Sidley Advises on the Establishment of Gulf Partners Group

Sidley has advised on the establishment of Gulf Partners Group (GPG), an upcoming Middle East private equity investment firm focused on alternative investments.

The firm’s primary focus will be on private equity, real estate, private credit, and growth capital investments in the Gulf states and other core markets. It has been formed between Arzan Financial Group (AFG) and certain prominent investment professionals.

GPG will operate as a management-led investment firm anchored by AFG, one of the region’s leading financial institutions and publicly listed on Boursa Kuwait. AFG manages over US$5 billion in assets under management and holds US$1 billion in proprietary assets. AFG is the investment and financing arm of the Al-Bahar Group, a diversified international conglomerate founded more than 70 years ago with over US$30 billion in assets across various sectors, to which GPG will be backed by.

Yousif Al-Abdulla, co-CEO of GPG, commented: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Arzan Financial Group to launch an ambitious new alternative investment firm. We are grateful for Sidley’s support and valued their deep market understanding to navigate us through this transaction and make it happen.”

The cross-jurisdictional team was led by Hussein Baxter and Ali Shaikley, with support from Filippo Durazzo, Abdullah Shah, and Sofian Dhifallah (M&A and Private Equity); Peter McCorkell (Employment); Oren Gertner (Investment Funds); Qalid Mohamed (Regulatory); Ibrahim Abdel Salam Babiker (Restructuring); and Henry Sasse (Global Finance).