis Mining Ma’aden-Alba merger ‘a potential game changer’ The proposed merger between the Saudi Arabian mining company Ma’aden and Bahrain’s aluminium smelter Alba looks likely to shake up the global aluminium industry, with the new company challenging for sixth place in the world rankings. “It’s almost a game-changing event, particularly in the GCC region,” says Andy Farida, a senior analyst at Fastmarkets, a […] September 27, 2024
Renewable Energy Masdar buys $1.4bn green assets in Spain and Portugal UAE renewable energy major Masdar will acquire a portfolio of renewable power projects in Spain and Portugal from the New York Stock Exchange-listed Brookfield Renewable for $1.4 billion. The move aims to bolster Masdar’s market presence in Europe. The portfolio, known as “Saeta Yield”, includes 745 megawatts (MW) of wind energy assets in Portugal and […] September 24, 2024
Opinion Banking & Finance Kuwait’s first banking merger is long overdue There have been bank mergers in every other GCC state – Kuwait might finally join the club September 20, 2024
INTERVIEW Oil & Gas Shopping trip for NMDC Energy boss after blockbuster IPO NMDC Energy is looking for merger and acquisition targets after delivering the UAE’s biggest initial public offering of 2024, its CEO has told AGBI. Ahmed Al Dhaheri said the Emirati company, which listed on the Abu Dhabi exchange on Wednesday, would announce “some M&A soon” and was focusing on expansion outside the Gulf. He also […] September 12, 2024
Energy Alpha Dhabi exits 11% of OCI Global’s methanol business Alpha Dhabi Holding, the fourth most valuable listed company in Abu Dhabi, will sell its 11 percent equity stake in OCI Global’s methanol business. The stake sale follows the acquisition of Netherlands-based OCI Methanol by Canada’s Methanex Corporation for $2 billion. OCI Methanol is indirectly owned 85 percent by OCI Global. Alpha Dhabi Holding and ADQ, an Abu […] September 10, 2024
Health Mubadala joins $680m acquisition of UCB’s Chinese business Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Investment Company and Singapore’s CBC Group have jointly acquired the neurology and allergy business of UCB, a Belgian biopharmaceutical company, for $680 million. The deal includes UCB’s neurology portfolio (Keppra, Vimpat and Neupro) and allergy portfolio (Zyrtec and Xyzal) in mainland China and its Zhuhai manufacturing site. The combined net sales for […] August 26, 2024
Finance Merger talks begin among Saudi-listed insurers Saudi-listed insurers Liva and Malath Cooperative Insurance have signed a non-binding agreement to study a potential merger, as consolidation in the sector continues to ramp up across the Gulf. The share-swap ratio will be finalised after concluding all necessary due diligence by the two companies. The companies will have to obtain the approvals of the […] August 23, 2024
Manufacturing EGA to buy 80% of US aluminium recycler Emirates Global Aluminium, the UAE’s biggest non-oil industrial company and one of the world’s largest aluminium producers, plans to acquire an 80 percent stake in US-based Spectro Alloys Corporation. The transaction will accelerate EGA’s global expansion into aluminium recycling and help grow its business in the United States. The acquisition, subject to regulatory approvals, is […] August 23, 2024
Banking & Finance Abu Dhabi-backed financier among bidders for Hollywood giant A New York investment company backed by Abu Dhabi is part of a group that has launched a bid to take over Paramount Global, one of Hollywood’s biggest entertainment companies. The conglomerate, led by the industry veteran Edgar Bronfman Jr, a former CEO of Warner Music Group, submitted a $4.3 billion bid on Monday to […] August 21, 2024
Banking & Finance Emirates NBD seeks majority stake in India’s Yes Bank Dubai’s largest lender Emirates NBD is in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in India’s Yes Bank, according to a media report. The potential acquisition comes as the state-owned State Bank of India (SBI) intends to divest its 24 percent stake in Yes Bank for $2.2 billion by the end of March, Reuters reported […] August 14, 2024
Banking & Finance ADQ in talks to buy Turkish lender Odeabank Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ is in discussions to buy Turkish lender Odeabank as it seeks to expand its international footprint. The fund has been engaged in talks over the past few months to buy the bank owned by Lebanon’s Bank Audi SAL, Bloomberg reported quoting informed sources. However, the report said that no final […] August 14, 2024
