EGYPTIAN IPO

Egypt is moving forward with plans to divest from at least 10 state companies by the middle of this year. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly convened a meeting on Sunday to review the progress on IPOs planned for military-affiliated Safi and Wataniya, Daily News Egypt reports. The government also plans to offer stakes in the Gabal Al-Zeit wind power station, Alamal Alsharif Plastics, Egyptian Group for Pharmaceutical Industries, and Chemical Industries Development. Following United Bank’s initial share sale in December, the government is working on IPO plans for Alexbank and Banque du Caire, the newspaper said.

STARTUP FINANCE

Wa’ed Ventures, Aramco’s venture capital unit, is teaming up with Japan’s Sumitomo conglomerate, to fund a Saudi consumer electronics startup. The two companies joined Dubai-based Global Ventures in a $30 million financing round for Zension Technologies, which provides warranties, buy-back services and upgrades for mobile phones, Bloomberg reports. Middle East startups raised $1.5 billion last year, a 29% decline compared to the previous year, according to a report from private capital data firm Magnitt. Saudi Arabia attracted almost half of the region’s VC investing in 2024.

Alpha Dhabi Holding: Plenty Unlimited, a U.S. vertical farming startup backed by Jeff Bezos that agreed to team up with Abu Dhabi-owned Alpha Dhabi Holding to build a $136 million facility to grow strawberries indoors, is in talks for a new funding round that could replace its existing stockholders, Bloomberg reports.

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority: ADIA is leading the charge to expanding state-owned investors’ influence in private equity and credit markets, with notable investments in Corient, Fisher Investments, and Hargreaves Lansdown, Global SWF said in a report.

Public Investment Fund: The Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, a PIF company, said it signed a preliminary agreement with Hassana Investment Co. to issue residential mortgage-backed securities as part of an effort to “enhance liquidity” in the property finance sector and attract local and global investors.

💰 Digital Payments: Dubai’s Mashreq Bank completed the sale of a majority stake in digital payments firm Neopay to Turkey’s DgPays and Bahrain-based investment firm Arcapita.

🛩️  Solo Flights: Qatar Airways said revenue at its private-jet subsidiary rose 26% last year, citing strong demand from businesses and wealthy families for the flexibility afforded by having one’s own aircraft.

🚢 Djibouti Port: Morocco’s top port operator Marsa Maroc will invest an undisclosed sum in Damerjog Oil FZE, which is planning to build an oil and gas port on Djibouti’s Gulf of Aden coast, Reuters reports, citing a Moroccan government decree.

💸 Investment Arm: Saudi Arabia’s Thimar Development Holding Co. launched a $27 million private investment fund to acquire a 70% stake in Jiyad Al-Ezz, which  invests in Mecca’s livestock market and Al-Mu’aisem slaughterhouse.

🎲 Managing Risk: Jones, an Israeli startup that provides an insurance risk management system for the real estate and construction industries, raised $15 million in a Series B funding round led by NewSpring Capital.

⚽  Time Out: Saudi Arabia’s success in winning the rights to host the 2034 World Cup is adding pressure to meet construction deadlines on a range of megaprojects across the kingdom, which includes a high-altitude soccer stadium in the trillion-dollar Neom development, the Financial Times reports.

🚆 Rail Funds: Iraq secured funding from Qatar and the UAE for its $17 billion “Development Road” rail project, aiming to avoid problems that halted previous initiatives, though the exact partnership details remain unspecified.

🏦 Breaching Barriers: Blackstone, Apollo Global and KKR are among the private equity firms preparing to lobby the incoming Trump administration to eliminate regulatory barriers to broad pools of capital, including retirement savings, in a move that could unlock trillions for the industry, the Financial Times reports.

💵 Keeping Nimble: Bridgewater Associates, the world’s biggest hedge fund, dismissed 7% of its workforce on Monday, in a move described as “keeping the organization nimble,”Bloomberg reports.

👣 Regulatory Hub: The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development has launched the Abu Dhabi Registration and Licensing Authority to regulate businesses, streamline licensing, ensure compliance, and consolidate economic data across the emirate.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received Asaad al-Shibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Syrian Transitional Government, on Monday. Sheikh Abdullah also hosted Dr. Abdullah Khaleel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives.

Badr Abdelattym, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, met with Mohammed Al Yousef, Oman’s Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, during his visit to Oman on Monday.

Ashish Khanna was appointed CEO of Adani Green Energy, succeeding Amit Singh, who will move to another leadership role within the Adani Group, the company owned by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani that has extensive activities in the Gulf.

Jan. 7-9, Dubai. Arab Plast International Road Show. A trade show for the plastics, petrochemicals and recycling industries. Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center.

Jan. 7-9, Dubai. Dubai International Pharmaceuticals and Technologies Conference and Exhibition. The event brings people from the pharma chain to network, share knowledge and deal make. Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center.

Jan. 7-10, Las Vegas, Nev. Consumer Electronics Show. One of the world’s biggest stages for the consumer electronics consumer and the entire tech industry. Las Vegas Convention Center.

Jan. 9-13, Abu Dhabi. International Renewable Energy Youth Forum.Held on the sidelines of IRENA’s Energy Forum. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

Jan. 11-13, Abu Dhabi. International Renewable Energy Forum. The U.N.’s IRENA agency’s Assembly meets to make policy decisions and discuss advancing energy transition efforts. St Regis Saadiyat.

Jan. 11-13, Dubai. The 1 Billion Followers Summit. An event that covers the world’s top creators and entertainers. Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

Jan. 13-18, Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The conference brings together changemakers to discuss the key challenges in today’s world. ADNEC.

Jan. 16-19, Dubai. Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Golf Tournament bringing in world class athletes. Emirates Golf Club.  

Jan. 20-24, Davos, Switzerland. World Economic Forum. The annual WEF meeting brings world leaders, business leaders and thought leaders together under one roof to discuss the world’s challenges. Davos-Klosters.  

Jan. 27-30, Dubai. Arab Health. Premier healthcare event where attendees network with global leaders, discuss ground-breaking innovations and seek to shape the future of healthcare. Dubai World Trade Center. 

Jan. 27-28, Riyadh. Private markets in Saudi Arabia and GCC.  Exploring fundraising strategies, value creation and opportunities across private equity, credit and venture capital within Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. The Fairmont Hotel.

Jan. 27-30, Miami, Fla. iConnection Miami Alts. Networking event for fund managers and finance industry professions. Miami Beach Convention Center.

Feb. 3-6, Dubai. Medlab Middle East 2025. The show attracts exhibitors whether global giants or emerging startups to discuss digital health solutions. Dubai World Trade Centre.

Feb. 9-12, Riyadh. Leap 2025. Riyadh’s tech event that brings in tech innovators and leading experts from around the world to discover new ideas, build new partnerships, and connect with inspiring mentors and investors. Riyadh Front Expo Centre.

Feb. 11-13, Dubai. World Government Summit 2025. Annual event brings in world leaders and business leaders from the region and outside to discuss the most pressing matters. Madinat Jumeirah.

Feb. 14-16, Munich Security Forum. Known as one of the world’s leading forums for debating international security policy. Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

Feb. 17-21, Dubai. Gulf Food. In its 30th edition, the exhibition brings in many more companies to show their work on food and the industry’s use of technology. Dubai World Trade Center.

Feb. 22-23, Miami, Fla.. FII Priority. Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative connects U.S. and Middle Eastern investors. Faena Hotel & Forum, Miami Beach.