Southeast Asian venture capital firm Golden Gate Ventures has appointed Hussain Abdulla as partner, according to an announcement.
The development comes as Golden Gate Ventures hit the first close of its $100-million debut MENA [Middle East and North Africa] fund in May this year. It secured $20 million from anchor investors, Al Khor Holding and Al Attiya Group, both Qatari family-controlled conglomerates with businesses in areas like real estate, manufacturing and brands; as well as Sheikh Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani.
Hussain brings a wealth of experience and value through his extensive experience in the financial sector, deep knowledge of the MENA region, and strategic connections in the Gulf region, a statement read.
Hussain will work with Michael Lints, who leads Golden Gate’s expansion in the MENA region. Together, they plan to set the fund apart by using the firm’s “First-In” strategy and bringing in foreign direct investments to MENA.
With Hussain’s robust network in the Gulf and knowledge of capital markets and Michael’s experience in venture capital and entrepreneurship, the firm aims to establish a “Southeast Asia-MENA corridor” that encourages cross-border investments, founder support, working with universities, job creation, talent fostering, and economic diversification.
The MENA fund will be established and headquartered in Qatar, making Golden Gate Ventures the first international VC fund to do so in the Gulf state. As part of the shift, Lints has relocated to Qatar to oversee this expansion.
Last December, Golden Gate Ventures opened an office in Saudi Arabia, appointing Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani as General Partner to support its MENA expansion.
The new MENA fund will focus on sectors like alternative energy, green technology, B2B, artificial intelligence, and energy-related deep tech – areas that will complement Qatar’s strengths in LNG and alternative energy. It will also look into sectors like fintech, healthtech and edtech, furthering Qatar’s economic diversification agenda.