Done Deal – Insights from our M&A and Activism team – November 2024
Insights from our M&A and Activism team
Welcome to the latest installment of Done Deal! In this edition, Ed Bridges and Oliver Williams share their insights on recent changes and predictions in M&A activity throughout the Middle East. Following this, our experts share takeaways from Future Investment Initiative (FII) event in Riyadh in October. Lastly, Tom Blundell from our Dubai team offers brief reflections in our colleague spotlight.
Insights on M&A Activity in the Middle East
Future Investment Initiative (FII) Update
With regional uncertainty a major feature of global newsfeeds, the FTI team approached FII not knowing what to expect. The theme this year was AI with exceptionally senior and experienced panelists debating the opportunities and threats, supported by an AI Avatar who summarized those debates with unnerving accuracy while answering questions with remarkable prescience. Learn more of Ed Bridges’ and Tom Blundell’s takeaways from the event below.
What We’re Up To
Governance and Activism Dublin event
Last week, FTI hosted its ninth annual corporate governance event at Euronext Dublin, focused on the latest developments in governance, proxy voting and shareholder engagement in the UK and Ireland. With almost 100 people in attendance, the event looked at the latest regulatory changes to the UK and Irish landscape, including the publication of two new corporate governance codes, in both markets. We heard from the UK Investment Association on revised Remuneration Principles, as well as from leading investors and proxy advisors on how efforts to ensure greater competitiveness of capital markets from regulators are reemphasizing the importance of reporting and shareholder engagement from listed companies. Val Mack, our own expert in shareholder activism detailed the activist trends impacting UK and European markets, and discussed how being prepared is central to maintaining control when under activist pressure.
Meet our Team: 30 seconds with Tom Blundell
What is your focus area at FTI Consulting?
Based in Dubai, my focus is on financial communications mandates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and across the broader GCC. This includes M&A, ECM transactions and investor relations advisory in a highly active, maturing market in the region. I relocated to the UAE in 2023 having been based in FTI Consulting’s London strategic communications team for several years.
What trends are you seeing in your marketplace?
The eighth edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII8) conference, recently held in Riyadh, showcased the growing profile and influence of both Saudi Arabia and the GCC as a global financial power. Attended by world governments, global financial institutions and senior business leaders, the event witnessed over $70 billion of investment agreements between regional entities and international organisations.
Despite challenging conditions impacting other global markets, investor confidence in the GCC remains very strong. There has been sustained momentum in the IPO market in the UAE and Saudi Arabia with strong oversubscription rates for recent listings, both from government privatization programmes and private sector industries. While the region has been focussed on attracting inward foreign investment in recent years, we see a growing trend of sovereign wealth funds and other large regional entities, particularly in the energy sector, looking to execute M&A opportunities in international markets across Asia, Europe and the US. Underpinned by strong economic growth, accelerating diversification strategies and infrastructure investment projects, we expect to see a continued pipeline of listings and high deal activity in the region going into 2025.
What do you do outside of work that helps you reset and stay sharp for the next professional challenge?
With year-round sunshine, the UAE offers a multitude of activities and opportunities to spend time outside. Padel is a hugely popular sport in the region and I look to play matches most weekends. More broadly, travelling and exploring surrounding emirates and neighbouring countries has been a great experience.
Contact Us
To be added to the distribution list for FTI Consulting’s M&A and Activism Insights, or for further information on the dedicated M&A and Activism team at FTI Consulting, please contact Edward Bridges ([email protected]) Pat Tucker ([email protected]) or Alex Le May ([email protected]).
| The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of FTI Consulting, its management, its subsidiaries, its affiliates, or its other professionals. ©2024 FTI Consulting, Inc. All rights reserved. www.fticonsulting.com |
