"Shakeel Ahmed Meer is a visionary entrepreneur and Chairman of Meer Group of Investments, with over 15 years of experience leading transformative ventures across Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy, IT, Technology, and E-commerce. Known for building sustainable. innovation-driven businesses, he has established a strong global presence. As an accomplished author, wealth coach, and speaker, Mr. Meer is passionate about empowering individuals and businesses through strategic insights, mentorship, and a commitment to sustainability and growth."

The Strategic Edge of Private Equity

Imagine two doors in front of you. Behind one lies the bustling world of stock markets—fast-paced, transparent, and ever-moving. This is the world of public equity. You can walk in and out anytime, buying shares of companies like Emirates NBD or Apple with just a few clicks. For many investors, public equity offers liquidity, diversification, and a front-row seat to global economic trends.
Now picture the second door. It opens into private boardrooms, early-stage innovation hubs, and real estate sites not visible on the public radar. This is private equity—where serious capital meets opportunity before the world catches on. You invest in businesses before they go public, partner with real estate developers before the first brick is laid, or back a healthcare startup destined to transform lives. It's less liquid, requires patience, but offers higher potential returns and strategic influence.
Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates (one of the world’s largest hedge funds), in his view on a capital markets, long-term investing, and economic cycles offer profound insights into the role of private equity in a balanced portfolio. HE suggests, Private equity, as a long-term value creation rather than short-term market sentiment.Private equity as a formalized investment strategy began to take shape in the mid-20th century in the United States. the 1990s and early 2000s Rapid global expansion, with firms setting up operations across Europe, Asia, and emerging markets. There was some slowdown in the private equity cap during the recession of 2008, but Since 2013 till date Private equity rebounded strongly, reaching new highs:Assets Under Management (AUM) globally exceeded $6.3 trillion by end-2023. The creation of large-scale PE funds and the entry of sovereign wealth funds (like ADIA in the UAE) as major limited partners. North America dominates, holding about 58–64% of global PE AUM. Europe AUM reached €1.3 trillion in 2023. Asia‑Pacific AUM grew to around $1.5 trillion, a 14% increase in 2023. In the GCC, private equity AUM stood at $4.2 billion in 2024, projected to reach $7.6 billion by 2033 (CAGR ~6.4%)Private Equity (PE) involves direct investments into private companies or buyouts of public companies to take them private. This long-term capital is used to restructure, scale, or innovate businesses. PE offers high returns but typically involves a lock-in or commitment period, making it ideal for patient capital seeking significant upside. Private capital financing in the Gulf countries has seen a rise from $10.4 billion between 2015 and 2019 to $54.8 billion between 2020 and 2024 , as reported by S&P Global. The combined value of private equity transactions in Saudi Arabia alone went from $523 million in 2019 to a record $4 billion in 2023, a compound annual growth rate of 66 per cent, as reported by MAGNiTT and Saudi Venture Capital Company.Private equity is no longer a niche, it is a $6 trillion global asset class powering innovation, growth, and transformation. From venture capital roots to global