Investcorp announces the registration in Bahrain of the Gulf Opportunity Fund

Gulf Opportunity Fund I is the private equity fund of Investcorp's Gulf Growth Capital line of business.

Gulf Growth Capital co-head, Christophe de Mahieu, explained that domiciling the Fund in Bahrain offered Investcorp unique advantages for investing in private equity deals in the region in comparison to funds registered outside the region, such as in the Cayman Islands.

He added that this registration in Bahrain would allow Investcorp to structure, more easily and rapidly, joint ventures in the Gulf region, as well to launch new businesses with reputable local and international investors.

De Mahieu also noted that domiciling the Fund in Bahrain would assist Investcorp in achieving its three-pronged strategy for investing in mid size companies across the GGC; namely to attract mid-sized international players to set up joint operations with Investcorp in the region, to help Gulf based private and public companies to pair with Investcorp for successful growth and rapid capability building, and to offer GCC companies looking for a GCC investor that will work with them a simple method to sell part of their shares to Investcorp.

Gulf Growth Capital co-head Azmat Taufique stressed the importance of the registration of the Fund in Bahrain: "It is evidence of our complete confidence in the Kingdom of Bahrain's regulatory environment and reflects Investcorp's belief in the importance of investing in the region," he said.

"We are pleased to have registered the Gulf Opportunity Fund I in Bahrain under the Central Bank's new Collective Investment Undertakings Rules, which comprehensively regulate Funds in Bahrain and to have worked with the Central Bank to register the Fund. This registration establishes a base for the Fund to establish itself quickly as a leading participant in the evolving investment arena within the GCC region".

The minimum investment in the Fund is $5m.

The registration of this Fund follows the launch of Investcorp's most recent line of business, Gulf Growth Capital, which aims to invest in medium-sized companies in the Gulf region, where extraordinary growth opportunities are currently being created.

This line of business, fully integrated with Investcorp's well established operations in Bahrain, London and New York, will have a team of 15 investment professionals, led by the two co-heads. It has already reviewed more than 80 potential transactions and a select number of these potential transactions are now being closely examined.