It’s been a very busy couple of days for news from the Public Investment Fund, with word it is still looking for a chunk of Starbucks in the Middle East as well as football side Roma — plus news a Chinese VC it is backing is now looking to raise funds to invest in our part of the world.

Here’s the rundown:

A PIECE OF STARBUCKS MENA?

#1- The PIF is still in talks to acquire a minority stake in the regional Starbucks franchise held by Kuwait’s Al Shaya Group, Reuters reported last week, citing sources its says are close to the matter. The PIF has been eyeing a stake since 2022, and Al Shaya is said to be looking to sell up to 30% to generate USD 4-5 bn. US private equity firm Apollo Global Management is also looking to invest. Al Shaya has the rights to the franchise in MENA and central Asia.

A messy December for the coffee chain: Boycott campaigns against Starbucks in the wake of the crisis in Gaza severely impacted the sales of its Middle East business. Starbuks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said the company saw a “significant impact on traffic and sales” in the region due to the crisis.

USD 1 BN MIDEAST VC FUND

#2- PIF-backed Chinese venture capital firm MSACapital is in talks with regional investors to set up a USD 1 bn fund that would invest in tech startups in the Middle East, Managing Partner Ben Harburg told Bloomberg last week.

That would make MSA the largest VC outfit in the region focused on Mideast startups, placing Saudi Technology Ventures (STV) in second place. MSA Capital, which manages USD 2.5 bn in assets, is backed by PIF unit Jada Fund of Funds. Jada, along with Saudi Venture Capital Investment, is involved in at least one of three funds by the Chinese VC firm that have collectively raised USD 555 mn, Harburg said.

MSA is no stranger: The Chinese venture capital firm was an early investor in Riyadh-based BNPL firm Tabby, which landed unicorn status last year after its series D round valued it at over USD 1.5 bn.

Speaking of China and VCs: A congressional investigation in the United States claims that five VC firms have invested bn’s of USD in Chinese companies that have bolstered China’s military and surveillance capabilities. Go deeper here in the WSJ or check out the report for yourself (pdf).

TAKING OVER ROMA?

#3- The PIF is reportedly in talks with Roma’s US owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, for the takeover of the Serie A side in a transaction worth USD 970 mn, Goal reported yesterday, citing a report by Italian daily La Repubblica. The fund could also pour an additional USD 325 mn into building a new stadium in Rome.

The PIF ❤️ football: A consortium led by the PIF completed in October 2021 its takeover of English Premier League side Newcastle in a USD 408 transaction. Serie A clubs have since been on the PIF’s radar, with the Kingdom hosting multiple Italian football clubs events. Three of the earlier five Italian Super Cup Finals were held in the Kingdom, with the latest tournament last month seeing Inter Milan winning the cup after beating Napoli 1-0. The Lega Serie A also plans to open a new office in Riyadh after opening its first HQ in the region in Abu Dhabi.

FULL LUCID PRODUCTION SOON

#4- PIF-backed Lucid could soon move to full production of EVs in Jeddah plant, Marketing Director for Middle East Firas Kandalaft told Al Eqtisadiah last week. The first phase of production at Lucid’s second Advanced Manufacturing Plant (AMP-2) in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Economic City was limited to the assembly or manufacturing of some EV parts, he said. The AMP-2 is Lucid’s first plant overseas.

In context: Lucid’s AMP-2 has been carrying out semi knocked-down (SKD) assembly with a capacity of 5k vehicles per annum, re-assembling Lucid Air vehicle kits manufactured in Arizona’s AMP-1 plant, according to the company. The shift to completely built-up (CBU) production at its plant in Jeddah will help it boost production capacity to 155k vehicles per year.

Keep an eye on the rollout of Lucid Gravity here: Lucid plans to unroll its new fully electric SUV, the Lucid Gravity, in the Kingdom soon, Kandalaft said. His statements come a few weeks after Lucid said it has expanded its advanced manufacturing plant in Arizona as it gears up to roll out the Lucid Gravity. Lucid is 60% owned by the PIF.

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