Pantheon Opens Abu Dhabi Office as Private Markets Firms Deepen UAE Presence

Global private-markets investor Pantheon has expanded its Middle East presence with a new Abu Dhabi office in ADGM and the appointment of Firas Mallah as Managing Director and Head of Middle East.

The firm said it manages approximately $84 billion in assets and has worked with investors across GCC markets for nearly two decades. Establishing a permanent Abu Dhabi office brings Pantheon closer to sovereign wealth funds, family offices and financial institutions that are increasing their allocations to private markets.

The announcement was distributed on ADGM’s website as a third-party communication and is explicitly identified as not being an official ADGM statement. Pantheon said the new office extends its global footprint to 13 locations across four continents.

Mallah joins Pantheon after serving as Managing Director and Head of MENA at Sagard. Pantheon said he has more than 23 years of experience in capital formation and investor relations across the Middle East and will lead regional capital-formation activity from Abu Dhabi.

The office opening reflects the growing importance of Gulf investors to global private-markets fundraising. Sovereign institutions and sophisticated family offices in the region allocate capital across private equity, infrastructure, private credit and other alternative strategies, making proximity increasingly valuable for managers seeking long-term relationships.

Pantheon highlighted secondaries as one area of regional demand. Secondary transactions can provide investors with exposure to existing private-market portfolios rather than committing only to newly formed blind-pool funds. Depending on structure and pricing, that can offer investors greater visibility into underlying assets and different cash-flow characteristics.

The firm’s wider platform also covers private equity, infrastructure and private credit. Those areas align with Gulf investor interest in diversified international portfolios and long-duration assets.

For Abu Dhabi, the addition of another large global manager reinforces the development of ADGM as a base for institutions serving regional capital. The financial centre has been attracting asset managers, hedge funds, private-equity firms and other investment businesses as Abu Dhabi expands its role in global finance.

Competition for Gulf capital is also increasing. More managers establishing regional offices means investors have greater access to international firms locally, while managers face stronger pressure to provide dedicated coverage, customised solutions and sustained engagement.

Pantheon’s new office does not guarantee fundraising or investment outcomes, but it signals a longer-term commitment to the region. The broader trend is increasingly clear: for major private-markets firms, the Gulf is becoming a market that warrants permanent investment teams rather than occasional coverage from Europe, Asia or North America.