Family Business Council — Gulf (FBCG), the regional association of Family Business Network International (FBNi), recently concluded its Annual Summit 2017 under the theme “Secrets to Family Business Continuity: Committed to Evolve Over Generations” held in Dubai.
The fourth edition of the summit brought together leading GCC family businesses experts and academicians to share experiences and effective approaches to address family business challenges.
Abdulaziz Al-Ghurair, chairman of FBCG, said: “We believe that each family business has its own secrets to success, but we also believe that families can inspire each another on ways to regenerate their own formula to success.”
He added: “By tailoring the summit agenda around real-world case studies and success stories, we aimed to provide families with practical insights that they can learn from and incorporate in order to better address the challenges of growth, business model evolution and generational transition.”
Prominent regional and international speakers took the stage at the summit presenting case studies and taking part in panel discussions. Two GCC family groups, Al-Mulla Group from Kuwait and SEDCO Holding Group from Saudi Arabia, shared their learnings and discussed how to professionalize and introduce corporate discipline in the family business. They focused on how to build effective boards to fit long-term generational time horizons.
The summit also witnessed the launch of a GCC case study on family business social impact. Community Jameel shared their approach in developing community projects tied to their business and centered on job creation. Hassan Jameel, deputy president and vice chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, took part in a relevant panel session along sustainability experts to discuss effective ways of giving in the context of the family business.
International family speakers also took part in the summit. These include Hans-Jacob Bonnier of Bonnier Group, a sixth-generation family firm which is ranked among Scandinavia’s leading media conglomerates; and Meral Zaim Inci, from the leading Turkish Inci conglomerate. Both families belong to FBN exclusive community; and took part in the GCC summit to present their family governance development journey.
Every year, the FBCG summit attracts leading GCC family businesses in a private closed-door gathering. FBCG’s events are exclusive to family-business members and the format of the sessions is designed to encourage open and effective discussions among the participating members.
GCC family businesses discuss long-term continuity and growth at FBCG Annual Summit
GCC family businesses discuss long-term continuity and growth at FBCG Annual Summit
GIB Capital strengthens regional leadership with $2.1bn ICM transactions
GIB Capital, one of the region’s leading financial and investment banking advisers, has announced the successful execution of three major international capital markets transactions in November, underscoring the firm’s growing influence and distribution strength across global debt markets.
In a single month, GIB Capital acted in joint lead manager roles across three landmark issuances — supporting clients in the banking, aviation and government sectors — and attracting an aggregate of more than $4.6 billion in investor demand from the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the UK and the US. These transactions, which collectively raised over $2.1 billion, further demonstrate the confidence international investors place in GCC issuers and the strategic value GIB Capital brings to each mandate.
The firm began the month by serving as joint global coordinator, joint lead manager and bookrunner on the inaugural ICM issuance for GIB — Saudi Arabia. The $500 million perpetual non-call 5.5-year additional Tier 1 instrument was priced on Nov. 5 and generated an impressive $1.3 billion in orders, achieving a 2.6-times oversubscribed orderbook. The strong participation from regional, UK, Asian and European investors reflect the bank’s robust credit fundamentals and GIB Capital’s ability to deliver global reach for its clients.
On the same day, GIB Capital also acted as joint lead manager and bookrunner for AviLease’s first-ever ICM transaction — an $850 million bond offering that attracted exceptionally strong interest, closing in at over 3.7 times oversubscribed orderbook. The transaction drew participation from a diverse pool of regional, US, UK, European and Asian investors, highlighting the appeal to Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing aviation leasing company.
Further reinforcing its leadership in Islamic finance, GIB Capital concluded the month as joint lead manager and bookrunner on the government of Sharjah’s $750 million sukuk issuance, priced on Nov. 18. The transaction secured $2 billion in orders, representing a 2.6-times oversubscribed orderbook, with interest coming primarily from regional, UK and European accounts. This issuance marked government of Sharjah’s first US dollar public issuance in 2025 and benefited from strong investor confidence toward Sharjah’s credit story and in GIB Capital’s advisory expertise.
Commenting on the milestone month, Osamah Mohammed Shaker, CEO of GIB Capital, said: “These three successful issuances reflect the depth of trust our clients place in GIB Capital and the strength of our distribution network across global markets. The robust oversubscriptions and high-quality investor participation are clear indicators of the continued confidence in GCC credit stories and the resilience of the region’s economic outlook. We remain committed to delivering best-in-class execution, innovative structuring, and strategic advisory that enable our clients to access international liquidity efficiently and competitively.”
With a growing portfolio of successful mandates, GIB Capital continues to expand its presence as a leading provider of debt capital markets solutions, capital markets advisory, mergers and acquisitions, debt advisory, asset management and brokerage services. Combining deep regional insight with global investor connectivity, the firm remains committed to supporting clients across sectors with innovative, tailored, and high-impact financial solutions.
