Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
New Mountain Capital, a New York-based alternative investment firm with approximately $60 billion in assets under management, has opened an office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to strengthen its relationships with investors in the Gulf region.
The firm established New Mountain Capital Middle East Limited after receiving approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority to conduct regulated activities in ADGM, according to a statement.
The Abu Dhabi office will be led by Shehreyar Hameed, who recently joined New Mountain Capital as a managing director and has been appointed Senior Executive Officer of the Middle East entity.
Hameed previously worked at Blackstone, J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Goldman Sachs, with a focus on coverage of the Gulf region. He will share responsibility for the firm’s regional investor relationships with Patrick O’Dolan, a managing director based in New Mountain Capital’s London office.
“Opening our office in the ADGM marks an important milestone for New Mountain and reflects our long-term commitment to the Gulf region,” said Adam Weinstein, President and Chief Operating Officer of New Mountain Capital.
“We have been privileged to work with many leading investors in the region for years, and establishing a local presence will allow us to deepen those relationships while building new partnerships over time,” he added.
Weinstein said the firm’s focus on defensive-growth industries — businesses combining resilience during economic cycles with sustainable long-term growth — was aligned with the long-term objectives of investors in the Gulf and other markets.
New Mountain Capital began establishing institutional relationships in the Gulf more than 20 years ago and currently works with dozens of partners across the region, said David Coquillette, its New York-based Head of Business Development, and O’Dolan.
“This new office enables us to strengthen those connections and enhance our long-term presence with our clients based in the Gulf,” they added.
Hameed said: “I am excited to join New Mountain Capital and honoured to be appointed Senior Executive Officer of New Mountain Capital Middle East Limited.”
“New Mountain’s track record of producing industry-leading returns in ‘defensive growth’ businesses positions us well for continued success in the Middle East. I am looking forward to partnering with Patrick to take our business to the next level,” he added.
While the Abu Dhabi office will support relationships with clients in the Gulf, New Mountain Capital’s investment activities will remain focused on defensive-growth, middle-market companies based in North America, the statement said.
Founded in 1999, the firm manages investments across private equity, strategic equity, credit and net-lease real estate. It focuses on building businesses operating in selected non-cyclical sectors.
Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at ADGM, said the company’s decision to establish a regional presence in the financial centre reinforced Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a global capital hub connecting international investment firms with long-term opportunities.
“We are pleased to welcome New Mountain Capital to our vibrant ecosystem and look forward to supporting its continued engagement with regional investors through our internationally recognised regulatory framework, progressive ecosystem and strategic location,” Ramamurthy said.
