ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi state investor Mubadala has halted talks to buy Abraaj’s investment business, two sources said, in a blow to the private equity firm which is facing an investigation by investors into how it used some of their money.
Dubai-based Abraaj, which denies any wrongdoing, is considering selling some or all of the unit following a row with four investors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, over how it used their money in a $1 billion health care fund.
Mubadala, which has more than $200 billion in assets, and Abraaj held initial talks a month ago, but these did not progress, one of the sources said.
Abraaj said it does not comment on market speculation, while Mubadala declined to comment on Monday.
“We remain focused on working collaboratively with our investors and continuing to execute on the re-organization of our firm to pave the way for continued long-term growth and value creation,” Abraaj said in an email to Reuters.
Investment banks have also approached international private equity firms to look at Abraaj’s investment arm, but some are holding off until after an investigation by forensic accounting experts Ankura Consulting, which has been commissioned by the investors, two other sources said.
Other potential buyers include Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG), sources said last month.
ADFG, which manages $6.5 billion in assets, declined to comment about its interest in Abraaj’s investment business. The Gates Foundation and the IFC, the World Bank’s private finance arm, have both declined to comment on the row.
SHAKE-UP
The fund dispute, which erupted this year has jolted Abraaj, a top investor in the developing world founded in 2002 by Arif Naqvi, who in late February handed the running of the fund to two co-chief executives.
Abraaj has also shaken up its management, suspended new investments, freed up large investors from millions of dollars in capital commitments and is reviewing its corporate structure.
It was managing $13.6 billion before deciding to return $3 billion to investors and putting a new $6 billion fund on hold.
Naqvi remains CEO of Abraaj Holdings, a significant shareholder of Abraaj Investment Management Ltd, the fund management business. Sources say he has spoken to senior bankers about various options for the firm, although Abraaj has not formally hired an adviser to sell the business.
Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala halts Abraaj investment deal talks
Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala halts Abraaj investment deal talks
Qatar lists first green sukuk as Al Rayan raises $137m
RIYADH: Qatar Stock Exchange listed its first green sukuk after Al Rayan Bank raised 500 million Qatari riyals ($137 million), expanding the range of sustainable Islamic finance instruments in the market.
The three-year sukuk carries an annual profit rate of 4.25 percent and is listed on QSE’s debt market, according to Qatar News Agency. The issuance is the first green sukuk in Qatar’s financial market and the first by an entity registered with the Qatar Financial Centre to be locally listed, cleared and settled.
The listing reflects efforts to deepen Qatar’s debt market and broaden access to Shariah-compliant instruments aligned with environmental, social and governance standards as investor demand for sustainable assets grows globally.
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Ansari, CEO of QSE, said: “The listing of the first green sukuk in QSE’s history represents a significant milestone in the development of Qatar’s capital market. It reflects our commitment to expanding the range of sustainable, Shariah-compliant financing instruments and enhancing the depth and diversity of the debt market in line with global best practices.”
He added: “This achievement also underscores QSE’s role as an integrated platform capable of supporting innovative financing solutions that align with national development priorities and long-term sustainability goals.”
Al Rayan Bank CEO Fahad Abdullah Al-Khalifa said the issuance underscores the lender’s ambition to lead in ESG-linked Islamic finance while strengthening the domestic capital markets infrastructure.
“By offering the first green sukuk to be listed, cleared, and settled in Qatar, we are not only reinforcing our role as a forward-looking institution but also contributing to the development of the local capital markets infrastructure,” he added.
Al Rayan Bank said the issuance reflects its ambition to play a leading role in advancing Qatar’s sustainable finance ecosystem by aligning Islamic banking principles with financing structures designed to deliver long-term value.
The listing comes amid continued development of QSE’s debt market, which has recently introduced inaugural corporate bonds, Islamic sukuk and sustainable bonds.
The green sukuk provides investors with a tradable Shariah-compliant asset that combines financial returns with environmental objectives, supporting portfolio diversification while reinforcing sustainability standards in the local market.
