Hong Kong-based real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners is set to expand its investment footprint in the Middle East, targeting opportunities across real estate and industrial sectors in high-growth markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to a report by Reuters.
Christina Gaw, Managing Principal and Global Head of Capital Markets at Gaw Capital, confirmed the firm’s increased focus on the region, citing strong post-pandemic demand for real assets and a favourable macroeconomic outlook.
In a move to establish a local track record, Gaw Capital recently completed the acquisition of a residential asset in Abu Dhabi valued at over $150m. In parallel, the firm has partnered with Expo City Dubai and China’s Lingang Group to explore the development of the Expo Life Science Park in Dubai.
With $34.4bn in assets under management as of year-end 2024, Gaw Capital expects to close at least one additional transaction in the region in H2 2025. A dedicated investment vehicle focused on the Middle East is also in the pipeline, positioned as a precursor to future capital deployment from the firm’s flagship funds.
The expansion comes as the firm continues to raise a $2bn pan-Asia fund targeting private equity and private credit opportunities across the region. The vehicle is drawing capital commitments from institutional LPs across Asia, the Middle East, and North America, amid a broader rebalancing of global allocations.
Beyond the Middle East, Gaw Capital has also been active in Japan, co-investing over $1bn in Tokyo’s Tokyu Plaza Ginza mall alongside a joint venture partner, and acquiring a 45% interest in Agility Asset Advisers, a Japan-based real estate investment manager.
In its home market of Hong Kong, the firm is focused on expanding its private credit platform, particularly in lending linked to upper-middle class residential developments, and is in ongoing discussions with developers and banks offloading non-performing loans.
