Nahda Capital Partners Seeks Registration for First Private Equity Fund in ADGM

Nahda Capital Partners Pursues First Private Equity Fund

Nahda Capital Partners, a newly established private equity platform based in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), is taking major steps by submitting a request for the registration of its inaugural private equity fund. This marks a significant milestone for the firm as it prepares to engage in investment activities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The name “Nahda” translates to awakening, renewal, or resurgence in Arabic. This designation embodies the company’s long-term goal of fostering enduring partnerships and catalyzing the growth of the real economy in the region. The firm intends to specifically aid founders, families, and local institutions in their endeavors.

Led by Iñigo de Luna, the founder and managing partner, Nahda Capital is developing a private equity strategy aimed at mid-market companies, primarily in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and the broader GCC area. The firm is directed towards resilient businesses that are founder-led and family-owned, seeking to leverage structural regional growth and an increasing trend towards institutionalization. This focus is particularly relevant for companies undergoing generational transitions or those in search of institutional capital and operational support to accelerate their expansion phases within the GCC.

The founding partners bring substantial international experience in private equity and investment banking, boasting a track record that generates approximately 36% gross IRR across various economic cycles. The strategy emphasizes majority investments in collaboration with founding members and family shareholders, utilizing an operational value creation model that prioritizes professionalism, operational improvements, governance enhancement, and selective expansion through acquisitions and development.

Nahda's investment focus will span sectors critical to the region's economy — including food production and distribution, healthcare, education, and industrial technology. The firm's investment approach is guided by principles aligned with Sharia-compliant investments, emphasizing a focus on real economy assets, prudent leverage use, and disciplined governance.

In comments regarding the launch, Iñigo de Luna stated, "Nahda Capital Partners was created to collaborate with high-quality mid-sized enterprises across the GCC that can benefit from long-term capital and practical operational support. While we recognize that these times are challenging, we consider this a severe yet temporary impact, rather than a shift in the long-term trajectory of the UAE and the region as a whole. Our conviction remains strong: the GCC is structurally reinforcing itself as a hub for business development and long-term capital allocation."

Pending regulatory approval, Nahda Capital aims to commence fundraising activities in the upcoming weeks with an ambitious target of approximately $300 million for its inaugural fund, which will be managed by ADGM.

About Nahda Capital Partners

Nahda Capital Partners is a private equity platform located in Abu Dhabi's ADGM, focusing on control investments in mid-sized businesses within the GCC. The firm collaborates with founders and family shareholders to encourage generational transitions, professionalization, and regional expansion through practical operational value creation. It focuses on resilient sectors of the real economy, such as food production and distribution, healthcare, education, and industrial technology. Their investment approach emphasizes disciplined governance and adherence to Sharia-compliant investment principles, with preparations underway to launch their first fund at ADGM.