Where Europe and the Middle East meet

Ongoing political instability in the Arab world’s most populated country has not scared off at least one private equity (PE) fund from making major investments. Beirut-based Euromena recently deployed $20 million in an Egyptian oil and gas company, Sakson Petroleum Services, after having invested $13.5 million in an optometry hospital, Al Oyoun Al Dawli, earlier this year. “It’s a country that had already a lot of potential and revolution gives it more potential,” says Romen Mathieu, managing director of the Euromena funds. “There are 80 million people looking to live, get medication, wear clothes and if you select well, you can make a lot of money.” Since the launch of Euromena’s first fund in 2006, a total of approximately $100 million has been invested by the two Euromena funds in 14 companies in four countries in the region [see chart]. With an average ticket size of $8 million per company,