H. Richard Dallas, managing director of private equity at Gulf Capital, has almost three decades of experience with commercial transactions and investments in GCC countries. Gulf Capital specializes in investments in late-stage buyouts, growth capital, industry consolidations, and add-on acquisitions.
Mr. Dallas and Gulf Capital have made headlines in the Middle East with their investments in companies such as Consultant Radiology Centres, Saudi Arabia’s largest chain of diagnostic imaging centers, and with January’s purchase of a majority stake in Sakr Energy Solutions. In July 2011, Gulf Capital sold Maritime Industrial Services after spending five years increasing the firm’s profits, which was later recognized as the 2011 private equity “Deal of the Year” at the Private Equity World MENA Conference.
An article in Zawya quoted Mr. Dallas describing the Maritime Industrial Services sale as “a good example of how a strategic trade buyer can come in and make an offer to acquire the entire company at a substantial premium in order to benefit from increased synergies, higher market share and product expansion.” In the article, Mr. Dallas went on to note that such trade sale activity involving portfolio companies should continue as the private equity industry matures in the region.
In February, Mr. Dallas was interviewed by Richard Dean for the Dubai Eye radio show, where he discussed Gulf Capital’s investment in Reach Group, the philosophy guiding Gulf Capital’s investments, and the condition of the Dubai economy overall.
on 25–26 March 2012 at the Third Annual Middle East Investment Conference in Doha, Qatar, Mr. Dallas will be discussing ways to evaluate private equity investment opportunities in the Middle East. Investment professionals interested in learning more about how private equity investments in the Middle East are typically structured and funded, or who would like to hear about the most promising industry sectors for private equity investment in the Middle East can register to attend the event and follow this blog for more speaker updates as the conference draws closer.
