IHC Launches Judan Financial with 237 Billion Dollar Portfolio Amid MENA Deal Surge

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Abu Dhabi's IHC launches $237B financial holding company amid surge in MENA mergers and acquisitions.

International Holding Company is creating Judan Financial Holding with approximately 237 billion US dollars in assets under management, subject to regulatory approvals.
Judan Financial will consolidate financial services holdings from IHC, Alpha Dhabi Holding, 2PointZero Group, and Sirius International Holding under a single AI-enabled platform.
His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan will chair the new holding company, with UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi serving as CEO.
The platform will operate across banking, insurance, asset management, capital markets, and fintech sectors, serving over 11 million clients in more than 13 countries.
MENA mergers and acquisitions activity surged 26 percent in 2025 to 884 deals worth 106.1 billion dollars, with Abu Dhabi-linked entities driving the region's largest transactions.
All asset transfers into Judan Financial require regulatory approvals from UAE authorities and relevant international jurisdictions before completion.

Strategic Consolidation Reshapes UAE Financial Services Landscape

International Holding Company (IHC), Abu Dhabi's largest listed entity, has announced the creation of Judan Financial Holding, a major financial services platform that will oversee approximately 870 billion dirhams (237 billion US dollars) in assets under management once regulatory approvals are secured. The initiative brings together holdings from IHC, Alpha Dhabi Holding, 2PointZero Group, and Sirius International Holding under unified governance structures designed to enhance coordination across banking, insurance, and capital markets operations. Regulatory oversight from the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), and international regulators will be required before asset transfers can proceed.

The launch of Judan Financial represents a significant development in GCC financial consolidation, reflecting Abu Dhabi's strategy to build globally competitive platforms capable of deploying sovereign and quasi-sovereign capital at scale. This move aligns with broader trends across the Gulf region, where state-linked entities are restructuring portfolios to concentrate expertise, streamline governance, and leverage technology to compete more effectively in international markets.

Leadership and Strategic Vision

His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, National Security Adviser, and Chairman of IHC, will chair Judan Financial. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, the UAE's Minister of Investment, will serve as Vice Chairman, Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, combining ministerial responsibility with executive leadership of the new platform.

According to statements carried by Emirates News Agency (WAM), Sheikh Tahnoon described Judan Financial as an initiative to create a globally relevant financial services institution built on strong governance, long-term capital, and differentiated platforms. The consolidation aims to establish a foundation for sustained growth and value creation across international markets, leveraging high-quality assets from multiple shareholders under a single structure.

Platform Structure and Scope

Judan Financial is designed as a dedicated holding company for IHC's expanding financial services portfolio. The platform will focus on multiple segments including banking, insurance, asset management, non-bank financial institutions, capital markets, and financial technology. Artificial intelligence is positioned as a key enabler across operations, with references to AI-driven capabilities in risk management, client analytics, and product development, though detailed technical specifications have not yet been disclosed.

The consolidated portfolio includes strategic stakes in more than 20 operating companies and platforms, incorporating Abu Dhabi-based entities such as Chimera Investment, Lunate Capital, and International Securities, according to IHC announcements and local press reports. Once fully established, the platform is expected to serve more than 11 million clients across over 13 countries, with an estimated initial valuation of around 100 billion dirhams.

IHC has indicated that Judan Financial will remain a private company, providing greater flexibility to pursue long-term strategic initiatives outside the constraints often associated with public listings, such as short-term earnings pressure. Each shareholder will contribute strategic financial services assets into Judan Financial in phases, conditioned on obtaining required regulatory approvals in relevant jurisdictions.

Regulatory Approvals and Implementation Timeline

All asset transfers into Judan Financial require approvals from competent regulatory authorities in the UAE and other relevant jurisdictions. Given the sectors involved, oversight is expected to include the Central Bank of the UAE, the Securities and Commodities Authority, and regulators in Abu Dhabi's financial free zones, along with foreign regulators for cross-border holdings.

The announcements stress that the launch and full operationalisation of Judan Financial, as well as the transfer of strategic stakes, are subject to completion of required regulatory approvals. The process will be phased, implying a staged restructuring rather than a single-step transaction.

MENA Mergers and Acquisitions Context

The creation of Judan Financial coincides with a notable surge in mergers and acquisitions activity across the Middle East and North Africa region. An EY MENA Mergers and Acquisitions Insights 2025 report indicates that MENA activity recorded 884 deals in 2025, up from 701 in 2024, representing a 26 percent increase in deal volume year-on-year.

Total MENA deal value reached approximately 106.1 billion US dollars in 2025, up 15 percent from around 92.3 billion dollars the previous year, with the majority of activity concentrated in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The GCC region accounted for 685 deals with a combined value of about 102.1 billion dollars, underscoring its dominance in regional transaction activity.

According to EY-Parthenon analysis, the region's three largest deals of 2025 involved companies ultimately owned by Abu Dhabi entities. These include ADNOC and OMV's agreement to merge Borealis with Borouge and acquire Canada's Nova Chemicals for 13.4 billion dollars, IHC's sale of a 43 percent stake in Modon Holding to L'imad Holding, and a 7.7 billion dollar merger of three IHC subsidiaries.

Cross-Border Activity and Regional Trends

Cross-border deals made up approximately 54 percent of deal volume and 61 percent of deal value in the region, illustrating significant internationalisation in MENA merger and acquisition flows. The UAE and Saudi Arabia together were the target nations for roughly 59 percent of regional deals, with most investment directed toward technology companies and professional services businesses.

Outbound mergers and acquisitions from the region comprised around 256 deals in 2025, up 29 percent year-on-year, with a combined value of 39 billion dollars. Approximately 14 percent of outbound value was in the banking and capital markets sector, suggesting a continued push by regional financial players to expand internationally.

Implications for Wealth Management

For wealth managers operating in or focused on the UAE and wider GCC, the combination of Abu Dhabi's asset reshuffles and the structural consolidation of financial platforms suggests an expanding opportunity set. Advisory mandates on intra-group restructurings, participation in regional merger and acquisition processes, and asset management roles linked to newly formed or enlarged platforms represent potential areas of growth.

The 15 percent rise in MENA deal value to approximately 106 billion dollars in 2025, combined with the concentration of the largest deals in Abu Dhabi-linked entities and the formation of a 237 billion dollar financial holding company, provides a backdrop for more deal-linked investment products, co-investment opportunities alongside sovereign and quasi-sovereign capital, and growing foreign direct investment inflows into UAE-centred financial structures.

Market commentary positions the creation of Judan Financial as an important development for Abu Dhabi's ambitions to build a more integrated financial hub that can better channel local capital into international opportunities. By consolidating banking, insurance, asset management, market infrastructure, and fintech investments into a single holding company, Abu Dhabi can improve capital allocation, risk management, and strategic coordination across its financial ecosystem.