Abraaj appoints Radwan as senior external advisor

THE Abraaj Group, a leading investor operating in global growth markets, announced Monday the appointment of Hossam Radwan as a senior external advisor to the Group. Prior to taking on this appointment, Radwan had led Abraaj’s Saudi offering and the Group achieved a number of investment milestones in the country. These included the first sale and leaseback deal to take place in the country (for the Panda supermarket chain, which was also successfully exited) and the acquisition of leading quick service restaurant Kudu, one of the largest private equity deals in the history of the Kingdom. Radwan has served as CEO of EFG-Hermes in Saudi Arabia. Previous to this position, he worked at Goldman Sachs for over a decade in London and New York, where he held a range of roles, including Head of Middle East and North Africa Sales at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Arif Naqvi, Founder and Group Chief Executive, The Abraaj Group, said: “Hossam’s leadership has enabled Abraaj to partner with some of the leading companies in Saudi Arabia. In particular, the highly significant Kudu deal was enabled by the deep-rooted relationships he had helped to foster on the ground. His expertise and leadership also allowed our partner company Tadawi to grow at an exponential rate. We are delighted that he will serve as a senior external advisor to Abraaj as we continue to grow our presence in Saudi Arabia, a country with huge potential.” Hossam Radwan added “I am excited about playing an ongoing role in Abraaj’s investment story in Saudi Arabia through this new position. The role allows me the opportunity to advise Abraaj on key issues while also enabling me to fulfill external Board-related duties and professional obligations. Saudi Arabia is a deep market which will only serve to present those investors who have the right local expertise with even more compelling investment opportunities.” — SG