In this episode with Huda Al Lawati, CEO of Aliph Capital, we have a conversation about private equity, entrepreneurship, and the rollercoaster investment outlook.

When it comes to coffee, it’s more about the culture and ritual than just the drink itself. From there, we dive into her journey of launching Aliph Capital during peak global uncertainty. She explains how the leadership in the Gulf during that time gave her the confidence to start something new.

We also explore how the Gulf region has become a much more entrepreneur-friendly environment in recent years. But, as Huda points out, fundraising remains one of the toughest challenges for first-time private equity managers. It’s one thing to raise money, but real success in this industry isn’t about that—it’s about returning money to investors.

Huda Al Lawati is the founder of Aliph Capital, an alternative investment manager focused on mid-market private equity across the Gulf (GCC) region. She has been in the industry for over 20 years and was also featured in the Top 100 Businesswomen in the Middle East by Forbes.

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00:00 Omani Coffee with Cardamom, Sugar or Not

02:25 Renaissance for Oman's Economy?

03:01 How Yousef and Huda Met on LinkedIn in 2016

04:05 A Reaction to the DeepSeek AI Shockwaves

06:48 Spark That Founded Aliph Capital During CoVid

08:07 Raising Money is NOT a Measure of Success

08:47 Why ADGM as Headquarters for the Firm?

10:30 Saudi Funding Role, Jada Fund of Funds

12:16 Goldman Sachs: $1 Trillion Capex Supercycle

15:24 Social Transformation, Sustainable Oil Price?

17:27 MBS Will Invest $600 Billion in the United States

18:19 Biggest Challenges for PE Players in the Region

22:15 Brands of Pride: The Entertainer and Savola

23:01 Colossal Impact of the Abraaj Collapse

25:49 Private Equity as a Career Choice Today

28:21 Personal Investment Philosophy

29:59 Lunch with MBS, MBZ and MBR

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By hekayaproductions.com

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DISCLAIMER You’re in Business is for entertainment purposes only and does not give financial advice.