Today's Edition
A.SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)
Harrison Street, a leading global investment management firm specialising in alternative real assets, has opened its Middle East office in Abu Dhabi with the ambition to build long-term partnerships and tap into a growing investor base across the region.
Speaking to Aletihad, Hadi Nasser, the firm’s newly appointed Head of Middle East Operations, described Abu Dhabi as a “first chapter” in Harrison Street’s regional journey, with further expansion in view. “We see Abu Dhabi as the first chapter of our regional physical presence, with an eye on expanding into other key markets in the area,” Nasser said.
He pointed to the city’s growing stature in global finance as a key factor behind the decision. “Abu Dhabi has confirmed its role as a key node in the global financial system and in our investment management industry. The ADGM provides a world-class and robust regulatory framework and ecosystem in which we can foster and develop our relationships with some of the world’s most sophisticated investors,” he said.
Founded in 2005 and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Harrison Street has established itself as one of the largest investors in alternative real estate globally, with more than $70 billion invested in “difficult to access” sectors.
“Since inception and to this day, we maintain our focus on investing in alternative real assets with needs-based demographic-linked demand drivers in both North America and Europe,” said Nasser. “We like the certainty in education, the certainty in an ageing population needing healthcare, as well as the certainty in the demand for data.”
These certainties have shaped the firm’s core strategy, focusing on non-traditional asset classes such as student housing, senior housing, healthcare delivery, digital infrastructure, self-storage, life sciences, and build-to-rent.
“Over the years, these non-traditional asset classes have kept us less tethered to GDP drivers, and our asset classes have demonstrated more resiliency through turbulent times than traditional real estate sectors,” he explained. “We are a pure-play alternatives manager while many investment managers are dabbling in the space.”
Nasser sees a global shift underway. “We're seeing quite a seismic movement and sectoral rotation out of traditional real estate into our target sectors. We're starting to see that in the US, and similar signs are emerging throughout Europe,” he noted. “Although the Middle East is nascent in the context of these sectors, much of what happens in this region grows in the fast lane, as we expect to see emerging opportunities for real estate managers, particularly given what we are experiencing with Abu Dhabi’s numerous AI initiatives.”
Harrison Street's experience in healthcare and digital infrastructure is particularly deep. Across North America and Europe, the firm manages more than 42,000 senior housing units worth $14.5 billion, and 10.5 million square feet of healthcare delivery space worth $9.6 billion. In the digital infrastructure segment, it oversees nearly $6 billion worth of powered shells, colocation facilities, carrier hotels, and dark fibre, corresponding to 2.1 GW of capacity.
In terms of capital partnerships, Harrison Street's Abu Dhabi office will initially focus on working with sophisticated investors. “Our focus is predominantly on what is commonly defined as Market Counterparties and Professional Investors in the market,” Nasser said. “The high-net-worth individual and retail segments are of course of interest to us, especially as demand for private market solutions is on the rise. However, we would need to work with local partners in accordance with local and regional regulations to be able to cater to those segments.”
Nasser also confirmed that the firm has no short-term numerical targets set for its Abu Dhabi office but is committed to the region for the long term. “Our mission is clear and two-pronged. Firstly, we will continue to provide regional investors with differentiated real assets solutions in North America and Europe. Secondly, and importantly, we have always been forward thinking. We will continue to evaluate opportunities to expand our presence and capabilities in the region.”
Student housing—one of Harrison Street’s signature asset classes—also holds long-term potential in the UAE. “Our Student Housing initiatives in the US and Europe cater to higher education. This is obviously a growing space both in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and we believe there will be opportunities for forward-thinking real estate managers,” Nasser said.
On a personal note, Nasser brings both professional depth and local familiarity to the new role. A British citizen of Lebanese origin, he was born and raised in London and has lived in the UAE with his family for a total of 15 years. “It has been a privilege for us to experience firsthand the incredible evolution of this country from when we first arrived in 2004 and the exciting trajectory in which we are headed,” he said.
Prior to joining Harrison Street in March 2024 as Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations – Middle East, Nasser held senior roles at Rockpoint and EnTrust Global, accumulating nearly two decades of experience in capital raising and advisory functions across Europe and the Middle East.
With a strong track record, strategic clarity, and a base in Abu Dhabi’s ADGM, Harrison Street’s Middle East ambitions are now formally underway—aiming to tap into the region’s growing appetite for alternative real assets with a long-term commitment.
