Piper Sandler Companies announced it has completed its acquisition of MENA Growth Partners, a merchant bank headquartered in Abu Dhabi, in a move that expands the U.S. investment bank’s footprint in the Gulf and formalizes a regional platform it intends to use as a strategic hub across the GCC.
The firm said the transaction positions MENA Growth Partners as Piper Sandler’s investment banking center in the region, giving the bank a stronger local base from which to serve sovereign-linked entities, large corporates, private companies, and financial sponsors that are increasingly active in cross-border dealmaking and capital markets activity. Piper Sandler did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.
Piper Sandler said the combination is intended to pair MENA Growth Partners’ relationships and local market access with Piper Sandler’s industry coverage and advisory capabilities. The bank highlighted its domain expertise across energy, infrastructure and chemicals—sectors that remain central to Gulf economies—as well as healthcare and technology, two areas that have drawn growing investment as regional governments and institutions push diversification agendas. Piper Sandler also said the platform will strengthen its equity capital markets and private capital advisory offering for regional clients, signaling a focus not only on M&A but also on fundraising, strategic financings and broader balance-sheet advisory.
Leadership for the expanded effort will be based in Abu Dhabi. Piper Sandler said Nabeel Siddiqui, currently a managing director in the firm’s London office, will relocate to the Abu Dhabi office to lead investment banking in the region. The firm said Siddiqui will retain responsibility for his existing European business while taking on the regional leadership role, a structure that underscores Piper Sandler’s aim to connect Middle East opportunities with its European and broader international client networks.
The company also emphasized that MENA Growth Partners’ relationships will be used to deepen Piper Sandler’s connectivity in the Gulf, both for inbound advisory work for regional clients and for outbound opportunities tied to international transactions.
In describing the strategic rationale, Piper Sandler cited the acquisition as a way to broaden access to clients and mandates in a market where global banks have been building up advisory, capital markets and sponsor coverage teams, while regional activity has continued to expand across infrastructure, energy transition, industrials and technology-enabled services.
Support: Piper Sandler was advised on the transaction by Al Tamimi & Company. MENA Growth Partners was advised by Charles Russell Speechlys and the advisory firm TMF Group.
