Kessner Capital Secures First African Deal via Abu Dhabi Hub
Abu Dhabi has become the unlikely gateway for British investment into Africa, and Kessner Capital Management's latest manoeuvre proves precisely why the Gulf state now commands such strategic importance in global finance.
The London-based alternative investment firm has strengthened its regional presence in Abu Dhabi through a strategic partnership with a UAE-based family office, establishing what amounts to an operational and relationship hub at the heart of the Gulf's institutional ecosystem. This isn't merely expansion for expansion's sake, but a calculated recognition of where serious African investment capital now flows.
Abu Dhabi: The New African Investment Gateway
Make no mistake about it: Abu Dhabi has positioned itself as the indispensable platform for investors targeting Africa. The emirate's transformation into a genuine international financial centre reflects the kind of strategic thinking that Britain once exemplified in its imperial heyday.
"Abu Dhabi is devenu un passage obligé pour les investisseurs souhaitant s'engager en Afrique," confirms Bruno-Maurice Monny, co-founder and Managing Partner of Kessner Capital Management. Translation: Abu Dhabi has become essential for African investment. The French phrasing rather tellingly reveals where much of this capital conversation now takes place.
Concurrent with this strategic positioning, Kessner has completed its inaugural transaction: a credit facility extended to Harlequin International Ghana (HIT), designed to support execution of a procurement contract. This represents the fund's first structured and closed transaction since inception.
Real Economy Foundations
The credit facility to Harlequin International Ghana targets a Ghanaian industrial player operating in engineering and technical services, particularly serving structural sectors. This isn't speculative venture capital chasing the next unicorn, but traditional financing supporting genuine economic activity.
Kessner emphasises this first operation illustrates its positioning: providing bespoke financing solutions to African companies with solid operational fundamentals, addressing significant capital needs across the continent. The firm's strategy centres on private credit oriented toward sustainable value creation, combining structuring expertise, risk discipline, and local partnerships.
The company's philosophy extends beyond mere financing to accompanying growth trajectories through governance and transparency requirements. This represents the kind of disciplined approach to emerging market investment that British institutions historically championed.
Strategic Implications
Kessner's dual approach, maintaining London operations while establishing Gulf relationships, reflects the new realities of international finance. The Commonwealth connections that once facilitated British investment in Africa now compete with Gulf capital flows and Chinese infrastructure spending.
The firm's focus on "terrain-based approaches" and international partnerships acknowledges the complexity of African markets whilst pursuing risk-adjusted returns. This pragmatic assessment of opportunity and challenge exemplifies the kind of clear-eyed analysis British investors must adopt to remain competitive.
Abu Dhabi's emergence as an African investment hub shouldn't surprise observers of global capital flows. The emirate combines regulatory sophistication, strategic geography, and substantial capital pools. For British firms like Kessner, partnering rather than competing with Gulf capital represents sound strategic thinking.
About Kessner Capital Management
Kessner Capital Management operates as an alternative investment management firm focused on Africa, emphasising ground-level approaches and international partnerships to navigate market complexity, mitigate risks, and pursue risk-adjusted returns.