meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

GCC banks navigate Credit Suisse fallout

31 March 2023

 

Saudi National Bank chairman Ammar al-Khudairy’s abrupt resignation on 27 March capped a turbulent few weeks for the world’s financial system. This period saw the kingdom’s champion bank dragged into the harsh glare of the global spotlight and serious questions asked about Gulf financial institutions’ readiness to serve as props in an increasingly jumpy financial order.

A short sentence uttered in an interview by a senior Saudi banker precipitated the collapse of a 160-year-old institution. Ruling out extending beyond its 10 per cent stake as it would entail a higher capital cost led to the fellow Swiss bank UBS buying the troubled lender at a steep discount.

Al-Khudairy took the rap for what was deemed an avoidable crisis, in which SNB took a hosing: it bought the Credit Suisse stock at CHF3.82 ($4.2) a share; UBS has paid just CHF0.76 ($0.83) a share.

The pain goes wider than SNB and the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the other Gulf institution directly impacted by Credit Suisse’s troubles, given its 6.9 per cent stake in the lender.

The crisis poses serious questions about the role of wealthy Gulf institutions in a global system that is increasingly reliant on them, but has yet to stress test the relationship.

On the one hand, Gulf investors have been spooked about their exposure to venerable banking institutions that were once seen as copper-bottomed plays. Conversely, Western banks may now legitimately ask whether their Gulf counterparts are reliable partners in a crisis.

Volatile landscape

The backdrop is one of wider concern about the health of global financial markets. The Credit Suisse crisis was prefaced by US regulators shutting Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) on 10 March, following mass withdrawals of customer deposits.

For now, analysts caution against panic. First, SNB’s exposure – and that of other prominent Gulf lenders – appears limited.

“The impact of SNB’s investment in Credit Suisse and the subsequent takeover by UBS on SNB are limited because the initial investment represents less than 2 per cent of SNB’s investment portfolio and 70-80 bps of the bank’s risk-adjusted capital ratio,” says Mohamed Damak, senior director, Financial Institutions Ratings, at ratings agency S&P.

As to problems in the Western markets, again, exposures are manageable. “On average, banks we rate in GCC had exposure to the US of 4.6 per cent of assets and 2.3 per cent of liabilities at year-end 2022,” says Damak.

“Generally, GCC banks would have limited lending activity in the US and most of their assets there would be in high-credit quality instruments or with the Federal Reserve. The exposure to Europe tends to be limited as well, except for banks that have a presence in some European countries like France or the UK. Most of the activity in these jurisdictions tends to be linked to home countries or generally made of high-quality exposures.”

This will not end SNB shareholder anxiety that the bank’s raison d’etre – supporting domestic projects related to Vision 2030 – had been sidelined in the pursuit of equity positions in global blue chips.

Qatari contagion

Similar questions will be asked in Qatar, where the QIA provided ballast for the Swiss bank’s balance sheet in 2021, when it issued $2bn in convertible notes. The Qatari wealth fund will be reviewing its bank holdings and stress-testing its wider portfolio.

Others will do the same. “Gulf sovereign wealth funds will probably review their asset allocations, regardless of this current crisis,” one Gulf-based economist tells MEED. “The reality is that their role is changing. They were, in the past, more opportunistic investors. Today they are becoming strategic vehicles.”

If Gulf funds like QIA will no longer serve as the global financial system’s white knights – as they proved in the 2008 financial crisis – this may prompt a reconfiguration of investment strategies.

There will be a steep learning curve, says one Gulf-based economist – on both sides.

Governance implications

In light of the growing financial strength of the Gulf institutions come new responsibilities and governance requirements, reflecting the dawning reality that Gulf institutions are growing into increasingly globally systemically significant investors or sources of capital.

“They need to act accordingly,” says the economist. “Not just from the global governance perspective, but also from the perspective of protecting their assets.”

Gulf institutions’ transformation into opportunistic investors was well-timed when liquidity was required at short notice.

“The money centres of the world turned to one of the biggest honey pots they could identify. And, of course, some of the old reservations were conveniently parked aside, at least for the time being,” says the economist.

The challenge for the Gulf institutions was the lack of deep experience or institutional frameworks needed to underpin those initial investments.

“Opportunities arose, these countries chose to take them and they got lucky because they helped stabilise the global financial system, and they helped protect the reputation of these institutions. And no major mistakes were made. But that initial opportunistic approach will no longer fly,” says the economist.

Gulf sector outlook

The Credit Suisse saga has also prompted much ruminating in Western media to the extent that Western institutions may cast a more wary eye in future over their Gulf counterparts.

But absent new funding sources, the GCC's appeal may prove irresistible to them. After all, says the economist, beggars can’t be choosers.

“What is the alternative to resorting to institutions such as the Gulf sovereign funds? They’re not going to go to China, that’s for sure. The only real alternative is to get some sort of a backstop from national central banks. And that is pretty much as close as you can get to a moral hazard,” he says.

The broader global picture is evolving. How Gulf institutions related to primarily Western institutions will also be influenced by the change in the GCC states’ foreign policy.

Gulf governments are increasingly cognisant of the need for a balanced, multi-directional foreign policy. And that is something they will also want to reflect in their wealth funds and banks’ investment behaviour.

The next year should provide an insight into how the post-Credit Suisse modus vivendi will play out.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/10724320/main2803.jpg
James Gavin

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Sharjah developer launches Al-Mamzar towers scheme

    9 June 2026

    Local real estate developer Alef Group has launched a mixed-use development in the Al-Mamzar area of Sharjah. The Linar project is valued at AED4bn ($1.1bn) and comprises five residential towers and one commercial tower. Across the development, the 50- to 55-floor towers will offer a total of 2,620 residential units.

    With 325 metres of sea-facing frontage overlooking Al-Mamzar Beach, the development also includes retail and service spaces. Tower A, which forms part of Phase 1 of the project, is expected to be completed from 2030 onwards. 

    In a statement, the developer said that following strong demand for expressions of interest (EoIs) in Tower A, Alef Group expanded EoIs to include towers B and C. All Phase 1 EoIs have now been fully reserved, representing a total of 1,572 residential units with a combined value of over AED2bn. The group is preparing to open EoIs for towers D and E.

    In April, Alef Group awarded Abu Dhabi-based construction firm A&M International a AED750m contract to build the next phases of its Hayyan residential community in Sharjah. The scope includes the construction of more than 700 villas and townhouses across three clusters – Samr 1, Samr 2 and Deem – along with Hayyan Mall, a clubhouse and associated infrastructure works.

    The Hayyan masterplan includes seven residential clusters: Alma, Arim 1, Arim 2, Arim 3, Samr 1, Samr 2 and Samr 3.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17157150/main1720.jpg
    Colin Foreman
  • Record investment drives Jordan’s utilities market

    9 June 2026

     

    In April, Jordan signed the final technical and legal agreement for its landmark National Water Carrier Project, paving the way for the financial close of the kingdom’s largest planned water infrastructure project to date.

    The agreement represents a significant step forward for the scheme, which is now projected to reach $5.6bn in total costs, including financing, up from earlier estimates of $3.5bn.

    Paris-based investment and utility firms Meridiam and Suez were awarded the contract last year to develop the project in partnership with Jordan’s Water & Irrigation Ministry.

    Since then, multiple large-scale financing agreements have been put in place for the project, which is expected to supply about 40% of Jordan’s drinking water needs.

    While new contract awards have been limited in 2026, the successful execution of the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance scheme will help reassure the market that large-scale infrastructure projects of this nature can move forward.

    The project is set to reduce the benchmark water cost from about $3 a cubic metre in 2024 to approximately $2.7 and is crucial to addressing Jordan’s severe water scarcity.

    Prime Minister Jafar Hassan recently said that the scheme, along with the Aqaba Port railway project, represented “the largest level of foreign investment in the kingdom’s history”.

    For its part, the government has said it will contribute $722m to the Aqaba-Amman project, representing the largest single capital expenditure in the state budget.

    Upcoming projects

    Looking forward, there is a healthier pipeline of new water projects, led by a two-phased wastewater treatment project at Wadi Zarqa.

    The first phase will have an initial capacity to treat 150,000 cubic metres a day (cm/d) of wastewater by 2030.

    The $150m second phase covers an independent sewage treatment plant with a capacity of 200,000 cm/d. Both tenders are expected to be released in the coming months.

    Two larger projects, valued at $300m each, are currently in the planning stages. Both are managed by Yarmouk Water Company and involve major transmission pipeline works in Ajloun and Irbid as part of the Jordan Water Sector Efficiency Project.

    The Jordan Water Sector Efficiency Project is a World Bank-backed programme aimed at reducing water losses, improving utility performance and enhancing the efficiency of water services across the kingdom.

    Power contracts

    Jordan’s power sector is set for a record-breaking year following the announcement that a $900m combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant will be developed in partnership with Etihad Development Company, a subsidiary of the UAE’s Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE).

    The project will be developed under a build-own-operate model with Jordan’s National Electric Power Company (Nepco) purchasing electricity under a 25-year power-purchase agreement.

    For context, Jordan’s power sector saw just $33m in total contract awards in 2025, according to MEED Projects.

    The full-year total last exceeded $100m in 2022, when there were $111m of contract awards. The plant is expected to meet about 10% of Jordan’s electricity demand once operational.

    The kingdom has also been looking at other forms of power generation, such as Jordan’s first 450MW pumped hydroelectric energy storage project near Al-Mujib Dam.

    Earlier this year, US-headquartered K&M Advisors and France’s Artelia were appointed as transaction advisers to carry out the final feasibility study for the project, which is expected to be tendered in the third quarter of 2026.

    The Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources (MEMR) is also planning to undertake the construction of a 1,000MW wind power plant and battery energy storage system near the Port of Aqaba in Jordan.

    The renewable energy scheme could potentially support the kingdom’s emerging green hydrogen industry, including a separate planned $1bn green ammonia and hydrogen project in Aqaba.

    In May, the project became the first publicly announced green ammonia project in Jordan to receive development approval from the Council of Ministers.

    The project would be developed by Jordan Green Ammonia, a special-purpose vehicle funded by the UAE-based 7Fidelity Group and Poland’s Hynfra.

    The project in Aqaba is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes a year of green ammonia from 2030

    Of approximately $6bn-worth of power projects in the pre-execution phase, it is worth noting that about $4.4bn are still in the early study or feed stages.

    Near-term awards are likely to come from several smaller substation and power generation schemes.

    Jordan-Syria power link

    Among the wider pipeline of regional opportunities, Jordan’s power sector could also benefit from efforts to restore electricity connectivity with neighbouring Syria.

    Syria’s Public Establishment for Transmission & Distribution of Electricity recently tendered a contract to repair the 400kV high-voltage interconnector transmission lines between the two countries.

    The works form part of Syria’s $146m Electricity Emergency Project, which is being financed through a World Bank grant and aims to restore critical electricity infrastructure across the country.

    The rehabilitation of the Syria-Jordan interconnector is expected to enable the import of up to 600MW of electricity and represents one of several initiatives under way to rebuild Syria’s power network following years of conflict and underinvestment.

    More broadly, Syria is emerging as an active power market in its own right. In April, Germany’s Siemens Energy signed manufacturing agreements for major power plant projects being developed by a consortium led by Qatar’s UCC Holding.

    The contracts cover combined-cycle power packages for the Zayzoun and Deir Azzour power plant projects, announced last year as part of a $7bn memorandum of understanding between the consortium and Syria’s Ministry of Energy.

    The May 2025 agreements include four combined-cycle gas turbine power plants in Traifawi, Homs and Zayzoun, Deir-Azzour and Mehardeh in Hama with an installed capacity of 4GW.

    Additionally, a 1GW solar power plant will be developed in Wedian Al-Rabee in Syria’s southern region.

    Most of these projects, awarded under concession agreements following a strategic memorandum of understanding framework, are due to come online in 2029.

    After years of inactivity, this is considerable progress. The next step is attracting sufficient interest in new and upcoming tenders. This will signal whether international contractors are ready to re-engage with the country’s power sector.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17157016/main.gif
    Mark Dowdall
  • PIF-owned Ardara tenders Al-Wadi sewer package

    9 June 2026

     

    Ardara, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has issued a tender for the trunk sewer diversion and associated works package at its Al-Wadi development in Abha in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region.

    The scope includes the construction of rainwater and flood drainage networks, roads and transport infrastructure, and associated works within the wider Al-Wadi project.

    The bid submission deadline is 15 June.

    The sewer diversion package, valued at about $20m, is part of Ardara’s wider Al-Wadi development in Abha. The company, launched by PIF in 2023, is developing the 2.5-square-kilometre Al-Wadi destination in Abha as a mixed-use tourism and lifestyle development. The project will include residential, hospitality, commercial and recreational assets. 

    As MEED understands, the sewer diversion works are expected to facilitate the development of future phases of the Al-Wadi project by relocating existing wastewater infrastructure within the site.

    The tender follows demolition works completed on the site last year.

    Previously, in 2024, US-based Parsons was appointed to provide project management and supervision services for the project.

    READ THE JUNE 2026 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    GCC looks beyond the Strait; Iraq’s reform window narrows as fiscal assumptions shatter; MEED Top 100 companies.

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the June 2026 edition of MEED Business Review includes:
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17156098/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Abu Dhabi selects team for 3.3GW Al-Nouf IPP

    9 June 2026

     

    State utility Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) has selected a preferred developer and contractor for the 3.3GW Al-Nouf independent power producer (IPP) project in Abu Dhabi, according to sources.

    Located within the newly established Al-Nouf complex, the facility will be the largest single-site, carbon-capture-ready, combined-cycle gas turbine plant in the UAE. 

    Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation has been selected as the preferred developer, with the power-purchase agreement (PPA) expected to be signed in the coming weeks, sources said.

    It is also understood that a joint venture of Spain’s Tecnicas Reunidas and Egypt’s Orascom Construction has been picked as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor.

    Three developer consortiums submitted bids earlier this year, along with Sumitomo as the only company to bid individually.

    The bidders included:

    • Aljomaih Energy & Water (Saudi Arabia) / Sembcorp Industries (Singapore) / EDF Power Solutions (France)
    • Engie (France) / Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation (Kind) / Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo)
    • Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) / Etihad Water & Electricity (EtihadWE) (UAE)
    • Sumitomo (Japan) 

    Ewec issued a request for proposals for the project last August. It had previously received statements of qualifications for the contract in April 2025.

    This follows confirmation earlier this month that Ewec has signed a PPA with a developer consortium for the 2.5GW Taweelah C IPP project.

    A team of UK-based Alderbrook Finance and US-based Sargent & Lundy is providing financial and technical advisory services to Ewec for the Taweelah C IPP.

    As MEED previously reported, both projects are following the model of Abu Dhabi’s IPP programme, in which developers enter into a long-term agreement with Ewec as the sole procurer. 

    This involves the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the plant, with the successful developer or developer consortium owning up to 40% of the entity. The remaining equity will be held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi government.

    The project site for the Al-Nouf plant was selected for its ability to accommodate both seawater-cooled power generation and reverse osmosis desalination technologies. The plant will have the capacity to support several utility-scale energy and desalination projects in the future.

    The facility is scheduled to begin commercial operations in the third quarter of 2029.

    > Be recognised among the best in the industry at the MEED Projects Awards 2026 …

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17155245/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Zoom launches new Saudi data centre at center3

    9 June 2026

    Zoom has announced a new data centre in Saudi Arabia to boost in-kingdom capacity for government and enterprise customers requiring local data residency.

    In a statement, Zoom said the data centre is located within center3, a Saudi-headquartered provider of carrier-neutral data centres and subsea cable systems linking Europe, Asia and Africa. Zoom said the data centre builds on its broader investment plans in the kingdom, including a $75m commitment made last year focused on artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled innovation and the advanced infrastructure required to scale it.

    Zoom said its existing regional data centre, established in 2023, already supports customers with local data residency requirements, while the new site will enhance services for government entities, enterprises and critical national infrastructure organisations.

    AI is an important part of Saudi Arabia’s economic growth plans leading up to 2030. In January, government officials confirmed that as the global economy is evolving rapidly with the rise of AI, some projects such as The Line at Neom have slowed down, while other projects related to the World Cup, Expo 2030, technology and AI have accelerated. 

    The largest AI project in the kingdom is being developed by Humain, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). In May, it issued a tender inviting firms to develop infrastructure for its planned 6GW hyperscale AI data centre campus in Riyadh.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/17155250/main.jpg
    Colin Foreman