Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat acquired a stake in Abu Dhabi-based private equity firm BlueFive Capital, according to a press release. No details were disclosed on the size or value of the acquired stake, though a GP stake is typically a 20% minority position.

The investment comes shortly after BlueFive closed an oversubscribed founding round that valued the firm at USD 120 mn, attracting 25 institutional and family office investors, including prominent GCC merchant and royal families, as well as finance leaders from North America, Europe, and Asia.

BlueFive has already started deploying capital, fully acquiring Abu Dhabi-based Wusoom Holding for an undisclosed amount. The transaction comes on the heels of the firm closing its USD 2 bn debut equity vehicle, the BlueFive Reef Private Equity Fund I, and marks the fund’s first public investment.

More in the pipeline: Reef Fund I is targeting large-cap opportunities across the GCC in sectors including healthcare, tech, hospitality, aviation, and industrials. It has already been linked to talks for some USD 500 mn in Chinese real estate assets, including the Four Seasons Beijing, Semafor reported yesterday, citing two sources it said are familiar with the matter. The potential acquisition, which also covers an adjacent mall, gym, and parking facility owned by Chinese tycoon Liu Changle, would reportedly be syndicated to mostly Saudi investors.

BlueFive says it aims to grow into a USD 25 bn platform within five years, with geographic reach across the Gulf, Asia, and Latin America.

What they said: “Welcoming Mumtalakat as one of our anchor shareholders is both a milestone and a strong statement of confidence in our vision and capabilities,” BlueFive Chairman Sheikh Mohamed Isa Al Khalifa said. “This partnership provides stability and credibility as we accelerate our global expansion, firmly rooted in Bahrain’s dynamic financial landscape,” he added.

IN OTHER M&A NEWS-

UAE-based NRTC Food Holding has acquired Egypt’s Al Hashemeya Farms in Wadi El Natrun, one of largest private agri complexes in the region, according to a press release. The 10k-feddan farm is 70% cultivated and yields over 70k tons of crops per year — including citrus, mango, olives, wheat, sugar beet. “This acquisition is a pivotal milestone in our journey to control quality at the source, invest in food system resilience, and deliver fresher, better produce to our customers,” NRTC CEO Mohammed Al Refaee said.

Why it matters: Food security is critical for both countries, and NRTC isn’t alone: Al Dahra is a top investor in Egypt’s agrifoods industry, investing some USD 250 mn already and deploying USD 230 mn more as the UAE builds out a global food security platform.

Looking ahead, NRTC is considering further agricultural investments in Africa, focusing on scalable and climate-resilient farming models.

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