CapitaLand Investment Opens Dubai Office to Serve Gulf Institutional Investors

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Singapore's CapitaLand sets up in DIFC. Institutional investors gain access to global real asset expertise.

Singapore-listed CapitaLand Investment has established CapitaLand (DIFC) Limited with regulatory approval to provide investment advisory services across logistics, lodging, office and data centre sectors.
The new office serves institutional and accredited investors in the UAE and wider Gulf region, tapping demand for globally diversified real asset strategies.
CapitaLand manages approximately S$125 billion in Funds Under Management across more than 270 cities in 45 countries, supported by over 400 investment professionals.
DIFC's regulatory framework, overseen by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, offers English common law, zero corporate tax for 50-year renewable periods, and alignment with international standards.
Investment advisory activities in DIFC require a Category 4 licence and compliance with fit-and-proper criteria for key individuals including a Senior Executive Officer and compliance functions.
Gulf institutional investors increasingly seek exposure to global real assets as part of portfolio diversification, creating strategic opportunities for established managers with on-the-ground presence.

DIFC Regulatory Framework Attracts Global Real Asset Management Platform

The Dubai Financial Services Authority oversees investment advisory activities within the DIFC regulatory framework, providing institutional investors with internationally aligned governance standards and investor protection. CapitaLand Investment's establishment of a licensed entity in DIFC reflects the financial centre's appeal to global real asset management firms seeking regional expansion. The regulatory infrastructure combines substantive licensing requirements with tax neutrality and jurisdictional certainty, enabling cross-border investment structures that serve professional clients across the Gulf.

With approximately S$125 billion in Funds Under Management, CapitaLand brings institutional-grade capabilities to a market where sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and large family offices increasingly allocate capital to diversified real asset portfolios. The firm's decision to establish regulated advisory operations in DIFC signals confidence in Gulf institutional demand and commitment to delivering services through a transparent, rules-based environment that meets expectations of sophisticated investors.

Singapore Asset Manager Establishes DIFC Presence

CapitaLand Investment Limited has opened CapitaLand (DIFC) Limited in Dubai International Financial Centre, marking a strategic expansion into the Gulf's investment market. The Singapore-headquartered group announced the office opening on 12 February 2026, positioning the move as part of broader efforts by global asset managers to build on-the-ground capability in the Middle East. John Woo has been appointed as Senior Executive Officer of the DIFC entity, which will provide investment advisory services to institutional and accredited investors.

The Dubai office will focus on delivering advisory services across multiple real asset classes, specifically logistics and industrial properties, lodging and living sectors, office assets and data centres. CapitaLand Investment's global portfolio spans more than 270 cities across 45 countries, supported by over 400 investment and asset management professionals. The firm's footprint is anchored in Southeast Asia, China and India, with additional presence in Australia, Japan, Korea, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Scale and Scope of CapitaLand's Global Operations

CapitaLand Investment manages approximately S$125 billion in Funds Under Management as at 31 December 2025, including funds ready for deployment based on committed capital on a leveraged basis. The firm describes itself as a leading global real asset manager with an integrated suite of investment and operating capabilities. Its diversified portfolio covers retail, office, lodging, business parks, industrial and logistics assets, data centres and self-storage facilities.

The company leverages what it terms its "ONE CapitaLand" ecosystem to connect investors with a wide range of strategies across geographies and sectors. This integrated platform combines investment expertise with operational management, enabling the firm to deliver what it describes as quality risk-adjusted returns through active asset management. The DIFC office is positioned to tap this global infrastructure while providing regional investors with direct access to CapitaLand's investment pipeline and track record.

Regulatory Requirements for DIFC Investment Advisory

Investment advisory activities in DIFC are regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority under a category-based licensing framework. Firms providing non-discretionary advice on financial products typically require a Category 4 licence, while discretionary portfolio management and fund management fall under Category 3C. Category 4 advisory licences involve a base capital requirement of approximately USD 30,000, subject to adjustments and potential waivers for branches of already regulated institutions.

Applicants must submit a detailed Regulatory Business Plan outlining services, target markets, governance structure, risk management and compliance arrangements. The DFSA expects comprehensive anti-money laundering and know-your-customer policies, documented operational workflows, financial forecasts demonstrating ongoing capital adequacy, and full disclosures of shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners. Key individuals must be appointed and approved under fit-and-proper criteria, typically including a UAE-based Senior Executive Officer with prior regulatory experience, a Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer, and a board of directors with relevant sector experience.

DIFC's Value Proposition for Asset Managers

DIFC is described as the leading global financial centre for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region and a preferred base for global asset managers expanding into the Middle East. Its platform combines English-language common law, an independent regulator and a 100 per cent foreign-ownership regime with zero corporate tax for DIFC-incorporated firms for renewable 50-year periods. The centre also offers no withholding tax on dividends or capital repatriation, making it attractive for cross-border investment structures.

Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer at DIFC Authority, commented that DIFC is pleased to welcome CapitaLand Investment as it establishes its Dubai office to serve institutional partners in the UAE and wider Gulf. He noted that with its global footprint and deep capabilities across multiple real asset classes, CapitaLand is well positioned to leverage DIFC's platform as it expands into the region's fast-growing investment and real estate market. Legal commentary highlights that institutional investors increasingly demand that managers maintain substantive presence in well-regulated mid-shore centres such as DIFC, which blend international standards with regional access.

Target Market and Institutional Focus

The Dubai office explicitly focuses on serving institutional and accredited investors in the UAE and broader Gulf region. In DIFC and DFSA terminology, such investors typically fall into the professional client category, including large corporates, regulated financial institutions, pension funds, sovereign entities and other institutional investors whose main activity is investing in financial instruments. DFSA rules distinguish these from retail clients and allow more flexible product structures and marketing for professional clients, subject to suitability and disclosure standards.

John Woo stated that CapitaLand Investment's presence in DIFC marks a strategic step in the firm's expansion in the Gulf region and broadens its global network of institutional and accredited investors. He emphasized that DIFC's strong governance and robust regulatory framework align with the company's commitment to building trusted, long-term partnerships. The firm aims to connect investors with quality real assets and deliver enduring value through its established investment platform.

Gulf Investor Demand for Real Asset Diversification

Regional commentary highlights that Gulf institutional investors, including sovereign wealth funds, state-linked entities and large family offices, increasingly seek exposure to global logistics, industrial, lodging, living, office and data centre assets. This trend reflects broader diversification away from hydrocarbons and into long-term real assets with stable cash flows and inflation protection characteristics. CapitaLand's presence in DIFC is framed as enabling these investors to access its global pipeline and track record through advisory mandates, co-investment opportunities and fund commitments.

Reports on the DIFC funds and investment regime note that it has been designed to meet international regulatory standards while providing appropriate investor protection. Qualified investor funds and similar structures can be offered privately to professional and institutional investors, allowing international real asset managers to launch or advise on regional feeder vehicles, separate accounts and co-investment programmes. For CapitaLand, this environment offers a platform to channel Gulf capital into its global asset base while meeting regulatory expectations and investor due diligence requirements.