Abu Dhabi Global Market has recorded sharp growth amid the emirate's efforts to boost its non-oil economy. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Global Market has recorded sharp growth amid the emirate's efforts to boost its non-oil economy. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Global Market has recorded sharp growth amid the emirate's efforts to boost its non-oil economy. Victor Besa / The National
Abu Dhabi Global Market has recorded sharp growth amid the emirate's efforts to boost its non-oil economy. Victor Besa / The National

German asset manager Patrizia receives licence to open first Middle East office in ADGM


Alvin R Cabral
  • English
  • Arabic

German asset manager Patrizia has been granted regulatory approval to start operating at Abu Dhabi's ADGM, joining a stream of international firms tapping into the Middle East's growing investment scene.

The Augsburg-based company, which has about €55 billion ($57.7 billion) in assets under management, received permission from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority to open an office in the financial hub of UAE capital, allowing it to arrange and advise on investments to clients in the region, Patrizia said on Monday.

It will be Patrizia's first office in the Middle East and 26th globally, joining other key locations in Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, the UK and US.

The Frankfurt-listed company's foray into Abu Dhabi is part of a push to expand its footprint in high-growth regions and boost its international partnerships, said Asoka Wohrmann, chief executive of Patrizia.

The move will allow the company cater to its partners in the Gulf region "more effectively", while also enabling it to "build a diversified and sustainable investment portfolio that meets the evolving needs of our clients, while supporting Abu Dhabi’s continued rise as a leading financial hub", he added.

Patrizia is the latest addition to a growing list of asset managers, insurers, financial institutions and investment houses that have set up office in Abu Dhabi, as the emirate continues to boosts the financial sector to support its economic diversification plans.

New York-based BlackRock, the world's top asset manager with nearly $11.5 trillion in AUM, in November received a commercial licence to operate in ADGM.

In September, Stonepeak, a US-based alternative investment company with $71.2 billion of AUM, received regulatory approval to set up base at ADGM, to arrange and advise on investment opportunities in the UAE, the Arab world's second-largest economy.

Also in September, ADGM welcomed its first trillion-dollar asset managers: PGIM, the global asset management business of the New York Stock Exchange-listed Prudential Financial, and Chicago investment firm Nuveen, with both aiming to expand their operations and client bases in the Middle East.

Establishing its presence in the Middle East will help Patrizia "deepen relationships and deliver tailored investment strategies that fully align with the priorities of our local clients", said JC Klein, who will lead the new Abu Dhabi office.

"This move also underscores Patrizia’s commitment to ... contributing to Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading, global financial hub. By combining local proximity with global expertise, we aim to create value for our investment partners and support the impressive economic growth of the region," he added.

Established in 2015, ADGM on Al Maryah Island has grown rapidly, with AUMs in the on-shore financial hub rising by 215 per cent annually in the third quarter of 2024, according to the latest data from the centre.

The total number of operational entities within ADGM’s jurisdiction increased to 2,251 during the three-month period, a 31 per cent rise on an annual basis. The number of workers employed in ADGM also rose by 35 per cent year-on-year to 4,433 by the end of the June-September quarter of last year.

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Landfill in numbers

• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane

• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming

• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi

• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year

• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away

• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition

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Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Company info

Company name: Entrupy 

Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist

Based: New York, New York

Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.  

Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius. 

Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place. 

Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?

The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.

The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.

He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.

He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.

He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

RESULT

West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' ) 
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72') 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

War and the virus
HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Four-day collections of TOH

Day             Indian Rs (Dh)        

Thursday    500.75 million (25.23m)

Friday         280.25m (14.12m)

Saturday     220.75m (11.21m)

Sunday       170.25m (8.58m)

Total            1.19bn (59.15m)

(Figures in millions, approximate)

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Updated: February 17, 2025, 5:00 AM`