Emirates NBD, BlackRock expand UAE fund platform to retail investors
What's the deal? Emirates NBDDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → Asset Management and BlackRock have launched two income-focused funds, the FundStar Emirates CLO AA Fund and the Emirates Systematic Income and Growth Fund. Both open the pair's investment platform to a broader retail base across the region, moving beyond strategies once reserved for professional clients.
Why now? The funds build on a platform the two firms launched in 2025 to give wealth clients access to alternative investments. Over the past year, that collaboration has drawn $350 million in assets under management.
What's the endgame? The FundStar Emirates CLO AA Fund, sub-managed by BlackRock, invests in an investment-grade portfolio of senior secured corporate loans across the US and Europe. It targets an average credit rating of AA, daily liquidity, and no leverage.
The Emirates Systematic Income and Growth Fund uses a benchmark-unconstrained approach across globally diversified income assets, with BlackRock as investment advisor and Emirates NBD managing the portfolio. It targets a 7% distribution net of fees, paid quarterly.
The funds aim to meet demand for regular income, capital preservation, and diversification, said Michail Samawi, senior executive officer at Emirates NBD Asset ManagementDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. He called the appetite in the region for "sophisticated, yield-generating solutions" the driver behind the expansion.
The signal: The launch extends a push to widen locally available investment products in the UAE, where HSBC Asset Management rolled out 10 onshore funds in January 2026 amid rules encouraging local fund domiciliation. For Emirates NBD and BlackRock, it marks a shift from private-market access toward public fund structures built for retail investors.
Read more: gdnonline.com
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