Key Takeaways
- • Latham & Watkins advised Arzan Investment Management (AIM) on securing a debt financing commitment from Oaktree Capital Management funds for its GCC hospitality platform, representing significant institutional capital deployment into the region's hotel sector.
- • The financing will accelerate AIM's acquisition and repositioning strategy for value-add hospitality assets across Gulf Cooperation Council gateway cities, with particular focus on Dubai, reflecting growing international investor appetite for the region's robust hospitality market.
- • The transaction follows AIM's 2025 acquisition of Fairmont The Palm, on which Latham also provided legal counsel, demonstrating continuity in the firm's advisory relationship with the alternative investment manager.
- • The deal underscores the sector's increasing institutionalization and appeal to global alternative asset managers, with Oaktree Capital Management—a leading specialist in alternative investments—signaling confidence in GCC hospitality fundamentals and AIM's platform strategy.
Summary
Latham & Watkins has advised Arzan Investment Management, an alternative investment manager specializing in real estate, hospitality, and credit strategies, on securing debt financing from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management for its Gulf Cooperation Council hospitality platform. The transaction, announced February 12, 2026, represents a significant capital commitment to support AIM's strategy of acquiring and repositioning value-add hospitality assets across the GCC region.
The financing will enable AIM to expand its footprint in the sector's dynamic gateway cities, with Dubai serving as a primary focus market. This capital infusion reflects broader market recognition of the GCC hospitality sector's growth trajectory and the increasing institutional interest in the region's real estate and hospitality opportunities. Oaktree Capital Management, a prominent global alternative investment specialist, deployed the financing, signaling institutional confidence in both the market fundamentals and AIM's operational execution capabilities.
The transaction builds directly on AIM's demonstrated track record in the space. The firm acquired Fairmont The Palm in 2025, a flagship hospitality asset in Dubai, on which Latham & Watkins also provided legal advisory services. This precedent transaction establishes AIM's ability to identify, acquire, and manage institutional-grade hospitality properties in the GCC, supporting the confidence that Oaktree Capital placed in the current financing commitment.
The Latham & Watkins engagement was led by Dubai-based partner Omar Maayeh, with support from associates Tarek Soliman, Ahmed Al Frehat, Sammy Lockhart, and Shiva Dakhili on corporate matters, and Dubai associates Mustafa Darwich, Stephanie Fuller, Anna Van den Ackerveken, and Amelia Griggs on finance matters. The transaction exemplifies the continued institutionalization of GCC real estate and hospitality investment, with international capital increasingly flowing to the region's high-growth markets through structured alternative investment vehicles.
The financing will enable AIM to expand its footprint in the sector's dynamic gateway cities, with Dubai serving as a primary focus market. This capital infusion reflects broader market recognition of the GCC hospitality sector's growth trajectory and the increasing institutional interest in the region's real estate and hospitality opportunities. Oaktree Capital Management, a prominent global alternative investment specialist, deployed the financing, signaling institutional confidence in both the market fundamentals and AIM's operational execution capabilities.
The transaction builds directly on AIM's demonstrated track record in the space. The firm acquired Fairmont The Palm in 2025, a flagship hospitality asset in Dubai, on which Latham & Watkins also provided legal advisory services. This precedent transaction establishes AIM's ability to identify, acquire, and manage institutional-grade hospitality properties in the GCC, supporting the confidence that Oaktree Capital placed in the current financing commitment.
The Latham & Watkins engagement was led by Dubai-based partner Omar Maayeh, with support from associates Tarek Soliman, Ahmed Al Frehat, Sammy Lockhart, and Shiva Dakhili on corporate matters, and Dubai associates Mustafa Darwich, Stephanie Fuller, Anna Van den Ackerveken, and Amelia Griggs on finance matters. The transaction exemplifies the continued institutionalization of GCC real estate and hospitality investment, with international capital increasingly flowing to the region's high-growth markets through structured alternative investment vehicles.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.