Rudolph Waels

Armalia Partners builds solutions to provide financing and expertise to companies developing their business in high growth markets.

Aabar is a Sovereign Wealth Fund, based in Abu Dhabi. Aabar has more than $10 billion under management across diverse industries including: automotive (biggest shareholder in Daimler), real estate, financial services, infrastructure, and aerospace.

I joined FGB to restructure its existing direct investment portfolio and to set up a $500m regional private equity business. In February 2009, FGB received a capital increase from the UAE government under specific conditions. One of them was to close several of its non commercial banking activities, including its private equity business.

Swicorp is a financial advisory and private equity firm focused on the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). I joined Swicorp Private Equity in what was a true start up environment. Today Swicorp Private Equity manages $1.3 billion across three funds.

With Arthur Andersen/Ernst & Young, I had very diverse experiences from Consulting, to Audit and Due Diligences. I spent 50% of my work in emerging markets, in the Middle East, North Africa, Sub Sahara Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. I was then one of two people to be sponsored for a Wharton MBA in the history of the firm in France.