Rudolph WAELS

Founder of an innovative investment and commercialization advisory firm, dedicated to structuring impactful strategic partnerships and executing rigorous, data-driven investment strategies across GCC and emerging markets. Leveraging deep expertise advising sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, family offices, and high-growth companies, we excel in turning visionary ideas into tangible results through meticulous due diligence, precise governance, and purpose-driven innovation. With specialized knowledge in sectors including deep tech, healthcare, education, and financial services, we bridge global ambition with strategic clarity, delivering value and transformative impact.

Senior affiliate advisor to Mercer, leading business development, investment governance design, and consulting engagements with sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and family offices across the GCC

Investments
• Deep Tech / Venture Capital Investments. Led due diligence, negotiations, and closings on Deep Tech investments (e.g. Drone & AI start up, Vertical Farming facility, etc.).
• Governance Framework. Defined governance framework of investment activities (e.g. investment policy, Investment Committee Charter, Investment Procedure).

Business Development
• Commercialisation Strategy. Prepared commercialization and investment strategies for Khalifa University.
• International Partnerships. Built multiple international partnerships at Khalifa University, including a joint research initiative with a British medical device company, and structuring a partnership for the Abu Dhabi campus of a leading medical school.
• Consulting. Supported university faculty to develop various consulting proposals.
• Continuing Education. Supported university faculty to develop Continuing Education programs.
• Real Estate. Reviewed a Public Private Partnership Project to build and operate student dormitories. Streamlined leasing processes and standardized templates for real estate activities.

Endowment & Fundraising
• Deep Tech & University Research Funding. Prepared a global benchmarking of university research funding, and development of deep tech start-ups.
• University Endowment. Monitored University Endowment
• Philanthropic Fundraising. Prepared fundraising policies and procedures.

Financial Planning & Analysis.
• FP&A. Led FP&A function for university projects.

Mercer Investments is the largest investment consultancy firm in the world (USD10.2 trillion in Assets under Advice, USD240 billion of Assets under Delegated Management, and 2,200 staff across 24 countries). We serve investors (Pension Funds, Asset Managers, Family Offices, SWFs) in many ways including :

1) Investment Advisory: We provide advice on a wide range of investment-related topics such as Portfolio Management, Governance Framework, Investment Strategy (including Strategic Asset Allocation, Portfolio Construction, Manager Selection & Due Diligence), Investment Operations (including review / re-tendering of custody arrangements, performance improvement, IT systems, etc.).

2) Investment Manager Research: We provide our Clients with access to our database (MercerInsight®) which cover 30,000+ strategies and information about 8,000+ investment managers.

3) Delegated Solutions: We leverage our in-depth knowledge of investment managers to provide delegated solutions for our Clients.

ICD (Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector) is the private sector focused subsidiary of the Islamic Development Bank. ICD is to IDB what IFC is to the World Bank.

CEO Advisor
• Development of a Private Equity Fund focused on the Healthcare Industry
• Development of a Private Equity Fund focused on the Islamic Banking Industry

Direct Investments & Financing
• Investment Strategy, Business Plan, Budget Preparation
• Managing a team of 20 people, Recruiting
• Restructuring (Regionalization, Decentralization, New Product Development, Portfolio Monitoring Process, Process Improvement, etc.)
• Sourcing, Processing and Monitoring equity, and debt investments in various sectors in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Central Asia, South and South East Asia
• Best performing year in the history of the direct investments department: volume and quality of term finance approvals)
• Member of several Investment Committees (ICD, Private Equity, Money Market Fund)
• Member of Asset Liability Management Committee
• Member of Management Committee of ICD

Aabar is a Sovereign Wealth Fund, based in Abu Dhabi. Aabar has more than $10 billion under management across diverse industries including: automotive (biggest shareholder in Daimler), real estate, financial services, infrastructure, and aerospace.

Manufacturing
• Investment in Daimler followed by several international expansion projects in the automotive industry in Algeria. Key joint venture partners included Aabar Investments, the Algerian Government, Daimler, Ferrostaal, Rheinmetall, Daimler, Deutz and MTU

Agriculture & Food
• Led the effort of Aabar to define and execute an investment strategy for the food security of the UAE.

Financial Services
• Led a Micro Finance and Bottom of the Pyramid investing initiative, with a particular interest in accelerating the development of Micro Finance in the Arab world.

Real Estate & Hospitality
• Led an investment in a hotel & convention center in Jordan

Private Equity
• Monitored a joint investment partnership in Europe.

I joined FGB to restructure its existing direct investment portfolio and to set up a $500m regional private equity business. In February 2009, FGB received a capital increase from the UAE government under specific conditions. One of them was to close several of its non commercial banking activities, including its private equity business.

Private Equity - Set Up a Private Equity Business focused on the MENA region
• Strategy & Budget: Prepared investment strategy, detailed budget, and PPM outline.
• Legal Structure: Initiated legal structuring of PE Fund.
• Incentive Scheme: Structured multi-office compensation plan for PE team.
• Recruiting: Managed recruiting process for three offices in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and Cairo.
• Investment Process: Structured investment process (sourcing, assessment, monitoring, etc.)

Private Equity – Assess, Monitor, and Restructure Existing Investments
• Real Estate Investment: a $270 m real estate investment portfolio in labor camps and warehouses. Reviewed five investments with a team of lawyers and real estate experts, identified various negotiation angles, and structured several exit strategy plans.
• Turnaround/Distressed Investment: a $5 m investment in a distressed construction business with 1200 employees. Prepared an investment review, changed auditors, recruited transaction manager, and suggested several solutions to restructure transaction.
• Venture Capital Portfolio: a $10 m portfolio of start up investments managed by FGB for a third party.

Private Equity - Source & Manage New Deals
• Regional Growth Equity Investment: Personally sourced, and executed a club deal transaction in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. This $25 m investment ticket was sourced and approved by my investment committee three months after my joining of First Gulf Bank.
• Launched corporate initiative to map attractive investment opportunities among FGB clients.

I joined FGB to restructure its existing direct investment portfolio and to set up a $500m regional private equity business. In February 2009, FGB received a capital increase from the UAE government under specific conditions. One of them was to close several of its non commercial banking activities, including its private equity business.

Private Equity - Set Up a Private Equity Business focused on the MENA region
• Strategy & Budget: Prepared investment strategy, detailed budget, and PPM outline.
• Legal Structure: Initiated legal structuring of PE Fund.
• Incentive Scheme: Structured multi-office compensation plan for PE team.
• Recruiting: Managed recruiting process for three offices in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and Cairo.
• Investment Process: Structured investment process (sourcing, assessment, monitoring, etc.)

Private Equity – Assess, Monitor, and Restructure Existing Investments
• Real Estate Investment: a $270 m real estate investment portfolio in labor camps and warehouses. Reviewed five investments with a team of lawyers and real estate experts, identified various negotiation angles, and structured several exit strategy plans.
• Turnaround/Distressed Investment: a $5 m investment in a distressed construction business with 1200 employees. Prepared an investment review, changed auditors, recruited transaction manager, and suggested several solutions to restructure transaction.
• Venture Capital Portfolio: a $10 m portfolio of start up investments managed by FGB for a third party.

Private Equity - Source & Manage New Deals
• Regional Growth Equity Investment: Personally sourced, and executed a club deal transaction in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. This $25 m investment ticket was sourced and approved by my investment committee three months after my joining of First Gulf Bank.
• Launched corporate initiative to map attractive investment opportunities among FGB clients.

Swicorp is a financial advisory and private equity firm focused on the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). I joined Swicorp Private Equity in what was a true start up environment. Today Swicorp Private Equity manages $1.3 billion across three funds.

Private Equity - Intaj Capital & Emerge Invest funds - $150 m fund (each)
• Deal sourcing in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. I was based in Tunis, and travelled to Algeria and Morocco on a monthly basis.
• Business valuation, letter of intent negotiation, due diligence coordination, debt raising (LBO), deal structuring and closing.
• Industry experience: Sanitary paper, Paint, Specialty retail, Food, Retail, Insurance, Steel.
• Privatization of a leading paint manufacturer in Algeria.
• Regional build up transaction in Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya for a leading diaper manufacturer.
• Regional build up transaction in Tunisia, Morocco, and France for a car equipment manufacturer.
• Turnaround transaction for a Printed Circuit Board manufacturer based in Tunisia and Germany.

Private Equity - Mena Water Ventures - $67 m Corporate Venture fund with Danone
• Researched bottled water sector in the Mena Region.
• Assessed business plans and development strategies in collaboration with industry expert (top executive from Henkel/Danone)
• Prepared valuation model.
• Supervised commercial, financial, legal and operational due diligences.
• Negotiated debt restructuring agreement for a turnaround opportunity.
• Deal structuring and contract negotiation.
• Defined detailed action plan for first 100 days post closing.

Mergers & Acquisitions - Corporate Finance
• Distressed M&A: Prepared information memorandum for a distressed M&A mandate for a leading couscous and pasta brand in Tunisia
• Debt Raising: Prepared banking memorandum and negotiated a USD 20 millions financing in local currency field for a green project in the Algerian food industry for Savola, a Saudi Group.

With Arthur Andersen/Ernst & Young, I had very diverse experiences from Consulting, to Audit and Due Diligences. I spent 50% of my work in emerging markets, in the Middle East, North Africa, Sub Sahara Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. I was then one of two people to be sponsored for a Wharton MBA in the history of the firm in France.