Kessner Capital Management Establishes Abu Dhabi Hub, Delivers First African Investment
Abu Dhabi emerges as the latest strategic outpost for London-based Kessner Capital Management, as the alternative investment firm strengthens its Gulf presence through a calculated partnership with a prominent UAE family office. This expansion reflects a broader recognition of Abu Dhabi's growing importance as a gateway for African investment flows.
Strategic Gulf Positioning
The Abu Dhabi establishment comes alongside Kessner's inaugural transaction: a credit facility extended to Harlequin International Ghana (HIT) for procurement contract execution. This deal marks the fund's first completed transaction since inception, demonstrating immediate operational capacity.
Bruno-Maurice Monny, co-founder and Managing Partner of Kessner Capital Management, articulates the strategic imperative: "Abu Dhabi has become essential for investors seeking African exposure." The statement reflects Abu Dhabi's consolidation as an international financial platform, supported by robust infrastructure development and global asset manager arrivals.
African Market Entry
The Harlequin International Ghana facility targets a Ghanaian industrial operator specializing in engineering and technical services across structural sectors. This transaction exemplifies Kessner's positioning: delivering tailored financing solutions to African enterprises with solid operational fundamentals, addressing significant capital needs across the continent.
Kessner's approach combines private credit orientation with sustainable value creation, integrating structuring expertise, risk discipline, and local partnerships. The firm emphasizes its philosophy extends beyond mere financing to growth trajectory accompaniment through governance and transparency requirements.
Market Dynamics
The dual announcement reflects broader institutional capital flows toward African markets, with Gulf financial centers increasingly serving as intermediary hubs. Abu Dhabi's emergence as a preferred platform stems from its regulatory environment and geographic positioning between traditional financial centers and emerging African economies.
Kessner Capital Management maintains its primary operations in London while establishing this regional presence to navigate market complexities and enhance risk mitigation capabilities. The firm's ground-based approach, supported by international and local partnerships, aims to deliver risk-adjusted returns across African investment opportunities.
This expansion represents calculated positioning within evolving African capital markets, where institutional demand for sophisticated financing solutions continues growing alongside economic development trajectories.