• Taimoor Labib, Founding Partner, Head of MENA and Chairman of Africa, Affirma Capital
• Shantanu Mukerji, Managing Director, Private Equity, Gulf Capital
• Vishnu Amble, Director and Head of Investments, GreenBear Group LLC
• Kavitha Nair, Senior Reporter, DealStreetAsia [Moderator]

The Gulf is quickly becoming a capital allocator of consequence. Armed with decades of accumulated oil wealth and a mandate for economic diversification, Middle East capital has become one of the most influential forces in private markets. These investors are seeding new fund managers, backing startups, and supporting mid-market companies. By leveraging global expertise, they are anchoring new investment vehicles and forming cross-border partnerships to achieve both economic and strategic objectives. This capital is playing an increasingly significant role in shaping private equity activity, particularly in emerging markets such as Asia.
How is Middle East private capital balancing diversification priorities with commercial return expectations as it expands its private equity footprint across Asia?