Private lender Blue Owl plans to open Abu Dhabi Office in Middle East expansion

Private credit lender Blue Owl Capital Inc. is working to open an office and hire a team in Abu Dhabi focused on capital raising, a move to help strengthen its relationship with wealth fund Mubadala Investment Co., according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The office has become a priority for Blue Owl as it expands its presence in the Middle East, said the person, who asked not to be identified as the details are private. The private credit lender recently secured a $1 billion investment commitment from the Abu Dhabi wealth fund.

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Representatives for Blue Owl and Mubadala declined to com-ment.

Blue Owl, which has about $150 billion under management, is one of the largest players in the private credit market. Some of its recent deals include a $2.65 billion debt package to support Francisco Partners and TPG Inc.’s acquisition of New Relic Inc. as well as a $2.7 billion financing to help fund BradyIFS’s acquisition of Envoy Solutions.

Blue Owl has also been formalizing plans to open an office and hire a team in nearby Dubai to tap into growing demand from Middle Eastern wealth funds in alternative assets. The firm plans to invest directly in the region once the new offices are established, the person said.

The Middle East offices will add to the nearly dozen locations around the globe where the firm already has a presence including Hong Kong, London, Singapore, and Tokyo.

Read more: Private lender Blue Owl eyes more Middle East money with plans for new Dubai office