About this episode

Samer Sarraf discusses his transition from engineering to finance and the application of private equity principles in public markets within the GCC.

In this episode, Tano Santos speaks with Samer Sarraf, Founding Partner and COO of Amwal Capital Partners, about his journey from engineering and construction to Lehman Brothers and ultimately founding a public equities firm focused on the GCC. Samer reflects on lessons from the 2008 financial crisis , why private equity struggled in the region, and how his team applies a private equity mindset to public markets. The conversation examines regulatory change, market structure in Saudi and the UAE, concentrated inv e s t ing, and a deep dive into Abu Dhabi Ports and much more! Key Topics: ●Samer's upbringing in Jordan and the role of education and entrepreneurship in his family (3:35) ● Studying civil engineering at McGill and early career in construction in Paris and Tahiti (9:46) ● Transition to Columbia Business School and pivot toward finance (16:16) ● Joining Lehman Brothers' real estate group and structuring CMBS transactions (17:57) ● Early signs of stress in credit markets ahead of the financial crisis (23:28) ● Moving from investment banking to private equity in the GCC (26:48) ● Why the private equity model struggled in the region (35:02) ● Founding Amwal Capital Partners…

People in this episode

Host: Tano Santos

Guest: Samer Sarraf

Topics covered

• private equity
• public markets
• GCC investing
• financial crisis
• market structure
• regulatory change
• investment strategy

Keywords

• GCC
• private equity
• public markets
• financial crisis
• investment banking
• Amwal Capital Partners
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• regulatory insight
• market structure

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Amwal Capital Partners, Lehman Brothers

Books & works: civil engineering, CMBS transactions

Places: Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Abu Dhabi

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