Alvaro Abella

Managing Director at Gulf Capital

Alvaro Abella is a prominent figure in the private equity and investment sector, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. He currently serves as a Managing Director in the Private Equity Team at Gulf Capital.1 2 With over two decades of experience spanning Europe, the Americas, and the MENA region, Abella has established himself as a seasoned professional in tech-related investments.1

Career Highlights

Co-founder of BECO Holdings: Before joining Gulf Capital, Abella co-founded BECO Holdings, a Dubai-based early-stage investment firm. At BECO, he led investments in successful regional companies such as Careem, Vezeeta, and SellAnyCar.1 One of his most notable achievements was the investment in Careem, which resulted in the largest tech-related exit in the MENA region when Uber acquired the company for $3.1 billion, generating a more than 10x return for BECO.1

Board Member at Vezeeta: Abella serves as a Board Member at Vezeeta, a digital healthcare platform.3 4 His appointment to the board coincided with Vezeeta raising $40 million in Series D financing led by Gulf Capital.3

Previous Roles: Prior to his entrepreneurial venture with BECO Holdings, Abella held positions at several prestigious firms:

Diamond Cluster International in Dubai
Value Partners SpA in Italy
Booz Allen & Hamilton in Europe1

Education

Abella's educational background includes:

MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management
Dual degree (German & Spanish) in Business Administration from ICADE in Spain and FH-Reutlingen in Germany1

Current Position

As a Managing Director at Gulf Capital, Abella continues to leverage his extensive experience in transaction execution, post-acquisition management, and advisory roles.1 2 His focus remains on tech-related investments, and he has been instrumental in leading co-investment programs alongside existing investors and international growth investors, primarily from the United States.1

Alvaro Abella's career trajectory and current roles demonstrate his significant influence in the MENA region's investment landscape, particularly in the technology and healthcare sectors.