GCC's Ithmar Capital appoints new partner

"The appointment of Mr. Jaouni comes as part of a strategic step to create a dedicated post-acquisition function with the primary responsibility of adding value to our portfolio companies. This is a proposition that Ithmar Capital sees as paramount in ensuring a continuous quality and proprietary deal flow, and provides a competitive advantage relative to other private equity players in the market," commented Khaldoun Haj Hasan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Ithmar Capital.

Jaouni's move into partnership comes a year after he joined Ithmar Capital bringing with him a decade of management consulting and business transformation advisory.

"Khaled has earned his laurels with Ithmar Capital. His experience has delivered value creation and growth in Ithmar's portfolio companies, working with them from acquisition through exit point to realise the full potential of the investments," said Faisal Belhoul, Founder and Managing Partner, Ithmar Capital.

Jaouni, (35), holds an MBA from the UK's Edinburgh Business School and a BSc in Engineering from the USA's Boston University He joined Ithmar Capital after having held senior consulting positions with Ernst & Young in the United States and the Middle East where he successfully led strategic growth initiatives at Fortune 100 companies and regional industry leaders.

The appointment follows swiftly on the firm's recent partnership with 3i, the UK-based world leader in private equity and venture capital - the first international alliance of its kind in the region.

"Differentiation and innovation are key values that Ithmar Capital has been keen on from the onset. As the private equity sector is still in the early stages of development in the region, there are tremendous opportunities in areas such as industry consolidation, cross-border expansion and buy-and-build scenarios. The 'hands-on' approach that Ithmar Capital adopts, its dedication to driving forward all value and growth initiatives, and its vast network in the region, means that we are in a perfect position to realise the full potential of our investments, and to act as a gateway into the region for foreign private equity investors," said Khaled Jaouni, Partner, Ithmar Capital

The enormous success of Ithmar Fund II, which exceeded its initial USD $150 million target reaching USD $250 million, is another example of Ithmar Capital's success. The network that has already been established by Ithmar Capital and its partnership with 3i will further leverage the firm's position in the market.