A seasoned Investment Banker and currently the Founder and CEO of Gate Capital, an established Corporate Finance Advisory firm based in Dubai, UAE, since 2009, Munther has a well-known brand in the investment world in the Middle East. He has previously founded Capital Industries & Investments, a private equity firm awarded best PE firm, that he successfully exited in 2008, pre-the global crisis.
Before this, he was the Chief Investments Officer at Unicorn Investment Bank and has served in Senior Management roles at Regional Corporate and Family groups; and is known for his ability to source, structure, and transact deals. Munther speaks publicly on media channels and international forums on the topics of angel investing, VC, PE, Structured transactional services, and the general economy in the region.
Besides that, Munther holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from McGill University in Canada and MSc in Finance from Leicester University. Let’s learn more about Munther and his journey through this interview below.
Presence In The Industry
We were intrigued to learn about the presence of Gate Capital in the market in the current times. So we asked, “Tell us about the business and its presence in the GCC.”
Munther Hilal shared, “With 14+ years of experience in complex corporate finance and M&A challenges, Gate Capital is a trusted advisor to leading middle market companies. They have over $1.5 Bn transaction experience, offering deep industry insight and holistic industry coverage. Gate’s seasoned professionals focus on businesses in the mid-market space with deal values ranging between $20M to $200M+ in enterprise value.
Gate Capital offers unique expertise in deal-making, financial restructuring, and opportunity investing by blending extensive experiences across the Middle East and North Africa in multiple industry sectors. The team is backed by a solid track record, a vast network of investors and companies, and supported with thorough technical, industrial, and investment banking skills.”
Visions For Business Growth
Regardless of the kind of business, every business owner has some plans to take the company forward. We asked, “What are some of the growth and expansion plans you have in your pipeline?”
Munther Hilalr shared, “Our immediate expansion strategy will focus on cross-border M&A offerings, by supporting Clients in the Middle East to transact in the key markets globally, such as the US, Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. We have added a capable team and successfully expanded into niche sectors such as Telecom, Real Estate, Luxury hospitality, Infrastructure, Specialty Chemicals, AgriTech, High-tech, and Venture-as
a-service, and intend to penetrate these sectors further to strengthen Gate’s regional positioning. Our immediate regional expansion includes establishing physical offices in Saudi Arabia and expanding Client presence with on-ground Partners in other key regional markets.”
Present Year For The Company
The pandemic outbreak has proved to be quite challenging for businesses worldwide. We were interested to learn about the challenges faced by Munther’s company throughout the current year. We asked, “How has the year been for your company?”
Munther Hilal shared, “FY 2023 has been a transformative and promising year for our company as we strive to achieve our medium/long-term vision of becoming a Leading and Preferred Corporate Finance Advisor for Clients based in the Middle East. One of our key focuses in the immediate expansion strategy has been cross-border M&A offerings. We have successfully supported our Clients in the Middle East to transact in critical global markets, including the US, Europe, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
This has broadened our reach and enhanced our expertise in facilitating international transactions. To further strengthen our position in the region, we have assembled a capable team and expanded into niche sectors such as Telecom, Real Estate, Luxury Hospitality, Infrastructure, Specialty Chemicals, AgriTech, High-tech, and Venture-as-a-service.”
Munther Hilal continued, “We have strengthened Gate’s regional positioning by penetrating these sectors. In line with our regional focus, we have recently initiated the setup of our office in Saudi Arabia, and we intend to expand our Client presence with on-ground Partners in other key regional markets as well.
FY 2023 is budgeted to be our biggest grossing year, with the anticipated closing of a Transaction pipeline of over USD 1.0 Bn. Most of these transactions are expected to reach advanced stages by Q2, with closures anticipated later in the year. Significant achievements and milestones have marked the year as we continue to pursue our vision.”
Available Services
To have an idea about the current offerings and projects of the business, we asked, “What does your business offer as per the current competitive market?”
Munther Hilal replied, “Our in-depth knowledge of the market and strong technical expertise give us an edge and has built a strong reputation, cementing our credibility. As we are sector agnostic, we have provided specialized services across all sectors in the market in terms of financial and corporate advisory and M&A. This niche service requires strategic thinking and out-of-the-box solutions to ensure clients receive the best outcome. We are constantly innovating our delivery and have incorporated AI in our daily routine to improve and speed our services to clients.”
Effective Teamwork
For the success of any business, it is paramount to build effective team relations that can lead to enhanced productivity. We asked, “What measures do you think employees and organizations can take to build effective teamwork and unity?”
Munther Hilal shared, “We pride ourselves in strong teamwork due to strong communication between the team members and the family feel of our organization. Aligning all stakeholders with a clear profit-sharing scheme develops an ownership sense within the team. We believe in maintaining clear, frequent communication – especially with large or remote teams. Keeping our team members up to speed with technological advances has also been paramount to the unity of our firm; learning is a great way to keep team members close.”
Innovative Ideas For The Business
“Tell us about the company’s focus and investment in research and innovation.”
Munther Hilal shared, “We recognize the immense value of research and innovation to our industry. We are committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning, exploration, and staying ahead of the curve. We allocate resources to gather and analyze data, market intelligence, and financial insights to understand the markets we operate in comprehensively. We emphasize the importance of innovation in our processes, tools, and solutions.
We encourage our team to think creatively, challenge conventional practices, and explore new approaches to problem-solving. We actively promote collaboration and knowledge sharing within our group, fostering an environment where ideas can flourish and innovation can thrive. By investing in research and innovation, we aim to enhance our capabilities and deliver exceptional value to our Clients through a personalized and innovative approach.”
Advice For Beginners
Beginners starting in the same field will undoubtedly find hearing from an expert like Munther inspiring and helpful. So we asked, “Any tips for startups looking to get onto a similar pathway?”
Munther Hilal replied, “Invest in your team, invest in their knowledge, and patience and humility go a long way. I would always remind startups to adhere to these top pieces of advice. Hard work is imperative, but having a team behind you is the only way to grow and deliver a founder’s vision.”
Connect with Munther Hilal on LinkedIn.
Find Gate Capital on LinkedIn or visit http://www.gatecapital.net.
