2018 Global CEO Excellence Awards

6 CEO MONTHLY / GLOBAL CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2018 , GCE18017 Based in the UAE, Allied Investment Partners PJSC (AIP) is a regulated financial institution under the Central Bank of UAE and the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). We caught up with CEO Fawad Akber to find out more. M&A CEO of the Year 2018 - GCC Recently celebrating its 10th anniversary, AIP is an independent financial services firm, based the UAE, regulated by Central Bank of UAE and focusing on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance advisory, capital markets advisory and principal investment. Fawad shares more details on the firm and the work it undertakes. “Here at AIP, we deal with corporates, financial institutions, hedge funds and high net worth individuals looking to invest in the region; and also advise them on the right opportunities outside the region. The team at AIP has expertise in Investment Banking (M&A advisory), asset management (Trade Finance, Fixed Income and Private Capital Investments), wealth management, security services, private equity investment and Global Markets solutions. The geographical focus is the GCC, North Africa and Asia Pacific. “Since inception we have set ourselves tall service standards, and as such we are quite careful in selecting the transactions. At all times, we remain committed to finding new and innovative investment solutions. Our focus throughout the transaction remains on managing stakeholder expectations; which is the key to success in many M&A transactions. This requires a lot of insight and management of relationships on the ground with all stakeholders.” Drawing on his own personal experience, Fawad works hard to drive AIP to continued success. He outlines his previous experience and how it has shaped his leadership in his current role. “Prior to my role at AIP, I did my postgraduate in Business Administration from IBA (Karachi) and qualified as a Chartered Accountant from Institute of Chartered Accountant in England & Wales ICAEW. Investment banking has always been a passion for me and I started my Investment Banking career with Credit Suisse First Boston CSFB and later moved to ABN AMRO within the Structured Products team in London to look after European markets. “Later, I joined VTB Capital in 2008 to work on client coverage and private equity in the GCC region; initially from London and moved to Dubai in 2010. Before joining AIP, I was heading the investment and finance division of Gulftainer; which is the world’s largest privately held Port and Logistics Operating firm in Sharjah.” Thanks to this experience, Fawad has a wealth of knowledge on the global financial market, which he is eager to share with us. He offers a range of insights into the industry, as well as some predictions for the future direction that it will take and how AIP will adapt around these latest developments. “Currently, I think it is a very exciting time for our industry and we are very optimistic. The world is changing every day; and that presents new and exciting opportunities. The current business environment is such that only the fittest can survive; therefore, it is very important to know the laws of the land and to have the right partner. However, we believe our specialized skillset can enable us to make a real difference in the region. “As far as regional investment industry is concerned, we will see diversification away from the Oil & Gas related investments. Globally financial institutions are looking to fund environmentally friendly initiatives. The region is also looking to do the same. The government of UAE has launched many initiatives in this regard. The other important area is efficiency in invested projects. Operational efficiencies will play a critical role as we move away from the reliance on oil & gas revenues. We also see a significant shift in policies to attract Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) towards the GCC region. Countries like UAE and Bahrain introducing long- term residency visas and 100% ownership of companies on shore are just a few examples. This would increase competition among the countries to provide infrastructure, legal framework and landscape for such FDIs.” With regards to the future of the firm itself, AIP has many exciting plans ahead, as Fawad is proud to conclude. “Over the years, at AIP our focus has always been and, moving forward, will remain on customer satisfaction and value generation for our stakeholders. The group is focusing on consumer-oriented businesses and therefore digitalization will be key in achieving operational excellence. Our aim is to become the partner of choice for all the financial services of our customers, and this will remain our core focus as we look towards a bright future.” Company: Allied Investment Partners PJSC Contact: Fawad Akber Address: Al Neem Tower, Khalifa Street, Abu Dhabi, UAE Phone: 00971 555570086