Abu Dhabi investors seem to be ramping up acquisitions in the UK following a period of frostiness between Abu Dhabi and London, particularly following the previous UK administration’s contestation of Abu Dhabi-backed RedBird IMI’s Telegraph takeover. Recent months have seen the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority divest several UK assets, including its stake in Thames Water, and a stake in shopping center Liverpool ONE.

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala has agreed to acquire a minority USD 600 mn stake in UK private school operator Nord Anglia Education, according to a statement. The move sees Mubadala join a consortium led by Swedish PE firm EQT that also includes Dubai Holding, in their USD 14.5 bn buyout of the British firm.

Nord Anglia’s no stranger to Emirati sovereign suitors: The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) expressed interest in acquiring a stake in the international school operator in May of last year..

About Nord Anglia: The school operator owns and manages over 80 schools across 33 countries — four of which are located in the UAE, including the British International School Abu Dhabi, and Swiss International Scientific School Dubai, according to its website.

ALSO- Taqa Transmission is expanding its global transmission portfolio with the full acquisition of UK-based Transmission Investment (TI), one of the country’s largest developers and operators of offshore electricity transmission (OFTO) assets, according to a joint statement (pdf). There’s no publicly available information about the size or structure of the transaction. The acquisition comes shortly after Taqa rebranded its transmission business, and marks its first international acquisition and expansion into Europe.

The pitch: The agreement gives Taqa immediate access to a GBP 3 bn portfolio spanning 11 operational OFTO projects, and allows the company to tap into the UK’s fast-growing offshore wind and interconnector sectors. The transaction also gives Taqa a stake in the development of new interconnectors that link the UK with France and Northern Ireland.

No changes to management: TI’s founder and managing director, Chris Veal, will continue to lead TI, the statement reads.

REMEMBER- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been working to improve ties with Gulf countries, including the UAE, visiting Abu Dhabi last December to discuss potential investments with officials from Mubadala as he looks to secure funding for a range of projects.

IN OTHER MUBADALA NEWS-

Mubadala Capital-backed Brazilian ethanol and sugar producer Atvos is reportedly eyeing three sugar mills owned by Raízen in Brazil’s Mato Grosso do Sul state, Asharq Business reports, citing sources it says are in the know. Raízen — a joint venture between Shell and Cosan — has hired Itaú Bank to run the sale. The potential divestment comes as Raízen undergoes a sweeping portfolio review under CEO Nelson Gomes, who paused new factory investments late last year to cut debt, Asharq said, adding that Raízen shares have dropped nearly 40% over the past 12 months.

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