Capabilities · Capital raising
Equity Advisory
We advise Western businesses raising equity from Gulf family offices, private investors and other allocators, from the first view on valuation and structure through to signed documents and completion.
The market
Gulf capital increasingly backs established Western businesses directly, alongside or instead of more familiar sources of funding. Family offices in the region favour companies with a record, a clear use of proceeds and management they can get to know over time.
What we do
Growth equity and minority rounds
Rounds for profitable or near-profitable businesses that want capital to expand without giving up control.
Private placements
Targeted placements with a small number of well-matched investors rather than a broad process.
Pre-IPO and late-stage rounds
Capital ahead of a listing or a larger institutional round, structured with the next stage in mind.
Co-investment alongside existing backers
Bringing Gulf investors in next to a lead investor, sponsor or existing shareholder base.
Valuation, structure and terms
A clear view on valuation, preferences, governance rights and the shareholder you want on the register.
Shareholder and secondary liquidity
Partial liquidity for founders and early shareholders as part of a primary round.
Positioning the business
Gulf investors assess the same fundamentals as any professional investor, but they weigh the people and the long-term fit heavily. We help management present the business honestly and in terms an allocator in Riyadh or Abu Dhabi recognises.
Running the process
We prepare the materials, agree a target list with the board, make the introductions and manage every conversation to a clear timetable, so management time is protected and momentum is kept.
Negotiating terms
Headline valuation is only one part of the outcome. We negotiate structure, consent rights and governance with the same care, because they decide what the deal is worth to the people who built the business.
Considerations
Considerations for management teams
- What the capital is meant to achieve
- Quantum, timing and the runway the round should create
- Dilution tolerance and the existing shareholder position
- Governance and board composition after completion
- The kind of shareholder the business wants for the next stage
Who leads the work
Every mandate is led by a Founding Partner and run by a senior team, supported by our analysts in London, with our Head of GCC Coverage leading investor relationships across the Gulf.
Meet the teamFurther reading
Capital Markets
Borrow or sell a stake: weighing the shape of a raise
Choosing between debt, equity and hybrids such as convertibles, preferred equity or mezzanine, and how Gulf investors, Shariah-led ones included, view each.
Management Teams
What should be ready before the first investor meeting
The teaser, memorandum, model, data room and investor list a management team needs before meeting serious investors, and the questions to expect.
Capital Markets
Structure matters as much as valuation
Headline valuation is the most quoted term in a capital raise and rarely the most consequential one. The structure decides what it is really worth.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Which businesses are suited to a Gulf equity raise?
Established Western businesses with a record, a credible plan and a clear use of proceeds. Gulf family offices rarely back very early ventures, and they favour companies whose management they can get to know.
How long does an equity raise usually take?
It depends on preparation and on the investors involved. A well-prepared raise commonly takes several months from first introductions to completion. We will give an honest view of timing at the start.
Do you guarantee that a raise will complete?
No. No adviser can guarantee investor appetite or an outcome. We tell clients plainly when we think a raise is unlikely to work, or when it would be better to wait.