Abu Dhabi-based Creative Investments Holding (Creative Holding) has secured $20 million in initial commitments at the first close of its founding round, as the investment company works toward a total platform of up to $50 million.
The initial commitments remain subject to definitive agreements. Creative Holding is positioning itself as a long-term investment platform focused on building and scaling culture-driven brands from Egypt and the wider MENA region into international businesses.
The company was established by luxury and brand executive Mohamed Talaat Khalifa (MTK) through his investment arm Leo Equities, alongside founding investors Onsi Sawiris, Ali Abubakr, and Egypt’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA).
Operating across Abu Dhabi, Cairo and Milan, Creative Holding plans to acquire, create and scale companies across four core segments: food and culinary experiences, hospitality, fashion and retail, and lifestyle and entertainment.
Rather than operating as a traditional venture capital fund, Creative Holding is structured as a long-term capital holding company. Its strategy includes taking controlling and strategic stakes in selected businesses while providing growth capital, operational infrastructure and institutional support to help regional brands expand internationally.
The company is already building an investment pipeline, including a potential first acquisition in the heritage food sector. It is also evaluating properties for Casa Leo, its proprietary boutique hotel concept and one of the first businesses expected to form part of its hospitality portfolio.
Creative Holding has also set an ambitious longer-term capital markets goal, targeting a potential public listing within five to seven years on either the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul, or the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Founder and CEO Mohamed Talaat Khalifa said the region already possesses the heritage, craftsmanship and consumer culture required to produce globally recognised brands, but has historically lacked the patient institutional capital needed to scale them internationally.
The $20 million first close gives Creative Holding an initial foundation for that strategy as it works toward its $50 million target and begins assembling a portfolio of MENA-born consumer, hospitality and lifestyle brands.
