Number of deals increase to 73 in 2011

Exits increase 30% year on year to reach 30 in 2011

Dubai, 11 June 2012 - The MENA Private Equity Association, in partnership with KPMG and Zawya, released the 2011 Private Equity and Venture Capital in the Middle East Annual Report. The Report outlines Private Equity outlook for 2012 and analyses 2011 data and trends. 

Key highlights from the 2011 Report include:

  • The outlook for 2012 is positive given the momentum in 2011

  • The total number of private equity investments increased from 70 in 2010 to 73 in 2011

  • Exits have been on an upward trend during the past 3 years, reaching 30 in 2011, compared to 23 in 2010 and 7 in 2009

  • Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT) formed 28% of the investment volumes in 2011

  • The number of funds raised in 2011 is on par with 2010 but the size of funds has seen a decrease








Dr. Nasser Saidi, Chief Economist, Dubai International Financial Centre, said: "There are promising signs of recovery in private equity investment space in the MENA region despite the recent turmoil; investors are looking at Egypt, Tunisia, KSA and the UAE as attractive hubs for investments. While the current status in the region has led to a cautious investment trend, there is a high focus on investing in non-cyclical sectors such as infrastructure and transportation, healthcare, energy, food and agriculture. Global infrastructure investment is expected to reach $ 40 trillion by 2035, primarily in emerging market economies. In MENA infrastructure investment requirements exceed $2 trillion over the coming decade presenting great opportunities, with a growing number of MENA-focused infrastructure funds which have been raised or are being raised to take advantage of these opportunities. However, governments need to create more opportunities for the private sector through privatisation schemes and PPP. This will require enabling PPP legislation and regulations."
 
Imad Ghandour, Managing Director at CedarBridge Partners and a member of the Association Steering Committee, commented: "Despite the political unrest in the region, fund managers have identified many sustainable pockets of growth that offer substantial returns to investors during 2011. Managers are seeing opportunities in sectors like healthcare and education, and TMT. There is potential growth also seen in the SME space."  

Ali Arab, Zawya, adds: "2011 was an encouraging year for MENA private equity, with the industry showing signs of recovery. The positive outlook has continued in 2012, whereby growth capital and buyout funds closed more than 20 deals during the first quarter of this year."

PE firms are taking advantage of the shortage of capital, resulting from the global crisis, to buy well-priced assets. Political risk and slow economic growth have allowed fund managers to invest in quality companies at low valuations, with focus on the technology and export sectors.  

Longer holding horizons and more focus on strategic value adding to portfolio companies have characterized PE activity from entry till exiting investments. "After four to five years of acquiring and developing portfolio entities, a number of private equity funds in the region are nearing the end of their lifecycle. Although valuation data is not always publicized, we have seen positive stories among the exits in 2011, and we believe we will see more of the same going forward." - Dale Gregory, Partner, KPMG.

Deal activity throughout the region has been reinvigorated as funds look to deploy capital raised.

The Annual Report is available at: www.menapea.com/2011AnnualReport.

About the MENA Private Equity Association
The MENA Private Equity Association is a non-profit entity committed to supporting and developing the private equity and venture capital industry in the Middle East and North Africa. The Association aims to foster greater communication within the region's private equity and venture capital network and facilitate knowledge sharing in order to encourage overall economic growth, and will actively promote the industry's successes to local stakeholders and build trust with investors, regulators and the public regionally and internationally. For more information, please visit www.menapea.com

For more information
Nahed Ashour
Capital MSL
Nahed.ashour@capitalmsl.com
+971 44 276 451

Jeanette Lepper
MENA Private Equity Association
jeanette@menapea.com
+971 507059673
www.menapea.com

© Press Release 2012