Temasek Plants Its Flag in the Gulf With Riyadh and Abu Dhabi Offices

Singapore state investor Temasek is widening its footprint in the Gulf. The firm plans to open offices in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi by the first half of 2027, which would be the largest step it has taken in the Middle East so far.

The two cities are the financial centers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two countries where state-linked and sovereign investors have been active in recent years. A local office gives an investor like Temasek a permanent base for building relationships, sourcing deals and overseeing investments, instead of covering the region from Singapore or through periodic visits.

Temasek is owned by the Singapore government and manages a portfolio spread across Asia, Europe and the Americas. Its move into the Gulf fits a wider pattern of Asian and global investors placing more staff in the region as capital flows there grow.

The available details are limited. The announcement does not give staffing levels, investment targets or the exact opening date for each office, so how quickly the expansion takes shape, and how much capital it will direct into the region, remains to be seen.