Waha Capital hires Hashem Dabbas as CIO of Private Investments business

Abu Dhabi, 29 September 2021 – Waha Capital PJSC (ADX: WAHA), a leading investment management company based in Abu Dhabi which counts Mubadala Investment Company and other prominent Abu Dhabi investors amongst its main shareholders, has announced the appointment of Hashem Dabbas as Chief Investment Officer of the Private Investments business.

In line with this appointment, a new Private Investments strategy will be launched with a global investment mandate, and will be comprised of two portfolios - “Core” and “Global Opportunities”. The Core portfolio will target stable, cash-generative assets within the MENA region. In this portfolio, Waha Capital will look to take controlling or significant minority stakes in businesses led by best-in-class management teams with established track records, in sectors underpinned by strong tailwinds and growth trends. As a permanent capital investor, Waha Capital is uniquely positioned to compound returns by partnering with businesses for longer investment horizons and across cycles.

The Core segment will be complimented by a Global Opportunities portfolio; with a fully flexible, opportunistic global mandate that will target investments in the alternatives space with high risk-adjusted returns. Waha Capital will look to partner with likeminded institutional investors in this investment strategy that is agnostic to sector, geography, asset class and capital structure. 

To oversee this relaunched business, Hashem Dabbas joins Waha Capital from the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (“ADIC”) where he was Head of Special Situations - Energy & Industrials. Previously, Hashem was an investment banker with Morgan Stanley in New York. He holds a BSc in Materials Science & Engineering with a Double Minor in Economics and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

At Waha Capital, he will focus on the formulation and execution of the new Private Investments strategy, as well as leading a larger team of investment professionals. The new team brings together experience across private equity, private credit, infrastructure, natural resources and real estate, from some of the world’s most pre-eminent global investors.

Ahmed Khalifa Al Mehairi, CEO of Waha Capital, commented: “I am pleased to be working again with Hashem, who brings to Waha Capital a wealth of experience investing in alternative asset classes and growth sectors. The team behind our Private Investments business now hails from some of the most pre-eminent investors globally, and I am confident this new team will successfully drive this strategic vision forward and establish strong networks to build a robust deal pipeline.” 

Hashem Dabbas, Chief Investment Officer for Private Investments, said: “I am excited to take on the CIO role at this exciting time for Waha Capital, and to lead this broad and dynamic investment mandate. This new Private Investments strategy and setup will enable our team to pursue a more global and multi-asset investment approach, aimed at enhancing the value we bring to our investors and continuing to fuel the growth of the wider Waha Capital business.”

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