Capitas Group International (CGI) has announced the signing of an exclusive joint venture (JV) agreement with IFA Hotel Investments (IFA HI), targeting the development of Yotel branded hotels across the Kingdom.
IFA HI is the majority owner of Yotel, a specialized international hospitality brand, headquartered in the UK.
Considered the “iPod” of the hotel industry, Yotel’s rooms provide a flexible and convenient first class experience in a modern, efficient and comfortable space. Situated in both airport and city center locations, YOTEL hotels currently operate within Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and in New York’s Times Square.
A deal has also been signed to bring Yotel to Singapore.
Under the JV, CGI is IFA HI’s exclusive partner to develop Yotel branded hotels in Saudi Arabia.
IFA HI will invest seed capital in the projects and asset manage the hotels after development, while YOTEL will be the hotel operator. The Yotel product will also be customized to local requirements in each market across the Kingdom.
Inspired by first class airline travel, YO! Founder Simon Woodroffe OBE and Yotel CEO Gerard Greene conceived the innovative Yotel cabins to provide uncompromising luxury within a smaller footprint than traditional five-star hotels. The cabins feature luxury bedding, rejuvenating monsoon rain showers, relaxing purple mood lighting and Yotel ‘s ‘techno wall’ with flat screen TV, multi power points and iPod connectivity.
Joe Sita, CEO of IFA Hotel Investments, remarked, “We are very pleased to have formalized this relationship with Capitas Group International.
CGI’s significant value-add comes from their close connection to the market and in-depth ability to combine technical real estate expertise with a deep understanding of the financial and business issues involved in real estate development. We are excited to move this forward and believe that Yotel’s unique hospitality concepts will be well suited to Saudi Arabia’s markets.”
Naveed Siddiqui, CEO of Capitas Group International, said, “This is an exciting opportunity for CGI to bring an innovative and unique, world-class hospitality brand to the Kingdom. Yotel serves the large “affordable” category while providing luxury to hotel guests, targeting a wide range of customers — from business travelers to religious tourists and pilgrims. The combined strength of IFA and Yotel as our partners brings proven expertise to the Kingdom’s hospitality sector.”
Tariq Hameed, MD of CGI’s development management service, said: “CGI committed to developing the hospitality sector in the Kingdom. As we assist clients in their own projects, we also look forward to bringing this attractive and unique product to investors and land owners across the Kingdom. In the first phase we will be identifying locations in the holy cities, Riyadh and Jeddah for potential Yotel projects. We have already started these conversations with land owners and look forward to expanding these discussions with other potential partners looking for viable projects to contribute their land.”
Capitas, IFA set up JV for Saudi hotels
Capitas, IFA set up JV for Saudi hotels
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.
