Ardian, a Leading Private Equity and Investment Firm, Is Set to Open an Office in Abu Dhabi

Ardian SAS, a Paris-based private equity firm, is opening an office in Abu Dhabi to take advantage of opportunities in the region, where sovereign wealth funds are becoming increasingly influential investors.

Ardian plans to expand its presence in the Middle East through its new team in Abu Dhabi, which will be led by François Aissa-Touazi. The team will focus on building partnerships with sovereign funds such as Mubadala Investment Co. and helping existing portfolio companies expand regionally. In addition, Ardian will invest directly in companies across the Middle East, with two hydrogen-related deals in the pipeline.

Dominique Senequier, president and founder of Abu Dhabi-based energy company, said in an interview with Bloomberg News that the company is planning to develop green hydrogen projects in partnership with other companies in the region.

Ardian, an investment firm with $25 billion of assets and $8 billion of capital in the region, will start with 10 employees in Abu Dhabi, said CEO Dominique Senequier. The firm may look to hire more employees in the future.

In December, Ardian and Mubadala Capital signed a $2.1 billion partnership that will involve Ardian investing in private equity assets managed by Mubadala Capital and committing to its private equity funds. This partnership builds on Ardian's two decades of experience in the UAE and the region.

Sovereign wealth funds from the oil-rich Gulf region continued to be active acquirers last year, even as global deal volumes fell and banks cut lending for acquisitions. These funds were buoyed by cash from last year’s commodity boom, and spurred on by equally ambitious neighbors such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The UAE, which is home to about 6% of the world’s proven oil reserves, is investing billions of dollars to diversify its economy away from crude.

In contrast to the booming private equity industry of the past decade, rising interest rates and the end of an era of abundant liquidity put many private equity firms in a bind last year. With debt markets largely shut, many struggled to find the financing needed to do big deals and amplify their returns. The performance of their portfolio companies also suffered.

Ardian is a global asset management firm with $140 billion in assets under management or advice. The firm invests in a variety of asset classes, including private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and credit. Senequier led a management buyout of the business from French insurer AXA SA in 2013.

In 2021, Ardian began preparing for a possible initial public offering (IPO). At the time, the market for new listings was booming and European buyout firms were starting to go public. However, conditions are now very different, according to Ardian CEO Dominique Senequier. She believes that the current market conditions are not conducive to an IPO for Ardian.