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Emirates to raise $12b fund

DUBAI — Emirates airline will raise $12 billion fund for new aircraft purchases in the coming six years, Khaleej Times learnt yesterday.

Recent years saw some $10 billion in fund raising for the airline's aircraft acquisitions, including the $550 million sukuk last year, another $12 billion will be raised in the coming six years for the same purpose, a source from the airline said.

He further said that Islamic financing would become one of the key investment tools in the future, accounting to up to 20 per cent of the total financing market.

Overall, the Gulf region is set to see more fund raising and the growing number of mergers and acquisitions in the coming years, according to industry estimates.

Ewan Cameron, partner, head of Middle East Group at Linklaters, told Khaleej Times: "We will be advising governments in the AGCC, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, on $12 billion of fund raising and $5 billion on acquisitions in the near future."

"The investments will be both within the Middle East region as well as international investments in Europe and the Far East, including China," he explained.

Cameron said Linklaters has advised the Dubai government on a number of recent key acquisitions, including the DP World's acquisition of the UK-based P&O, Dubai International Capital (DIC) acquisition of The Tussauds Group and Istithmar's acquisition of Inchcape Shipping Services among others in addition to fund raising for Emirates Airline purchases of new aircraft.

Fuelled by high oil prices the AGCC governments have been heavily investing in various mega projects in their respective countries and acquiring prestigious assets abroad.

Dubai's alone total overseas investments touched Dh55 billion this year with its Dh25.3 billion acquisition of the British port operator Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) by the government-controlled DP World, according to industry estimates.

Emaar Properties and DP World recently committed $30 billion for real estate and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.

DP World is considered the largest Dubai overseas investor, with estimated total investments of over Dh30 billion in various projects around the world.

Dubai Holding, whose combined investment in international projects is estimated at around Dh20 billion, is the second biggest overseas investor.

Last year Dubai International Capital (DIC), the international investment arm of Dubai Holding, announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire UK-based Doncasters Group Limited for £700 million from Royal Bank of Scotland Equity Finance.

This investment follows a series of strategic, value-driven investments by DIC including a $1 billion investment in DaimlerChrysler, the £800 million acquisition of The Tussauds Group, along with its anchor investments of $272 million in JD Capital investment company in Jordan and $150 million in Ishraq, a company formed to develop and own up to 22 Express by Holiday Inn hotels in the Middle East.

Also last year, Dubai International Properties, another subsidiary of Dubai Holding, and the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality unveiled plans to build a $500 million multi-use tower complex in Turkey's commercial capital Istanbul as part of the $5 billion joint investment venture announced between the two parties.

Earlier this year Dubai Holding's subsidiary luxury hospitality group Jumeirah International took over the management of the famous Essex House hotel in New York, rebranding it Jumeirah Essex House, following a $500 million buyout by Dubai Investment Group, also a subsidiary of Dubai Holding.

The group, which will invest $50 million in refurbishment and rebrand, is also pouring $14 million in its Lowndes Hotel in London for extensive refurbishment programme.

Another fast emerging international investor is Dubai-based Istithmar investment holding company, which has already invested over Dh3.5 billion in various projects around the world.