Abu Dhabi Sovereign Fund ADQ Takes Control of Middle East Courier Giant, Deepens Logistics Strategy  

ADQ, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, recently announced the completion of its controlling acquisition of Middle East courier giant Aramex, furthering its strategy to build a global logistics hub.  

Per the announcement, ADQ and its subsidiary AD Ports Group together hold 63.16% of Aramex, with AD Ports owning 22.69%. ADQ becomes Aramex’s controlling shareholder, integrating it into its transport and logistics portfolio.  

In January, ADQ offered 3 AED per share for Aramex, valuing the company at 4.39 billion AED (~$1.2 billion), a 33% premium over its 2.31 AED Dubai Financial Market price then.  

Headquartered in the UAE, Aramex operates in 65 countries, offering logistics and transport services with 800,000 square meters of global warehousing and a robust truck network in the Gulf, wielding wide market influence in the Middle East.  

ADQ Deputy CEO Mansour AlMulla called the acquisition a “strategic step to perfect a UAE-centered global logistics network,” synergizing with existing maritime, air, and land investments.  

ADQ has recently expanded its local and international portfolio. In June, it planned to acquire a 35% stake in Limagrain Vegetable Seeds (LVS) from France’s Limagrain, creating a drought-resistant seed research platform.

In April, ADQ teamed with IHC and FAB to launch a UAE dirham-pegged stablecoin, entering crypto. In March, it partnered with Energy Capital Partners (ECP) for over $25 billion in U.S. energy infrastructure investments.  

Founded in 2018 as Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment arm, ADQ’s assets reached $251 billion by 2024 end, controlling major transport and logistics firms like Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Aviation.