Latest news with #Zawya
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
VIDEO: UAE and Saudi Arabia cement Gulf's dominance in Global ESG sukuk market in H1
Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the primary drivers of this growth. Watch the zawya video here:
Zawya
10 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
VIDEO: MENA private equity deals fall 38% in H1 as risk aversion weighs
Transactions fell 38% year-on-year to 29 in the first half of 2025, the third such consecutive half-year fall. Watch the Zawya video here:
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ghana Plans Crypto Firm Licensing in Response to Growing Demand: Bloomberg
Ghana is set to begin licensing cryptocurrency platforms in response to a surge in demand for digital assets in the West African country, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. The country's central bank is finalizing a regulatory approval to submit to parliament by September, according to the report, citing an interview with Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Asiama. The hope is that regulating the crypto sector will help the Ghana capture revenue and better control its fiat currency. The cedi has grown over 40% against the U.S. dollar in 2025, helping it recover from a loss of nearly 20% last year. This volatility has made it difficult for the central bank to manage inflation. The use of cryptocurrency can exacerbate this problem as many agents are making and receiving crypto payments which are not being captured in the country's financial accounts, Asiama added. Around 17.3% of Ghanian adults own cryptocurrency, equivalent to just over 3 million people, according to a June 2024 report by Middle East-based business news firm Zawya. Crypto transactions in Ghana in the 12 months to June 2024 totaled $3 billion out of a total $125 billion for the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, said Del Titus Bawuah, chief executive officer at Web3 Africa Group, according to Bloomberg's report.
Arabian Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Nuveen Poised for Twofold Growth in Middle East Assets
Nuveen, the $1.3 trillion global asset manager under the Teachers' Retirement System of America, forecasts its assets under management in the Middle East to double within three years. Since establishing its first regional office in Abu Dhabi's Global Market in September 2024, Nuveen has already grown its Middle Eastern portfolio to between $3 and $5 billion. Fadi Khoury, head of Middle East operations, identifies alternative credit as the firm's key growth pillar. Khoury told Zawya that Nuveen is enhancing its capabilities across private credit, energy infrastructure credit, and real estate debt, deliberately avoiding concentration in a single asset class. He emphasised that the firm has onboarded three regional institutional investors to its collateralised loan obligation strategies, signalling increasing sophistication among Gulf investors. Nuveen's energy infrastructure credit strategy has historically focused on US-based renewable projects, with emerging exposure in Europe. Khoury explained that the firm's Middle East infrastructure capabilities are nascent—not due to lack of opportunity, but pending team and platform expansion. Globally, about 70% of Nuveen's energy infrastructure credit is allocated to renewables and digital infrastructure tied to AI, electrification, and digital transformation. ADVERTISEMENT Opening an office in Abu Dhabi positioned Nuveen to tap into approximately $2 trillion in regional institutional capital—sovereign wealth funds, pension schemes, family offices and local institutions—which are steadily increasing private market allocations. Khoury, who has spent 18 years in the region, observed a notable shift over the past decade: institutional investors are diversifying from private equity into alternative credit, marking a significant strategic pivot. Nuveen has emphasised local partnerships, notably forming an alliance with a Gulf sovereign wealth fund to deploy alternative credit. The firm plans to replicate that model with other regional institutional investors, drawing on its unique dual role as both an asset manager and asset owner—leveraging TIAA's $350 billion general account to align closely with client interests. Globally, Nuveen's diversified investment platform spans public markets, private capital, real assets, infrastructure, and sustainable strategies—anchored in over 125 years of investment expertise. The expansion in the Middle East aligns with its broader strategy of global footprint growth, following the appointment of Khoury and two other senior executives in the region. Nuveen's entry into Abu Dhabi also mirrors a wider trend among global financial firms to embed in Gulf financial centres, attracted by deep sovereign wealth pools, regulatory appeal, and tax incentives. Nuveen was the second US asset manager with more than $1 trillion in AUM to launch a presence in ADGM in 2024—joining the likes of PGIM. Khoury highlighted significant momentum in the collateralised loan obligation sector, which has evolved from niche to mainstream among Middle Eastern investors. While specific figures remain confidential, he emphasised that regional investors are embracing greater investment sophistication. The firm's strategy in alternative credit encompasses three core strands. Private credit—especially direct lending to middle-market firms—forms the backbone. Energy infrastructure credit is the second pillar, intended to support the Middle East's energy transition and digital infrastructure build-out. The third, real estate debt and asset‑backed lending, remains a smaller but strategically important component. Nuveen's global energy infrastructure credit team, led by Don Dimitrievich and supported by 70 specialists, manages a portfolio with approximately $34 billion in infrastructure credit and equity, targeting a low‑carbon transition. Experience from Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific is expected to be leveraged as Nuveen deepens its regional presence. Local market demand for private capital is being driven by Gulf investors' growing emphasis on yield, diversification, and ESG alignment. Nuveen's integration of ESG factors and UN Sustainable Development Goals into its infrastructure strategies aligns comfortably with regional mandates around energy transition and digital transformation.
Zawya
23-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
VIDEO: Why renewable energy investment continues to rise despite US trade barriers
In this video, Zawya's Farah Heiba dives deep into the financial world of clean energy, unpacking the challenges banks face when it comes to green investments.
