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Amanat targets Dh1.5 billion GCC expansion while maintaining 7% dividend
Dubai-listed investment firm plans to invest in healthcare and education over three years, betting on GCC demographic growth while targeting a 10% return on equity
- PUBLISHED: Wed 5 Aug 2026, 2:57 PM
Growing demand for healthcare and education services across the GCC, driven by population growth, ageing demographics and rising private sector participation, is creating some of the region’s most attractive long-term investment opportunities. Against that backdrop, Dubai-listed Amanat Holdings has unveiled a new growth strategy that includes deploying approximately Dh1.5 billion over the next three years while maintaining a minimum annual dividend of 7 fils per share under a newly approved three-year dividend policy.
The strategy, approved by the board, is designed to strengthen Amanat’s position in two sectors it describes as resilient and structurally growing, with investments spanning organic expansion, greenfield developments and selective acquisitions across healthcare and education. The company is targeting a return on equity (ROE) of at least 10 per cent while preserving financial flexibility and maintaining a strong balance sheet.
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Dr. Ali bin Harmal Aldhaheri, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said the new strategy “defines Amanat’s ambition for the next decade,” adding that the company now has the financial strength, operational capability and investment discipline to accelerate its next phase of growth. He said healthcare and education remain among the most resilient sectors because they fulfil essential human needs and continue to benefit from rising demand regardless of economic cycles.
According to John Ireland, Chief Executive Officer of Amanat Holdings, the company sees significant opportunities across both sectors in the UAE and wider GCC. “Our investment programme is designed to capture these opportunities with discipline while delivering sustainable value for our shareholders,” he said.
In healthcare, Amanat plans to continue expanding Cambridge Health Group, which already operates more than 700 beds across the region. Ireland said the company is developing new hospitals, expanding existing facilities and adding complementary services, including surgical capabilities and home healthcare. During the year, Amanat completed the acquisition of the remaining minority interest in Cambridge, announced a 70-bed expansion at its Jeddah hospital and launched a new 155-bed hospital project in Riyadh. Expansion programmes are also under way at its UAE facilities.
Education remains the second pillar of the growth strategy. Ireland said Almasar has already established a strong presence in higher and specialised education and is evaluating opportunities to expand further into the K-12 segment, which he described as having compelling fundamentals. Amanat’s broader strategy also includes supporting growth across higher education, specialised education and selective K-12 opportunities.
Despite intensifying competition for quality assets, Ireland stressed that “growth will never come at the expense of discipline”. Every investment is assessed against strict financial and strategic criteria, including strategic fit, execution risk, cash generation and long-term returns, with a target ROE of at least 10%.
Amanat is also seeking to reassure investors that growth investments will not undermine shareholder returns. The board has approved a dividend policy targeting minimum annual cash distributions of 7 fils per share, equivalent to 7% of issued share capital, with semi-annual payments over the next three years.
“Growth and shareholder returns are not mutually exclusive, and we intend to deliver both,” Ireland said, noting that Amanat enters this phase from a position of financial strength after a period of portfolio optimisation. Investments will be funded through a mix of available cash, subsidiary-level debt and disciplined capital recycling.
Looking ahead, Ireland said continued population growth, rising foreign investment, increasing expatriate inflows and growing demand for quality healthcare and education services in the UAE and GCC support the company’s long-term outlook. Investors, he added, should watch progress against the Dh1.5 billion investment programme, growth in healthcare capacity and student enrolment, as well as improvements in revenue, EBITDA and ROE.
Associate Editor Somshankar Bandyopadhyay brings more than three decades of experience to the KT newsroom. Currently, he manages the news production of the business section, ensuring that the top economic and business news of the day reaches its readers.