Report: UAE, Egypt Highest in Private Equity Investments in 2013

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains a popular destination for private equity investments due to the size and dynamic nature of the economy, reported Gulf News quoting the 8th annual report of the MENA Private Equity Association.

The non-profit organisation supporting and developing the private equity and venture capital (VC) industry in the region revealed that the UAE and Egypt led the number of investments for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region accounting for 20% followed by Lebanon with 18%.

It is worth noting, however, that the private equity industry in the MENA region witnessed flat growth in 2013. Based on disclosed information, the number and total value of deals have seen a slight decline compared to 2012, added the newspaper.

Average investment size in 2013 was stable at $15 million with continued focus on VC, growth capital and small and medium enterprise (SME) investments.