KKR, a New York headquartered investment firm, is bolstering its Middle East presence, along with many other firms that have been increasing their presence in Dubai and neighbouring Abu Dhabi.

KKR has announced that it is opening a new office in Abu Dhabi, located within the city’s international financial centre Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), marking KKR’s commitment to the United Arab Emirates and the wider Middle East. The office will support both investment activity and client partnerships across the Gulf.

The office will be led by Julian Barratt-Due, managing director and head of Middle East investing. The Abu Dhabi opening, which is subject to final regulatory approval, adds to KKR’s existing regional hubs, following the establishment of offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in 2009 and in Riyadh in 2014, which this year relocated to the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) to support the firm’s growing investment presence.

Established in 2015, ADGM has become a large financial hub and financial district, connecting global investors with regional opportunities. Abu Dhabi’s stable economic foundations, strong regulatory framework, and long-term focus on diversification have made it a natural bridge between East and West – a role that continues to expand as global capital seeks resilient, pro-growth markets.

“Since opening our first office in the Middle East 16 years ago, we’ve built strong partnerships with investors, businesses, and government entities across the region. The UAE has demonstrated remarkable stability, vision, and leadership in shaping a modern, diversified economy,” Joe Bae and Scott Nuttall, co-CEOs of KKR, said. “Expanding our presence into Abu Dhabi reflects our deep confidence in the country’s continued growth and its emergence as one of the world’s most important financial and investment hubs.”

“Abu Dhabi’s commitment to innovation, infrastructure, and technology makes it an increasingly compelling market for global investors,” Julian Barratt-Due, managing director and head of Middle East Investing at KKR, added. 

In early 2025, KKR also announced an investment in Gulf Data Hub (GDH), an independent data centre platform in the Middle East. Under the partnership, KKR and GDH have committed up to $5 billion to support the platform’s international expansion and meet the region’s growing digital and AI-driven data demand.

A number of firms such as Zurich-headquartered private bank UBS have opened an Advisory Office in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). US-headquartered investment manager Brown Advisory has recently set up shop in Dubai and neighbouring Abu Dhabi, exploiting the rising level of demand for wealth management, for example inter-generational wealth and business transfer advisory work. See more here and here.