Bahrain-based GFH Financial Group has invested $1.2 billion in Middle Eastern infrastructure, underlining growing interest in the asset class.
Previously known as Gulf Finance House, the firm now owns 200 million square feet of land in Africa, the Gulf and India. It says it helped to fund the acquisitions with a $315 million capital increase.
“The acquisition adds another main line of business to GFH, infrastructure investments, alongside investment banking, commercial banking and real estate,” said Hisham Alrayes, chief executive.
Infrastructure has become a popular investment for institutional investors, which seek stable, long-term returns.
GFH Financial says developers are interested to work with it on the portfolio, “hence we foresee substantial returns to our shareholders in the medium to long term”.
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