Key Takeaways
- • Abu Dhabi's Lunate acquires a minority stake in Brevan Howard, a $34 billion hedge fund manager founded in 2002, with an initial $2 billion capital commitment to establish a new Abu Dhabi-based investment platform.
- • The partnership creates an exclusive suite of newly launched funds domiciled in the Abu DhAbu Global Market (ADGM), leveraging Brevan Howard's macro and digital asset strategies, with additional capital expected to be raised from local and international investors over time.
- • Lunate, managing $110 billion in assets and backed by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE national security adviser), expands strategically into hedge fund management—a significant portfolio diversification from its existing focus on private equity and infrastructure.
- • Brevan Howard, headed by CEO Aron Landy and serving sovereign wealth funds, corporate and public pension plans, has delivered an annualized 8.1% rate of return since 2003, with its largest office globally now located in ADGM as of early 2023.
- • The transaction represents the latest high-profile capital deployment by Abu Dhabi into global asset management, reflecting the emirate's emergence as a magnet for the industry driven by sovereign wealth fund presence and an influx of capital.
Summary
Abu Dhabi-based alternative investment manager Lunate has acquired a minority stake in Brevan Howard, one of the world's leading hedge fund managers, in a strategic partnership announced on August 26, 2025. The transaction includes an initial $2 billion long-term capital commitment from Lunate to establish a new investment platform domiciled in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), subject to regulatory approval. Negotiations between the two firms spanned six months to one year before the deal reached completion.
Lunate, which manages $110 billion in assets under management and is part of a business empire controlled by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE national security adviser and brother of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan), will partner with Brevan Howard to launch an exclusive suite of newly created funds leveraging Brevan Howard's existing strategies in macro trading and digital assets. The partnership is expected to raise additional capital from local and international investors over time beyond the initial $2 billion commitment. This deal marks Lunate's strategic entry into hedge fund management, broadening its product offerings beyond its traditional focus on private equity and infrastructure investments since its launch approximately two years ago.
Brevan Howard, founded in 2002 by Alan Howard and a group of Credit Suisse traders, manages approximately $34 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base including sovereign wealth funds, corporate pension plans, and public pension schemes. The fund has delivered a consistent annualized return of 8.1% since 2003 and is headed by CEO Aron Landy. Notably, Brevan Howard established its regional headquarters in ADGM in early 2023, which has become its largest office globally by assets managed, underscoring the firm's strategic commitment to the Abu Dhabi market.
The transaction reflects Abu Dhabi's ascendant role in the global alternative asset management industry. The emirate has become increasingly attractive to major asset managers due to the presence of substantial sovereign wealth funds and an influx of millionaire investors, making it a strategic hub for industry expansion. Lunate's investment complements its existing partnership ecosystem, which includes co-management arrangements with Brookfield and Blue Owl, demonstrating a pattern of strategic capital deployment into complementary asset management capabilities across the GCC and internationally.
Lunate, which manages $110 billion in assets under management and is part of a business empire controlled by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan (UAE national security adviser and brother of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan), will partner with Brevan Howard to launch an exclusive suite of newly created funds leveraging Brevan Howard's existing strategies in macro trading and digital assets. The partnership is expected to raise additional capital from local and international investors over time beyond the initial $2 billion commitment. This deal marks Lunate's strategic entry into hedge fund management, broadening its product offerings beyond its traditional focus on private equity and infrastructure investments since its launch approximately two years ago.
Brevan Howard, founded in 2002 by Alan Howard and a group of Credit Suisse traders, manages approximately $34 billion in assets and serves a diverse client base including sovereign wealth funds, corporate pension plans, and public pension schemes. The fund has delivered a consistent annualized return of 8.1% since 2003 and is headed by CEO Aron Landy. Notably, Brevan Howard established its regional headquarters in ADGM in early 2023, which has become its largest office globally by assets managed, underscoring the firm's strategic commitment to the Abu Dhabi market.
The transaction reflects Abu Dhabi's ascendant role in the global alternative asset management industry. The emirate has become increasingly attractive to major asset managers due to the presence of substantial sovereign wealth funds and an influx of millionaire investors, making it a strategic hub for industry expansion. Lunate's investment complements its existing partnership ecosystem, which includes co-management arrangements with Brookfield and Blue Owl, demonstrating a pattern of strategic capital deployment into complementary asset management capabilities across the GCC and internationally.
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