QFIB buys majority stake in UAE services firm

Al-Marri and Mansour: Cashing in on Mena growth.

Qatar First Investment Bank (QFIB) has acquired a majority stake in Al Wasita Emirates for Services & Catering (WES), the UAE based “total support services” management firm.

The acquisition, in the form of a management buyout, marks QFIB’s third deal in the industrial sector and “reaffirms the bank’s investment strategy”, which focuses on sectorial and geographic diversification, according to statement.

The acquisition establishes WES as the first Shariah-compliant service management company in the UAE.

Commenting on the acquisition, QFIB chairman Abdulla bin Fahad bin Ghorab al-Marri said, “This is our fourth venture in the UAE market. We are pleased to add Al Wasita Emirates to our portfolio of companies. As the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region continues its rapid development, without any doubt there will be a huge demand for the type of services Al Wasita Emirates offers”.

Emad Mansour, QFIB chief executive officer said, “Al Wasita Emirates has a unique business model with positive growth prospects. Over the years it has managed to significantly grow its share in the UAE market by offering a suite of support services targeting a range of sectors. Our aim is to drive the growth of the company and increase its geographical reach by leveraging on our network of contacts in the Mena region and Turkey”.

Founded in 2008, WES has since then grown to become a leading company in the UAE providing turn-key support solutions to a range of sectors including oil and gas, military, healthcare, education, construction and corporate.

WES services extend from contractual catering, to facilities management, supply and logistics, cleaning and laundry as well as leisure and property services.

Raed Yaghanm, Al Wasita Emirates CEO, said, “We are pleased to welcome QFIB as an equity partner and are proud of the fact that we are now the first Shariah-compliant service management company in the UAE, and probably, in the region. Our partnership with QFIB has come at an opportune time as the Mena region enters into a new phase of development. With more projects emerging in neighbouring countries there is a definite need for qualified and experienced total support providers. We are confident that with the guidance of our chairman and QFIB’s support we will be able to expand WES’s footprint in the region and contribute to the further success of the Al Wasita brand.”