Latest news with #A.SREENIVASAREDDY
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Taaleem signs deal to acquire 95% stake in Kids First Group
19 June 2025 09:38 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Taaleem Holdings, a leading K–12 premium education provider in the UAE and a Dubai Financial Market-listed company, has signed a deal to acquire a 95% stake in Kids First Group Limited (KFG), a prominent early-years education network operating across the a stock market disclosure on Thursday, Taaleem said the acquisition will be funded through a mix of equity and debt and is expected to close by the fourth quarter of its 2024/25 financial year, subject to regulatory approvals. The cost of the transaction was not disclosed in the statement. 'This strategic move reinforces our defensive positioning and our commitment to scalable, high-quality education in the region,' said Alan Williamson, Chief Executive Officer of Taaleem, in the operates over 30 premium nurseries in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha under well-known brands such as Redwood Montessori Nursery, Odyssey Nursery, Willow Children's Nursery, Ladybird Nursery, and Children's Oasis Nursery. The group serves over 5,000 students and employs more than 1,000 said the acquisition allows it to strategically expand into the rapidly growing early learning education sector, complementing its existing portfolio of 32 schools — which includes 10 premium private schools and 22 government-partnership institutions. Its premium schools span international curricula: five IB schools, four British curriculum schools, and one American curriculum to the company, KFG's scalable model and profitability will immediately enhance Taaleem's earnings and cash flow. Post-acquisition, KFG will operate as a standalone vertical within the Taaleem group, with its founder — who retains a 5% stake — continuing as CEO alongside the existing management which was listed on DFM in November 2022, currently has a market capitalisation of Dh3.6 billion. It is indirectly owned by the Government of Dubai, with National Bonds and Knowledge Fund holding stakes of 22.5% and 13.7% respectively. The company said it would hold a dedicated virtual investor call to provide further details on the transaction.
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Swiss investment firm Partners Group opens office at ADGM
17 June 2025 22:49 REDDY (ABU DHABI)Partners Group, a Switzerland-based investment firm and one of the world's largest players in the private markets industry, has expanded its regional footprint with the launch of a new regional headquarters in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the UAE capital's international financial a statement on Tuesday, the firm, which manages over $150 billion in assets and has invested more than $234 billion since its founding in 1996, described Abu Dhabi as a rising global hub for innovation in technology, energy, manufacturing, and digital services.'Abu Dhabi is increasingly becoming a centre of gravity for global advancements in technology, energy, next-generation manufacturing, and digital services,' said Steffen Meister, Executive Chairman of the Board at Partners Group. 'From our new regional headquarters, we look forward to partnering with institutions to capitalise on the many opportunities arising from the upcoming technology-led transformation of industries, often with a nexus to the region.'The Abu Dhabi office—located at Al Maryah Tower in ADGM Square—will be led by Suhail Albaz, Chairman for the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. He stressed the strategic importance of the Middle East, especially the GCC, as a growth region for the firm. 'We are actively pursuing the growing opportunities for transformational investing offered to our portfolio of businesses and assets by establishing themselves in the Middle East,' he the expansion, Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Partners Group, one of the largest and most respected firms in the global private markets industry to ADGM. We look forward to their valuable contribution to the vibrant and diverse financial community within Abu Dhabi.'Partners Group has been active in the Middle East since 2010, when it opened an office in Dubai. Its portfolio companies today employ over 2,000 people across the region. A notable example is International School Partnerships, which was founded by the firm in 2013 and recently acquired its tenth school in the Middle more than 800 institutional clients and 200 million client beneficiaries globally, the firm continues to serve a broad base, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, insurers, and high-net-worth individuals. In the Middle East, its institutional client relationships are led by Nael Antaki, while Venugopal Reddy oversees the firm's private wealth business in the region. This latest move brings the company's global network to 22 offices, reinforcing its long-term commitment to private markets and the Middle East's investment landscape. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Al Etihad
4 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE stock markets rebound
16 June 2025 21:01 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)The UAE stock markets on Monday recovered some losses suffered after the escalation of the Iran-Israel Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) recorded gains, with its general index (FADGI) rising by 0.218% to close at 9,584.85. A total of 28,212 trades were executed, involving 368 million shares with a combined value of Dh1.383 billion. The total market capitalisation of all companies listed on the ADX stood at Dh2.987 trillion, which had fallen below the Dh3 trillion milestone due to escalating geopolitical Dhabi led the rally with a nearly 3% gain, followed by ADNOC Gas with a nearly 2% rise, and Multiply with a nearly 1% increase. Other top gainers on the ADX included Abu Dhabi National Company for Building Materials (+11.57%), Sudatel (+9.95%), and Presight AI (+5.83%). Notable decliners were UAQ Investments (-9.50%), Hayah Insurance (-5.17%), and Gulf Medical Projects (-2.63%). DFMThe Dubai Financial Market's general index (DFMGI) rose by 0.789% to close at 5,407. A total of 16,836 trades were executed on the DFM, involving 293 million shares with a combined value of Dh726 million. Share prices of 33 companies rose, 14 declined, and five remained unchanged. Amlak Finance led the rally with a 10% rise in share price, followed by DEWA (2.2%) and Emaar Developments (2.2%). The merger of Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) with Emirates NBD has been completed, with the DFM announcing that all remaining shares have been transferred to the parent company. Among the other top gainers on Monday were United Foods (+9.58%), National General Insurance (+5.69%), and Al Salam Sudan (+5.26%). On the losing side, Al Ramz Capital fell by 9.60%, followed by Chimera S&P UAE Shariah ETF (-4.35%), BHM Capital (-2.33%), and NIH (-2.17%). Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
XRG consortium makes $18.72 billion bid for Australia's Santos
16 June 2025 09:22 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI) A consortium led by XRG, the international investment arm of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), has made a 'non-binding, indicative' proposal to acquire 100% of Santos, a leading Australian oil and gas a statement issued on Monday, Adelaide-based Santos said it had received the offer on June 13, 2025. The XRG consortium — comprising XRG, Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ), and US-based Carlyle — has proposed a cash offer of US$5.76 (A$8.89) per share, valuing the company at approximately US$18.72 offer represents a 28% premium over Santos' last closing share price of A$6.96 on June 13, and premiums of 30%, 34%, 44%, and 39% over the one-week, one-month, three-month, and six-month volume-weighted average prices (VWAP), latest proposal follows two earlier confidential and non-binding offers from the consortium — one on March 21, 2025 at US$5.04 (A$8.00) and another on March 28, 2025 at US$5.42 (A$8.60).The Santos Board has indicated its support for the deal, stating, 'It intends to unanimously recommend that Santos shareholders vote in favour of the transaction, in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to an independent expert concluding that the transaction is fair and reasonable.'However, the proposal remains conditional. It is subject to confirmatory due diligence by the consortium and the negotiation and execution of a binding Scheme Implementation Agreement (SIA) with Santos. Regulatory approvals would also be required from the Sachs and JB North & Co are acting as financial advisers to Santos, with Rothschild & Co serving as the independent board adviser. Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is acting as the company's legal was officially launched in November 2024 as ADNOC's global investment platform, with an initial enterprise value of over $80 billion. Its board recently approved a five-year business plan (2025–2030), aiming to transform XRG into one of the world's top five integrated gas and LNG players, with a target of 20–25 million tonnes per annum of LNG capacity by is actively expanding its footprint through strategic acquisitions and partnerships, including recent engagements in the United States (Rio Grande LNG), Mozambique, Egypt, Azerbaijan, and a statement, XRG said the consortium aims to build on Santos' strong and longstanding legacy as a trusted and reliable energy producer, unlocking additional gas supply for Santos' customers and strengthening domestic and international energy security.'The proposed transaction is aligned with XRG's strategy and ambition to build a leading integrated global gas and LNG business,' the statement XRG consortium has engaged J.P. Morgan as its financial adviser and Linklaters and Allens as legal XRG-led consortium intends to maintain Santos' headquarters in Adelaide, as well as its brand and operational footprint in Australia and key international operating hubs. 'We will work closely with the existing management team to accelerate growth and support local employment and the communities where Santos operates,' XRG said. The consortium also aims to invest in Santos' growth and further development of its gas and LNG-focused business, which will provide reliable and affordable energy and low-carbon solutions to customers in Australia, the Asia Pacific, and beyond. Carlyle, a Washington-based investment firm with an office at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), is a major player in the private equity space. ADQ is a sovereign wealth fund of the Abu Dhabi government.
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Iran-Israel tensions: Analysts optimistic about stability of oil supplies
15 June 2025 16:56 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)Most analysts remain optimistic about the stability of crude prices and the continuity of global oil shipments, especially through the Strait of Hormuz, despite escalating tensions between Iran and the conflict has fuelled market speculation, most industry analysts and trade experts continue to express confidence in the resilience of global energy trade. Their view is anchored in historical precedent, economic pragmatism, and the deeply interwoven trade relationships that characterise the Arabian Gulf Strait of Hormuz — a narrow but critical maritime corridor at the mouth of the Arabian Gulf — handles close to 30% of the world's crude and refined petroleum exports and around 20% of global LNG flows. A complete closure would undoubtedly shake global energy markets. However, most observers consider such an outcome unlikely. "While we don't yet foresee a war escalating to a Hormuz blockade, its closure would severely impact global energy flows," a Chinese oil trader told S&P Global. But despite rising tensions and military strikes between Israel and Iran, there has been no significant disruption to commercial shipping so far. Historical confrontations between the two countries have also avoided this red a note issued on June 13, JP Morgan analysts assessed the risk of Iran closing the Strait as 'very low', citing Iran's reluctance to damage its economic lifeline — especially its vital trade relationship with to S&P Global Commodity Insights, Iran pumped 3.24 million barrels per day (b/d) in May, most of which is exported to China. Any move to restrict traffic through Hormuz would not only sever this economic artery but also affect its ability to send supplies to initially reacted with concern. ICE Brent crude futures spiked 8.97% on June 13 — the sharpest single-day gain in five years. But analysts at S&P Global and Goldman Sachs expect such price volatility to be temporary, barring direct attacks on energy infrastructure. 'We've seen these spikes before. Prices jump, then retreat when it's clear that oil flows are not actually impacted,' said Richard Joswick, Head of Near-Term Oil Analysis at S&P this outlook is the presence of alternative logistics. The UAE's Habshan–Fujairah pipeline, for instance, enables crude to bypass Hormuz altogether. Long-term LNG supply contracts between China and exporters like Qatar and the UAE also offer stability and reduce reliance on spot risk insurance premiums in the Arabian Gulf, which cover ships navigating high-risk zones, remain steady at 0.05%–0.07% of vessel hull value — unchanged for 18 months. Though freight charges could rise if hostilities deepen, there is no current indication of a shipping refiners are the largest buyers of Gulf crude. 'Extreme actions could provoke responses from Asian military powers. So both Iran and Israel are likely to exercise caution,' said a Tokyo-based feedstock manager. Refiners in South Korea, Japan, and Thailand have echoed similar sentiments, underscoring confidence that the Strait of Hormuz will stay Goldman Sachs, while adjusting its geopolitical risk premium, predicts Brent crude to fall back to the $60s in 2026, assuming no long-term infrastructure damage and a compensatory output from OPEC+.In a potential escalation scenario, Goldman estimates a temporary loss of 1.75 million b/d from Iran if its export infrastructure is damaged — but believes this shortfall could be partially offset by OPEC+ spare capacity. Under such conditions, Brent could peak over $90/b, before normalising as supply recovers.S&P Global concurs that the real inflection point would be a direct disruption to exports. 'Unless exports are impacted, the price upside will fade,' its analysts noted. Joswick reinforced this by citing 2024, when similar flare-ups triggered short-term price movements that quickly reversed once it became clear supply was Pollack, vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute, noted: 'If Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, the US would come in with all guns blazing.' Analysts warn that such a move would not only provoke military responses but would be viewed by Gulf neighbours as a direct economic threat.'There is no doubt the situation in the Arabian Gulf is very tense. We have reports that more shipowners are now exercising extra caution and are opting to stay away from the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf,' said Jakob P Larsen, Chief Safety & Security Officer at BIMCO, the world's largest international shipping association.'There is currently no indication that Iran will seek to disrupt shipping in the Gulf, and no indication at this point that the Houthis will seek to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea. The tripwire will be the perception of the US' involvement. If the US is suddenly perceived to be involved in attacks, the risk of escalation increases significantly,' Larsen told Aletihad.'BIMCO encourages shipowners to follow developments closely and implement ship defence measures according to the industry guidance document,' he added. Meanwhile, broader OPEC+ dynamics are also at play. Eight OPEC+ member states are moving to restore 2.2 million b/d of curtailed output to regain their market share. 'We'll likely see more unwinding of voluntary cuts,' said Harry Tchiliguirian, Head of Research at Onyx Capital Advisory. This will likely have a mitigating impact on oil prices.
