Global private investment house Ardian has opened a new office in Abu Dhabi Global Market as part of its expansion plans to develop a ‘gateway' between Europe and a wider area of the UAE.

The inauguration was attended by the French minister of the economy and finance, Bruno Le Maire, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director and group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company, and Hamad Al Dhaheri, global head of private equity of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

Ardian said in a statement that its team in Abu Dhabi will serve its large base of local and regional investors and support its growing range of portfolio companies expanding into the region.

The local team, under the supervision of François-Aïssa Touazi, Chairman Ardian Limited Abu Dhabi will be composed of senior representatives from both Ardian investment teams and support functions to provide client-support services in the region.

Dominique Senequier, president of Ardian, said: "At the heart of Ardian's approach is close collaboration with our partners around the world. Our new office in the United Arab Emirates is therefore a natural progression as we continue with our strategy to evolve and grow globally. 

"Having a local presence marks our commitment to the goals of developing strategic and long-stranding partnerships in the region. We look forward to working alongside our long-standing partners in the region to provide new opportunities for growth." 

François-Aïssa Touazi, senior managing director & chairman Ardian Limited Abu Dhabi, said: "With our newly established office, Ardian looks forward to stepping up its role as a partner of choice for financial institutions in the Gulf region. 

"The UAE's core values of excellence, innovation, and development resonate strongly with Ardian's own values and alongside our portfolio companies, we are confident that our activity is well-aligned in supporting the UAE on its ‘We the UAE 2031' development path and will strengthen economic diversification."

Ardian has been active in the UAE and the region for two decades, responsible for $25bn of AUM from more than 60 investors and $8bn of capital deployed in the region.

The Abu Dhabi opening marks the Ardian's 16th office globally, with 1,000+ employees, spread across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East.