Exits MENA and ACE Local Management Fully Acquire Avanz Capital Egypt

• The Egyptian investment consulting platform Exits MENA, in partnership with the local management of Avanz Capital Egypt, has acquired Avanz Capital Egypt (ACE), an asset management and direct investment company, in a deal valued in the seven-figure millions of dollars.
• Exits MENA was founded in 2022 by Mohamed Abu Al-Naga Nagati, Ayman Al-Tanbouli, and Ahla Al-Sabban, providing services in mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, investment readiness, and consulting for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises.
• The deal has received preliminary approval from the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), while the current management team of ACE, led by CEO and Managing Director Haitham Wajih, will continue to manage the company and its investment operations.
• The ACE brand is set to be rebranded to Exits Manara, becoming Exits MENA's direct investment and asset management arm.
• Exits Manara will continue to manage the existing fund of funds, Manara 1, and plans to launch Manara 2 for Export Investments, targeting medium-sized exporting Egyptian companies and supporting their expansion into international markets.

Exits MENA, the first investment platform and investment consulting company in the region focusing on startups and small to medium-sized enterprises, announced the signing of a strategic deal in partnership with the local management of ACE to acquire Avanz Capital Egypt, specializing in direct investment and asset management.

After obtaining preliminary approval (no objection) from the Financial Regulatory Authority, the deal represents an important milestone in Exits MENA's strategy to build an integrated financial group serving investors, startups, small to medium-sized enterprises, and financial institutions in Egypt and the MENA region.

Under the agreement, the current management team at ACE, led by Haitham Wajih, CEO and Managing Director, will continue their roles while retaining responsibility for managing the company's operations and investment activities.

The structure of the deal is designed to ensure continuity of business and alignment of interests for existing investors and clients in ACE, enhancing trust in line with international standards in the direct investment sector, while simultaneously contributing to building a stronger platform for developing scalable investment opportunities capable of making a tangible impact in the private capital market.

Avanz Capital Egypt has successfully established its position within the direct investment ecosystem in Egypt, focusing on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and enhancing the direct investment and venture capital sectors in the Egyptian market. Its expertise will integrate with Exits MENA's consulting capabilities and regional network, contributing to building a more interconnected platform that combines attractive investment opportunities with competitive returns, alongside creating long-term value in portfolio companies.

Haitham Wajih, CEO and Managing Director of Avanz Capital Egypt, stated: "We are now more aligned through shared ownership, and our team will continue its tasks as is, with ongoing expansion plans, while our investment methodology will remain unchanged. What will change is our ability to grow and retain key competencies. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Nader Al-Sayed as a shareholder and executive director, while Masa Arafa will continue her leadership role as investment manager, alongside her participation in ownership to enhance interest alignment. With Exits MENA, we now have support from a broader regional platform, alongside developing our management style for the company and its investment portfolio."

Exits MENA was founded in 2022 by Mohamed Abu Al-Naga Nagati, Ayman Al-Tanbouli, and Ahla Al-Sabban, and has since expanded its operations to include over seven markets worldwide. The company has built a strong track record in investment deals and strategic consulting, supported by a growing network of regional and international partners; it has established over 75 global partnerships, launched three ongoing investment readiness programs, and supported more than 2,000 companies across the region.

The founding team of Exits MENA stated: "This acquisition represents a pivotal step in Exits MENA's journey to build an integrated financial group serving the region. Since 2022, we have worked with companies at various stages of growth, and we have consistently observed the need for a more interconnected ecosystem that combines investment readiness, consulting services, and access to capital. By adding direct investment and asset management capabilities to our services, we are completing the ecosystem we began building to serve entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises, investors, and institutional partners. We believe this model will contribute to better outcomes for limited partners and portfolio companies, alongside supporting the long-term development of the private capital market in Egypt."

This acquisition enhances Exits MENA's broader strategy to develop the private capital ecosystem in the region by providing promising and scalable investment opportunities for investors in Egypt and the MENA region, alongside supporting the development of deeper and more efficient private capital markets and exits.

The platform, after its expansion, combines consulting, direct investment, and asset management capabilities under one umbrella, while maintaining a complete separation between consulting assignments and investment decision-making processes, ensuring independence, governance, and alignment with investors' interests.

The next step is to rename ACE to Exits Manara, the subsidiary of Exits MENA specializing in private investments and asset management.

Exits Manara will continue to focus on managing and developing the "Manara 1 Fund," which is the existing fund of funds dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises, and will work to increase the volume of managed assets by establishing "Manara 2 - for Export Development," a new investment vehicle focusing on developing medium-sized exporting companies and assisting them in expanding into international markets.

The acquisition comes amid ongoing financing challenges facing small and medium-sized enterprises and fast-growing companies in the MENA region.

According to the World Bank, small and medium-sized enterprises in the region receive only about 8% of total bank credit, compared to 22% in high-income economies. Meanwhile, CGAP estimates that the total financing gap for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Arab world amounts to approximately $123 billion.

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