EXA Capital, a well-known private equity firm in Dubai, is expanding its global presence with a long-term plan to enter Europe.
This fast-growing private equity company has been recognised for its expertise in delivering best-in-class returns and a hands-on operational investment model. By increasing its footprint in the European market, EXA is reshaping the rules for success in emerging and established markets internationally.
EXA has implemented practical technique integration with detailed and customised operational engagement to transform poorly performing companies into successful and competitive companies. The company's European strategy is not limited to a single geography. Simultaneously, Germany acts as EXA’s entrance point, a new door for a long-term plan across European emerging markets.
With a vibrant portfolio exceeding $500 million, EXA private equity has evolved its prominence in the GCC by handling intricate industrial turnarounds, developing undervalued assets, and partnering with high-potential founders in sectors ranging from manufacturing and logistics to tech-enabled platforms and energy services.
"Our European expansion is not just about deploying capital - it’s about involving our operational expertise to unlock value where others see risk," said Tim Latif, chief executive and founding partner of EXA Capital. "Our main goals are situations where change is necessary and needed.
PE meets VC: A hybrid and multifunctional investment model
Although EXA Capitals is mainly rooted in traditional private equity, it is not limited to that. The company's track record also reinforces potential startups and scale-ups, particularly in logistics, SaaS, e-commerce, and platform plays.
EXA guarantees that capital allocation is supported by hands-on strategic implementation through detailed and carefully planned operational involvement.
EXA private equity European expansion is mainly concentrated on:
- Industrial businesses requiring transition or restructuring underperformed businesses.
- Provide functional involvement and an operational plan for undervalued companies.
- Bridging GCC and EU economies and markets via capital, trade, and operational partnerships.
Operational involvement at the core
What sets EXA apart is its willingness to go beyond capital allocation. The company takes on active operational roles - helping build management teams, restructuring supply chains, or digitising core processes. EXA has invested in several GCC investments to guide companies through macroeconomic shocks, post-acquisition integration and market repositioning.
"We are not passive investors," said Tim Latif. "We act like co-founders or turnaround CEOs when needed - especially in complex or distressed environments. That’s where we create real value."
Europe: A strategic next chapter in the international market
EXA Capital’s move into Europe is not brief but strategic and long-term, with a detailed vision for the future. Along with foundational work in Germany, the company prepares long-term value in operationally intensive investments across industrial, manufacturing and niche service sectors.
EXA's private equity core values for its European expansion are:
- Performance-oriented: Delivering the best quality returns by focusing on missed chances.
- Value creation: Passive capital is not poorly used, but active and in-depth functional involvement is needed.
- Dual engine method: EXA's principal value is growth investments in venture capital and turnaround deals in private equity.
- Measured European expansion: Providing grounds for a long-term involvement and development in the European Market.
EXA has engaged with family-owned businesses, institutional investors and experienced consultants across Europe, pursuing opportunities and situations where its operational expertise can make a change.
EXA’s initial European activities concentrated on the German-speaking region, where many traditional industrial businesses underwent foundational shifts. However, the firm’s ambitions expand beyond Germany. "We’re playing a long game," Latif emphasised. "Europe presents a rich landscape of companies with strong fundamentals but operational problems. That’s where we come in."
Strengthening GCC-Europe market synergies
EXA's private equity cross-border procedure aligns with its vision of preparing businesses, facilitating market expansion and reshaping underperforming industries.
EXA Capital’s European expansion is crucial for economic relations between the GCC and Europe. By implementing its experience in emerging markets, EXA is determined to provide strategic investment channels to link European companies with GCC capital and operational expertise.
Looking ahead and future vision for EXA
EXA Capital is discussing with family-owned businesses, advisors and institutional investors across Europe. It plans to open a local presence in 2025 to support deal origination, operational integration and partnership building. The company's expansion represents opportunities for new ventures and collaborations in the global economy.
EXA Capital provides entrepreneurs and companies looking to scale with access to capital, strategic guidance, and long-term growth. The company's devotion to profound operational involvement ensures its portfolio companies are well-positioned to achieve sustainable success.
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
