- Seera, an investment firm in the Middle East, concludes $200m acquisition of BWA
Seera Investment Bank, the Shari’a compliant Bahrain-based investment bank, announced conclusion of its $200m acquisition of UK-based BWA water additives – originally announced in September; pre-turmoil.

- A group of Abu Dhabi investors, Aabar Investments, acquired AIG Private Bank
AIG doesn’t sound like a name you want to be associated with it too much, but what if you buy it and rename it? That’s what Abu Dhabi-based investment firm, Aabar Investments, is going to do after acquiring AIG Private Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the troubled AIG, for $254 million.

- KKR, the global alternative asset manager firm, entered the Middle East
KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co), the global alternative asset manager firm is entering the Middle East. They just announced that Makram Azar will be joining them as Managing Director and Head of Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”).

- Amara, a new Private equity firm in Dubai, started operation.
Amara Holdings enters the Private Equity play in the Middle East. Amara will focus on pre-IPO, private equity and private placement growth opportunities particularly in China as well as MENA and India. It is run by a newly formed company called Newhaven Investments House.

- Abraaj, one of Dubai private equity firms, acquired stake in Turkish Yacht Maker
When there is a $25b market for recreational boats and when Middle East yacht owners have increased from zero percent to 8 percent of global yacht owners, you know it is time to invest in the yacht business.

- GrowthGate acquired stake in a $100m revenue firm
GrowthGate Capital, a GCC-based Dubai venture capital buyout firm and one of Dubai investors, announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire 33.33% of Lebanon's Averda International, an integrated waste management concern with waste operations concentrated in the Middle East and North Africa.