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MENA M&A Boom: Record Deal Value And Cross-Border Surge In 2024

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 27, 2025

The MENA region is riding a wave of renewed merger and acquisition activity, with deal volumes and values reaching record highs in 2024. According to the latest EY MENA M&A Insights report, the region executed 701 deals—up 3% from 2023—totaling an impressive $92.3 billion, marking a 7% increase year-over-year. In particular, the GCC region led the charge with 580 deals worth $90 billion, underscoring its dominance in the market.

Cross-Border Deals Drive The Momentum

Strategic policy shifts, capital market reforms, and a robust drive to attract foreign investments have fueled a surge in cross-border deals, which now account for 52% of total deal volume and a staggering 74% of the overall value. EY’s Brad Watson highlighted that companies are not only looking to grow but also diversify their operations, tapping into larger, emerging markets through these transnational transactions.

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Key sectors powering this momentum include insurance, asset management, real estate and hospitality, power and utilities, and technology. Watson emphasized that this cross-border dynamism is enabling MENA companies to forge stronger relationships with partners in Asia and Europe, thereby expanding their market reach.

Landmark Deals Signal Strong Investor Confidence

The UAE, in particular, reported the region’s largest M&A deal of 2024—a monumental $12.4 billion acquisition of Truist Insurance by a consortium including Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Stone Point Capital, and Mubadala Investment. This deal is a clear signal of robust investor confidence, further bolstered by Saudi Aramco’s $8.9 billion stake acquisition in Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Company, and a $8.3 billion deal for a 60% stake in Zhuhai Wanda Commercial Management Group by PAG, Mubadala, and ADIA.

Preferred Destinations And Sectoral Trends

The UAE continues to be a magnet for inbound transactions, capturing 96 deals worth $7.6 billion—67% of the total deal value—thanks to its favorable business environment and strategic focus on technology sectors like AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation. The landmark $1.5 billion acquisition of Abu Dhabi’s Group 42 by Microsoft underscores the deepening ties between the UAE and the United States.

Saudi Arabia also remains a hotspot, with significant combined deal volumes alongside the UAE. In 2024, the U.S. emerged as the top target for MENA investors, attracting 41 deals valued at $19.9 billion, while Morocco, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and Kuwait also featured prominently among both target and bidding countries.

A New Era For MENA Business

In 2024, M&A activity in the MENA region has not only rebounded but also accelerated, driven by a blend of strategic reforms and an increasingly interconnected global market. As regional players leverage cross-border opportunities to expand and diversify, the MENA landscape is set to become an even more dynamic arena for growth and investment.

This resurgence in M&A activity is a clear testament to the region’s evolving economic landscape, where ambition meets opportunity on a scale that is reshaping business as usual.

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Discovery of a New Dwarf Planet: Is Our Solar System Expanding?

by News Editor

June 16, 2025

A New Celestial Revelation: Meet 2017 OF201

In a groundbreaking astronomical discovery, researchers have identified a celestial body likely to be a dwarf planet far beyond Pluto. This thrilling discovery was made by astronomers from the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. Dubbed 2017 OF201, this object is located over twice the distance of Pluto from the Sun, marking it as one of the farthest known bodies in our solar system observable through optical telescopes.

Key Insights

The object is approximately 700 kilometers in diameter, smaller than Pluto’s 2377 kilometers, yet it stands to be the largest found in the outer solar system in over a decade if verified by radio telescopes.
Classified as an extreme trans-Neptunian object, 2017 OF201 joins the ranks of other icy bodies circling the Sun beyond Neptune’s orbit. This region is now known to host other giants such as Eris, Haumea, Makemake, and Gonggong.
Identified in a series of 19 observations over seven years, involving instruments like the Dark Energy Camera in Chile and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, this discovery sheds light on the unexplored corners of the solar system.

Why 2017 OF201 Stands Out

2017 OF201 boasts a unique orbit, with its aphelion over 1600 times the Earth’s distance from the Sun. Meanwhile, its perihelion is 44.5 times the Earth-Sun distance, parallel to Pluto’s path. Such an extensive orbit is evidence of a chaotic past, likely involving gravitational interactions with a giant planet.

Unveiling the Kuiper Belt: A New Frontier

Nestled within the Kuiper Belt, this object hints at the possibility of numerous similar celestial bodies lingering in this icy expanse, largely hidden due to immense distances. As telescope technology advances, the possibility of unveiling more about our solar system’s outermost fringes grows ever more achievable.