KKR & Co has opened an office in Abu Dhabi’s financial centre (ADGM), strengthening its presence in the Middle East. The office will be led by Julian Barratt-Due, a managing director overseeing KKR’s regional investment business, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The launch complements KKR’s existing offices in Dubai and Riyadh and comes amid the firm’s increasing activity in the Gulf, including stakes in data centres and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co’s gas pipeline network. KKR appointed former US General David Petraeus as chairman of its Middle East franchise earlier this year to lead local deal-making efforts.
KKR joins other global private equity firms, such as Brookfield, CVC and General Atlantic, in targeting opportunities with cash-rich sovereign wealth funds across sectors like infrastructure, education, and payments. The firm has been active in the region since 2009, notably partnering with BlackRock in 2019 to invest in Adnoc’s oil pipeline network.
