Blue Owl Capital is opening a new office in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing its presence in the Gulf region as global private credit managers continue to deepen ties with sovereign wealth capital despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The new hub will function as Blue Owl’s regional headquarters and house teams focused on institutional capital and general partner stakes, according to the firm. The move reflects the continued strategic importance of the United Arab Emirates—particularly Abu Dhabi—as a centre for alternative asset managers seeking long-term partnerships with sovereign investors.
The expansion comes as several Wall Street and private capital firms, including Bain Capital and Barings, have also scaled up their presence in Abu Dhabi’s financial free zone, ADGM, even amid heightened regional geopolitical risk following conflict-related tensions in the Middle East.
Despite recent security concerns in the Gulf, global financial firms have largely maintained their regional strategies, supported by continued deployment of capital from sovereign wealth funds. Institutions such as Mubadala Investment Company have remained active investors in private markets, including private credit and alternative asset platforms.
Blue Owl has established a growing relationship with Abu Dhabi-based investors in recent years, including a strategic partnership with Lunate and a $1bn commitment from Mubadala to its credit platform. The firm described the new office as an evolution of its existing regional strategy rather than a new market entry.
The development also comes amid a period of volatility for the private credit sector, with listed managers such as Blue Owl facing share price pressure this year as investors reassess valuations and credit risk in a rapidly expanding $1.8tn global market.
Regional leaders, including senior executives at Mubadala, have continued to express confidence in private credit’s long-term durability, characterising recent performance challenges as cyclical rather than structural.
