Advent International said it had opened an office in Abu Dhabi Global Market as the financial center reported a 54% year-over-year increase in assets under management during the first half of 2026.
The office will deepen Advent’s engagement with regional investors, support companies already in its portfolio and help the firm assess potential investments, Advent said in its Oct. 21 announcement. The firm did not identify a deal or investment commitment tied to the opening.
Mehdi Iraqi, Advent’s managing director for Limited Partner Services, will lead the Abu Dhabi office. Advent said he joined the firm in January 2026 and has almost 20 years of experience with institutional investors in the region, including previous roles at AMG and Carlyle.
ADGM reported that assets under management at the center rose 54% year over year in the first half of 2026. It counted 190 fund and asset managers, compared with 154 in the first half of 2025. Funds managed from the center totaled 276, up from 209 a year earlier.
The center also reported 13,974 active licenses during the first half, with 1,814 issued in that period. Asset managers that began operations there during the first half collectively oversee more than $2.1 trillion in global assets, according to ADGM. That figure covers their worldwide portfolios, rather than money invested from Abu Dhabi. ADGM said its assets under management have increased in every reporting period since the beginning of 2022.
Advent describes the Abu Dhabi location as its first office in the Middle East. The firm says its global network includes 18 offices in 15 countries. Its expansion history includes a Sydney office launched in July 2024, a Tokyo location added in January 2026 and a larger Hong Kong presence earlier this year.
James Brocklebank, Advent’s managing partner and co-chair of its Global Executive Committee, called Abu Dhabi a “natural addition” to the firm’s network.
