Jean Eric Salata, EQT Group chair, told The National the firm is discussing investments with sovereign investors in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates amid physical constraints on AI infrastructure.
The newspaper reported Nov. 3 that the talks involve investors in both countries. It did not name prospective partners or disclose an investment amount, structure or timetable. Salata said EQT is particularly interested in data infrastructure and data centers. He described access to chips, energy and data centers as a constraint on AI infrastructure development. He also said computing demand remains strong and long-term capital providers have an opportunity.
EQT announced its Middle East platform and Abu Dhabi office on Sept. 23. The company said the office would build on regional relationships developed over more than a decade and support investment efforts in areas including digital and AI infrastructure.
The International Monetary Fund said Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE announced AI investment plans totaling roughly $120 billion in 2025, or more than 5% of GDP. EQT reported total assets under management of €354 billion as of Sept. 30 in its October quarterly announcement.
The National gave no timetable for an announcement or further step in the discussions.
