Dubai, UAE – Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the MENAT region, has signed a strategic MoU with BlackRock to establish an exclusive investment platform for wealth clients.
This collaboration will democratize access to private markets – the fastest-growing asset class globally, projected to reach $30 trillion by 2030.
The platform will initially offer evergreen income and growth strategies tailored for UAE investors, supported by BlackRock’s $450 billion+ alternatives platform and global expertise.
Through this partnership, Emirates NBD Asset Management will leverage BlackRock’s open-architecture approach to expand its private markets offerings.
The alliance combines Emirates NBD’s regional distribution network with BlackRock’s technological capabilities, including investor education and digital solutions.
“This initiative reflects our commitment to innovation and meeting evolving investor demands,” said Marwan Hadi, Group Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management at Emirates NBD.
Rachel Lord of BlackRock emphasized: “Middle Eastern investors are increasingly allocating to alternatives. By combining our global leadership in private markets with Emirates NBD’s regional reach, we’re creating a transformative proposition.”
The platform aligns with the UAE’s growing sophistication as a financial hub, where Emirates NBD serves over 9 million customers across 13 countries with $271 billion in assets.