Goldman Sachs, Abu Dhabi ink $1 billion investment partnership for Asia Pacific

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Goldman Sachs and Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala on Monday signed a $1 billion private credit partnership to co-invest in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on India, the institutions said in a joint statement.

The separately managed account, termed the “Partnership,” will be managed by Private Credit at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, with a staff based on the ground in various markets across the region. It will invest the long-term capital in “high quality companies … across the private credit spectrum” across a number of Asia-Pacific markets.

The news follows Goldman’s 2023 expansion in the Middle East with the opening of its office in Abu Dhabi Global Market, the financial center of the United Arab Emirates capital.

It also comes as the UAE and other Gulf states increase their economic footprint in India, which is set to be the fastest-growing G20 economy for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The UAE in October 2023 announced a target to invest $75 billion in India over a period of time, while Saudi Arabia set an investment target in the country of $100 billion.

“India, in particular, stands out as a key market with significant opportunities in private credit, and where Goldman Sachs has strong exposure and capabilities,” said Fabrizio Bocciardi, Mubadala’s head of credit investments, in a press release.

“The opportunity in private credit in Asia Pacific is expansive,” Greg Olafson, global head of private credit at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, said. “With strong economic growth in the region and favorable conditions for private lenders to support the growth of leading companies by providing flexible, long-term capital, we believe we are at the early stages of a defining era for private credit in Asia Pacific.”

He said the partnership with Mubadala will enable the bank to expand its “long-established investment focus on the region.”

Omar Eraiqat, Mubadala’s deputy CEO of diversified investments, said that the Goldman Sachs partnership “compliments our aspirations to grow our private credit exposure in APAC, a region that is central to Mubadala’s strategic growth initiatives.”

Mubadala Investment Company manages a global portfolio of $276 billion spanning six continents and a range of sectors and asset classes, according to the firm, with a focus on diversification of the UAE economy.