Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

UC Irvine

Director at Kasamar Holdings

Advisory Board Member

Built a significant minority stake of 9.9% in LSE listed Gulf Marine Services PLC in 2019, one of the largest jack-up self-elevated support vessels for the offshore gas and wind-farm market, identifying a turnaround opportunity, given restructuring issues with corporate lenders.

Gulf Marine Services PLC

Non Executive Board Member

Purchased 49% stake in the largest pet food and accessories retailer in MENA in 2018, increasing the stake to 100% in 2021. Doubled revenue and achieved an attractive exit over a 4 year hold period, sourcing buyers from own personal network.

Dubaipetfood.com (The Pet Shop LLC)

Executive Board Member

Conceptualized, launched and grew Filipino food concept (Kabayan Korner Restaurants), creating a profitable enterprise, targeting a 20% EBITDA margin; negotiated and acquired rights for four franchises in 2018 and hired a team of 130 employees across 13 locations in the UAE.

Kabayan Korner Restaurants

Founding Board Member

Hired with a mandate to establish a new single-family office for a UAE UHNWI, initiating a private investment office in line with international best practice and developing a formal investment process and holding structure. 

Set up institutional structure and investment blueprint; assessed existing trusts and holding SPVs, reviewing governance and tax liabilities and creating an optimized holding structure.

Devised and implemented investment thesis, asset allocation principles, portfolio construction and due diligence processes.

Reviewed private banking relationships, assessing public markets investment performance versus benchmarks. 

Created and executed private equity investment strategy, sourcing a sizable deal pipeline, leading both origination and investment and hiring a team of investment professionals.

Kasamar Holdings

Principal and Director

Founded Odyssey Ventures, the first regional search fund, focused on acquiring, operating, and growing one privately held small and medium-sized enterprise, based in or looking to grow in the region.

Odyssey Ventures

Principal

Joined one of the MENA region’s alternative investment firms, following a successful internship during MBA studies at Duke. Joined initially as a Senior Analyst, securing regular promotions to become a senior member of the investment team. 

Gained strong investment assessment and execution skills, moving into an origination focused role at an early stage; worked on a wide range of prospective transactions, performing due diligence and analysis as part of the investment team. 

Built outstanding origination network across the region and globally; sourced numerous investment opportunities from own growing network of investors, advisors, corporates and asset owners.

Gulf Capital

Senior Associate

Joined one of the top US defense contractors as a member of the algorithms team for NATO’s air defense system followed by joining the Graphical User Interface team working on the next generation destroyer (DDG-1000) for the US Navy.

Mo Bississo