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AVCJ Private Equity Forum Abu Dhabi 2026

location_on Four Seasons Hotel, Abu Dhabi Map

Opening fireside chat

Mubadala’s Asia strategy and the partnership model behind it.

Tim Burroughs (Mergermarket, AVCJ) speaks with Mohamed Albadr, Head of Asia, Private Equity at Mubadala, on why the firm is increasing its Asia exposure and how it invests through uncertainty. Albadr covers China valuation discipline and geopolitical constraints, priorities across India and Korea, and, most importantly, how Mubadala builds and scales GP partnerships through underwriting, collaboration and co-investment.

Key themes: Allocation Strategy. Pan-Asia, GP-LP Partnership, Co-investments, China, Valuations and Pricing, Geopolitics and Trade, Private Equity Buyouts

 

Mubadala’s Asia Allocation Strategy

Chapter 1
Mohamed Albadr explains why Mubadala is increasing its Asia exposure, the structural drivers behind the move, and how the firm thinks about deploying capital at scale across the region.

Allocation Strategy; Pan-Asia; Private Equity Buyouts

 

China: Valuations and Entry Discipline

Chapter 2
A clear view on why China remains investable, how sentiment and flows affect pricing, and why entry price and underwriting discipline matter most when uncertainty is high.

China; Valuations and Pricing; Private Equity Buyouts

 

Investing in China Under Geopolitical Constraints

Chapter 3
Albadr outlines a pragmatic framework for investing through geopolitical tension, including where the red lines are and how to focus on the parts of the market that remain actionable.

Geopolitics and Trade; China; Private Equity Buyouts

 

China Sector Avoidance and AI Exposure

Chapter 4
What Mubadala avoids in China and why, plus how the firm seeks AI upside through other routes, including MGX and infrastructure-linked exposure.

AI and Compute; Digital Infrastructure; UAE and GCC

 

Portfolio Resilience and India Priorities

Chapter 5
A portfolio approach that prioritises resilience over political alignment, then a grounded look at India’s opportunity set and what competition and valuations mean for entry.

Allocation Strategy; India; Private Equity Buyouts

 

Korea: Volatility and Carve-out Opportunities

Chapter 6
Why volatility can create opportunity, using Korea as a case study, with a practical example of how carve-outs can offer attractive entry points.

Korea; Private Equity Buyouts; Operational Value Creation

 

Manager Selection and Partnership Criteria

Chapter 7
What Mubadala looks for in GPs, how partnership is evaluated beyond track record, and what “good behaviour” looks like when building long-term relationships.

GP-LP Partnership; Fundraising and Capital Formation; Pan-Asia

 

Measuring GP Relationships at Scale

Chapter 8
How Mubadala assesses manager relationships using repeatable signals, including the quality of opportunities shared, underwriting discipline, and consistency over time.

GP-LP Partnership; Allocation Strategy; Pan-Asia

 

Supporting Large Transactions With Partners

Chapter 9
When Mubadala leans in to help trusted partners pursue larger deals, and how capability, alignment and execution confidence shape that decision.

GP-LP Partnership; Private Equity Buyouts; Pan-Asia

 

Abu Dhabi as a Hub and Closing Remarks

Chapter 10
Albadr explains why Abu Dhabi is becoming a stronger platform for capital and companies, then closes with a practical lesson: start from the end customer and build backwards.

UAE and GCC; Regulation and Market Structure; Operational Value Creation

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