Abu Dhabi Investment Council
Encyclopedia
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council (The Council) is an investment arm of the Government of Abu Dhabi
. It started operations in April 2007 and is responsible for investing part of the government’s surplus financial resources through a globally diversified investment
strategy, targeting positive capital returns through an expansive portfolio of highly diversified asset classes and active investment management strategies. The Council is also empowered with a direct investment mandate to broaden Abu Dhabi’s economic base and facilitate the international development of local companies.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council was splintered off from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
(ADIA) and took over all local subsidiaries previously owned by ADIA including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
, National Bank of Abu Dhabi
and Abu Dhabi Investment Company (Invest AD).
while preserving capital. Although the Council invests globally, there is a strong focus of investing in Abu Dhabi's economy. Some of its significant investments include:
securities reflecting the broad nature of investment opportunities the Council is exposed to. In this respect, investments are considered for their intrinsic characteristics rather than within a portfolio context. In addition, it is also responsible for monitoring and optimizing the value of the Council's legacy portfolio consisting of 12 investments in local financial institutions and other prominent companies.
Department manages listed portfolios concentrated in the following areas:
Investments Department is responsible for building a portfolio of global infrastructure investments as well as contributing to the growth of the local economy through participation in local developments. Its investments target large-scale public systems that are vital to countries’ economies including transportation, communication, utilities & power and social infrastructures (i.e. schools and hospitals). Exposure to these investments is gained mainly through externally managed funds, but also includes the possibility of co-investments in suitable infrastructure projects.
Department invests in global markets through externally managed funds as well as targeted direct investments by building relationships with managers, deploying stringent selection criteria, and executing a broad diversification strategy with respect to geography, size, timing and investment philosophy.
Department places funds in global private equity markets.
HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Chairman
HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Member
HH Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Member
HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
- Member
HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Member
HE Mohammed Bin Habroush Al Suwaidi - Member
HE Khalifa Mohammed Al Kindi - Managing Director
HE Younis Haji Khoori - Member
David Beau - Chief Investments Officer
Hashem F Al Kudsi - Executive Director, Active Investment Strategy
Khalifa Sultan Ahmad Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Direct Investments
HE Eissa Mohammed Ghanem Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Equity and Fixed Income
HE Ahmad Ateeq Mohammed Al Mazrouei - Executive Director, Infrastructure
Khaled Balama - Executive Director, Real Estate
Salem Mohammed Al Ameri - Executive Director, Private Equity
Hamad Al Hur Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Corporate Services
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
. It started operations in April 2007 and is responsible for investing part of the government’s surplus financial resources through a globally diversified investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
strategy, targeting positive capital returns through an expansive portfolio of highly diversified asset classes and active investment management strategies. The Council is also empowered with a direct investment mandate to broaden Abu Dhabi’s economic base and facilitate the international development of local companies.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council was splintered off from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority is a sovereign wealth fund owned by Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates founded for the purpose of investing funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi....
(ADIA) and took over all local subsidiaries previously owned by ADIA including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank , commonly called ADCB, is a bank in the United Arab Emirates.Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank was formed in 1985 as a public shareholding company with limited liability, upon merger of Emirates Commercial Bank and Federal Commercial Bank with Khaleej Commercial Bank, which was...
, National Bank of Abu Dhabi
National Bank of Abu Dhabi
-Sponsorships:NBAD Sponsored as the Official Bank of the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, one of the most anticipated events in the international sporting calendar....
and Abu Dhabi Investment Company (Invest AD).
Investment Strategy
The investment strategy of the Council seeks to achieve superior risk-adjusted returns across the entire capital structureCapital structure
In finance, capital structure refers to the way a corporation finances its assets through some combination of equity, debt, or hybrid securities. A firm's capital structure is then the composition or 'structure' of its liabilities. For example, a firm that sells $20 billion in equity and $80...
while preserving capital. Although the Council invests globally, there is a strong focus of investing in Abu Dhabi's economy. Some of its significant investments include:
- National Bank of Abu Dhabi (70.48%)
- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (64.84%)
- Union National Bank (50.01%)
- Al Hilal BankAl Hilal BankAl Hilal Bank is a 100% government-owned Islamic bank in the United Arab Emirates based in Abu Dhabi. It currently provides Islamic Personal, Corporate, Treasury, Investment, and Wholesale banking services to almost 40,000 customers . Al Hilal Bank operates 19 branches and over 100 ATMs across...
(100.00%) - Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (23.80%)
- Abu Dhabi Aviation Company (30.00%)
- Abu Dhabi Investment Company (Invest AD) (98.00%)
- Abu Dhabi National Chemicals Company (40.00%)
- Chrysler BuildingChrysler BuildingThe Chrysler Building is an Art Deco style skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan in the Turtle Bay area at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at , it was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State...
(90.00%)
Office of the Managing Director
The Managing Director is the highest ranking officer within the Council. He reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the operations of the Council.Active Investment Strategies
The Active Investment Strategies Department aims to generate superior risk adjusted returns by investing in Hedge Funds and similar active trading mandates across different strategies, globally. The department co-invests in individual transactions by partnering with Hedge Funds and takes GP stakes in Hedge Funds and/or Seed Hedge Funds. Some of the global mainstream strategies include:- Relative Value Strategies
- Hedged Equity Strategies
- Macro Strategies
- Event Driven Strategies
- Systematic CTA
Direct Investments
The Direct Investments Department invests directly in listed and unlisted companies across the globe, with a particular emphasis on the MENA Region. It is focused on creating a concentrated portfolio of highly uncorrelatedUncorrelated
In probability theory and statistics, two real-valued random variables are said to be uncorrelated if their covariance is zero. Uncorrelatedness is by definition pairwise; i.e...
securities reflecting the broad nature of investment opportunities the Council is exposed to. In this respect, investments are considered for their intrinsic characteristics rather than within a portfolio context. In addition, it is also responsible for monitoring and optimizing the value of the Council's legacy portfolio consisting of 12 investments in local financial institutions and other prominent companies.
Equities and Fixed Income
The Equities and Fixed IncomeFixed income
Fixed income refers to any type of investment that is not equity, which obligates the borrower/issuer to make payments on a fixed schedule, even if the number of the payments may be variable....
Department manages listed portfolios concentrated in the following areas:
- Equities that include Global and Regional Large Cap Equities, Emerging Market Equities and Small Cap Equities
- Fixed Income that includes Sovereign, Global Inflation Linked, Credit and Emerging Debt Securities
Global Special Situations
The Special Situations Unit invests in one-off opportunities that may not fit in any of the Council’s asset classifications yet generate a higher return than other asset classes. These investments are placed both directly and through managed funds.Infrastructure Investments
The InfrastructureInfrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
Investments Department is responsible for building a portfolio of global infrastructure investments as well as contributing to the growth of the local economy through participation in local developments. Its investments target large-scale public systems that are vital to countries’ economies including transportation, communication, utilities & power and social infrastructures (i.e. schools and hospitals). Exposure to these investments is gained mainly through externally managed funds, but also includes the possibility of co-investments in suitable infrastructure projects.
Real Estate
The Real EstateReal estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
Department invests in global markets through externally managed funds as well as targeted direct investments by building relationships with managers, deploying stringent selection criteria, and executing a broad diversification strategy with respect to geography, size, timing and investment philosophy.
Private Equity
The Private EquityPrivate equity
Private equity, in finance, is an asset class consisting of equity securities in operating companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange....
Department places funds in global private equity markets.
Support Functions
Various functions support the investment and non-investment activities of the Council. They include:- Accounting & Financial Services providing cash management, investment accounting and reporting, and custodial services
- Human Resources providing recruitment, talent management, and career development services
- Information Technology providing platform, systems, solutions, and data services
- General Services providing logistics and facilities support services
- Management Accounts providing payroll, accounts payables, and expense management services
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is the highest authority within the Council and is composed of a Chairman, Managing Director and other board members, all of whom are senior government officials appointed by Decree from the Ruler of Abu Dhabi.HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Chairman
HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Member
HH Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces .-Political and business career:...
- Member
HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan is a United Arab Emirati politician and member of ruling family of Abu Dhabi . He is the half brother of the current President of UAE, Emir of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan...
- Member
HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Member
HE Mohammed Bin Habroush Al Suwaidi - Member
HE Khalifa Mohammed Al Kindi - Managing Director
HE Younis Haji Khoori - Member
Management
Omar Liaqat - Chief Operating OfficerDavid Beau - Chief Investments Officer
Hashem F Al Kudsi - Executive Director, Active Investment Strategy
Khalifa Sultan Ahmad Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Direct Investments
HE Eissa Mohammed Ghanem Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Equity and Fixed Income
HE Ahmad Ateeq Mohammed Al Mazrouei - Executive Director, Infrastructure
Khaled Balama - Executive Director, Real Estate
Salem Mohammed Al Ameri - Executive Director, Private Equity
Hamad Al Hur Al Suwaidi - Executive Director, Corporate Services