ADQ to invest US$ 1 billion in Lulu Group for Expanding in Egypt.

TDT | Abu Dhabi

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

ADQ, one of the region’s largest holding companies, has entered into a non-binding agreement with LuLu International Holdings (LIHL), the leading hypermarket & supermarket chain in the Middle East, paving the way for an investment supporting LIHL’s expansion of operations in Egypt of up to USD 1 billion.

The latest deal is over and above the US$ 1 billion ADQ had earlier this year invested in LuLu Group. Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, and Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman of LuLu Group, signed the deal. Under the terms, ADQ and LIHL will work collectively to develop up to 30 hypermarkets, 100 express minimarket stores, state-of-the-art logistics hubs, distribution and fulfilment centres to strengthen their eCommerce business across Egypt. The expansion is expected to create up to 12,000 jobs, fostering economic and social growth throughout the country.

Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, Chief Executive Officer of ADQ, said: “Our agreement with LuLu International Holdings reflects our wider commitment to investing in Egypt, following the announcement of our joint investment platform with the Sovereign Fund of Egypt agreed late last year. The phased roll-out of multiple retail stores would provide significant socio-economic benefits to local communities across the country, as well as bolster the quality and range of products available to Egyptian consumers. We are pleased to be able to give further support to the co-operation that already exists between the UAE and Egypt.” Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman of LuLu, said: “Egypt is a very important growth market for us, and we see great potential for our future business there. Our agreement with ADQ will better position us to continue the rapid expansion of our operations across Egypt.

I take this opportunity to thank the leadership of Abu Dhabi and ADQ for their support to expand LuLu’s operations in Egypt which will immensely benefit the country and its citizens. In November 2019, the launch of a joint strategic investment platform worth USD 20 billion, to be funded equally by ADQ and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, was announced. The platform aims to establish joint strategic investment projects, as well as specialized funds and investment tools in several key sectors such as food and agriculture, healthcare, mobility and logistics, and utilities.