Bahrain company Investcorp continues to expand its global portfolio. Photo: Investcorp
Bahrain company Investcorp continues to expand its global portfolio. Photo: Investcorp
Bahrain company Investcorp continues to expand its global portfolio. Photo: Investcorp
Bahrain company Investcorp continues to expand its global portfolio. Photo: Investcorp

Bahrain's Investcorp agrees to buy Marble Point Credit to expand its portfolio


Fareed Rahman
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Investcorp, an alternative asset manager with Mubadala Investment Company as its biggest shareholder, has agreed to buy US-based Marble Point Credit Management as the company continues to expand its global portfolio.

Marble Point, owned by US credit investor Eagle Point Credit Management, is a specialist asset manager focused exclusively on managing CLOs (collateralised loan obligation) and portfolios of broadly syndicated leveraged loans. It manages assets worth $7.8 billion.

Investcorp did not disclose financial details of the transaction, however the Financial Times reported the Bahrain-based asset manager is buying Marble Point for about $200 million.

CLOs are corporate loans taken out by private equity firms to conduct leveraged buy-outs.

“The proposed acquisition of Marble Point is a significant milestone in Investcorp’s 40-year journey of growth through diversification, geographic expansion and building scale,” said Mohammed Alardhi, executive chairman of Investcorp.

“With $50 billion in total firm assets under management after completion of this acquisition, Investcorp is well poised for the next phase of its evolution and development.”

Last month, the company led an investment totalling 5.4 billion Indian rupees ($67 million) in Global Dental Services, Asia’s largest dental chain and one of the top 15 dental services organisations in the world.

It also bought a majority stake in fresh produce distributor Sunrise Produce in the US to expand its presence in the world’s largest economy.

Marble Point's “acquisition reaffirms our commitment to continue to grow and expand Investcorp’s credit management platform and be a leading global provider of an array of credit-focused products and solutions to our clients”, said Rishi Kapoor, co-chief executive of Investcorp.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory requirements and closing conditions, Investcorp said, without providing financial details of the deal.

Once the deal is closed, Marble Point will be combined with Investcorp Credit Management, a global credit platform with $14.2 billion in assets under management and an 18-year history of investing in credit markets worldwide.

The combined platform will manage $22 billion in assets and rank among the top 15 CLO managers globally by assets under management, according to the company.

“Our combined platforms represent a formidable player in the credit markets, significantly enhancing our profile in the eyes of capital markets participants,” said Corey Geis, who will serve as director of capital markets, head trader and portfolio manager at Investcorp.

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What are the awards? They honour anyone who has made a contribution to life in Abu Dhabi.

Are they open to only Emiratis? The awards are open to anyone, regardless of age or nationality, living anywhere in the world.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

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Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

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Fireball

Moscow claimed it hit the largest military fuel storage facility in Ukraine, triggering a huge fireball at the site.

A plume of black smoke rose from a fuel storage facility in the village of Kalynivka outside Kyiv on Friday after Russia said it had destroyed the military site with Kalibr cruise missiles.

"On the evening of March 24, Kalibr high-precision sea-based cruise missiles attacked a fuel base in the village of Kalynivka near Kyiv," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.

Ukraine confirmed the strike, saying the village some 40 kilometres south-west of Kyiv was targeted.

Updated: December 04, 2022, 4:50 AM