Today I have Oliver Kirkbright joining us via Zoom at the ADX. He is the co-founder of the Middle East Investor Network. Thank you for joining us, Oliver.
Thank you so much for having me.
Can you tell us about the Middle East Investor Network and what it does?
We are the only dedicated network in the Gulf built for the region's alternative investment ecosystem. We support LPs and allocators of all sizes — from family offices through to sovereign wealth funds — with the research, education, access, and connections they need to deploy capital locally and internationally. For funds, we serve as a bridge into a market that is notoriously hard to access from the outside. Our role is to support connections between funds and allocators, as well as fund excellence and fund scaling across the Gulf.
What investment strategies are allocators finding most interesting right now?
We are seeing shoots of recovery from the conflict, and once things stabilise further, commitments are really going to flow. AI and data centres are the dominant focus — and not just the AI layer itself, but the hard infrastructure underneath it: power, connectivity, cooling systems. Defence is a genuinely new area that we are now covering, driven by regional events and Europe's push for self-reliance. Logistics, supply chains, and food and water security are also gaining real traction as both investable sectors and strategic national priorities.
When institutional investors evaluate fund managers, what criteria are they actually using?
I think about GCC allocators in two broad buckets. The first group — local and family-based entities — care deeply about what a fund is doing to support the region. It is not about taking capital out — it is about what you can genuinely deliver here, whether that is local presence, ecosystem contribution, or portfolio companies that benefit the region. The second group is diversifying internationally at a professional level. They want real due diligence, real governance, and proof of realised returns — not paper markups. What they do not want is capital sitting locked up for years with nothing to show for it.
Are emerging fund managers gaining ground over established brand names?
It really does feel like it is opening up. We are seeing genuine appetite for emerging fund managers. As allocators become more comfortable backing team strength and thesis quality over name recognition, specialist managers are increasingly competitive. Allocators here have traditionally built wealth in real estate — as they diversify, they want specialists. And if a fund comes with a thesis that supports national visions across the region, that is a very powerful additional tick for allocators here.
Thank you so much, Oliver, for your insights today.
Thank you. Lovely to be here.
