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Hillhouse Investment Management has set up a new office in Abu Dhabi's financial centre, continuing its expansion despite ongoing conflict in the region. The move comes as businesses face disruptions due to geopolitical tensions following coordinated strikes on Iran and retaliatory actions across Gulf countries. The United Arab Emirates continues to attract global firms due to its tax-friendly policies and business environment. Abu Dhabi Global Market has seen strong growth in assets under management and active licences. Hillhouse, with over USD 100 billion in assets, is also expanding its presence across private equity, real estate and private credit.
Hillhouse Investment Management has announced the opening of a new office in Abu Dhabi's financial centre, becoming one of the first firms to move ahead with expansion plans in the region despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Advertisement
The development comes at a time when conflict in the region has disrupted business activity and travel. The situation escalated after coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran in late February, followed by retaliatory actions by Tehran across several Gulf countries. This led to temporary office closures by multiple companies operating in the region.
Despite these challenges, the United Arab Emirates continues to attract global investors and businesses. The country's tax-free environment, stable regulatory framework and ease of doing business have strengthened its position as a preferred destination for international firms and high-net-worth individuals. In recent years, cities like Abu Dhabi and Dubai have seen steady inflows of capital across sectors, including real estate and financial services.
Hillhouse, which manages assets worth over USD 100 billion, has built its reputation through hedge fund and private equity investments. The firm has gradually expanded into real estate and private credit, aligning with global trends of diversified asset allocation. It is also known for early investments in major Chinese technology companies such as Tencent Holdings, JD.com and Baidu.
In the UAE, Hillhouse has already established a presence through investments in corporate service providers Virtuzone and Clara via its Ascentium platform. The firm has also deployed capital in the education-linked real estate segment, indicating its growing interest in income-generating assets in the region.
Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its position as a financial hub, supported by its vast oil wealth and efforts to diversify the economy beyond hydrocarbons. The emirate holds nearly 90 per cent of the UAE's oil reserves and has been actively channeling investments through sovereign wealth funds into global markets and domestic growth sectors.
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has reported strong growth, with assets under management rising by 36 per cent over the past year. The number of active licences at the financial centre also increased by 30 per cent, reaching 12,671 by the end of last year, reflecting rising investor interest and business activity in the hub.
Other global firms are also expanding their footprint in the region. Investment firm Muzinich & Co recently opened an office in ADGM, indicating continued confidence in Abu Dhabi as a financial destination despite ongoing geopolitical risks.
Hillhouse has not provided an update on its plans to raise USD 7 billion for a private equity fund focused on Asia, which it had initiated late last year.
Source Reuters
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