IP Excellera expands UAE operations into Abu Dhabi, appoints lead

Integrated strategic advisory firm, IP Excellera (part of Excellera Advisory Group), has set up a new office in Abu Dhabi, with Partner Nour Sukkar appointed as Head of Abu Dhabi to lead the office.

Having previously worked with global firms including Credit Suisse (now UBS), HSBC, Teneo, and TD, Nour brings UAE capital markets knowledge, combining her investment banking and financial communications expertise on UAE IPOs, with experience managing IR mandates for several ADX-listed companies. Nour is supported by a team of consultants, including Senior Consultant Shaimaa Aly, who recently joined IP Excellera’s corporate reporting and financial communications team. 

Shaimaa specialises in corporate reporting and financial communications, having worked at firms like Emperor, Brunswick Group and SEC Newgate Communications. She also has a track record of working with ADX-listed companies on annual reports, IPO communications, strategic financial communications and media relations.

“We are excited to further strengthen our presence in Abu Dhabi under Nour’s leadership with a physical office in the capital. Expanding into Abu Dhabi enables IP Excellera to be closer to clients and play a role in supporting the UAE capital’s rapidly evolving market," said Samantha Bartel, CEO of IP Excellera. 

"Nour’s hands-on experience advising ADX-listed and Abu Dhabi private companies, combined with the support of a talented team of diverse experience in investor relations, corporate reporting and sustainability, gives us a truly unique proposition. This development will benefit clients across the whole Excellera group, enhancing our capacity to deliver tailored solutions on a broader scale. Together, our team will drive the growth of our integrated practice and ensure we continue delivering best-in-class support to clients across Abu Dhabi and the UAE.”

Nour added, “I am excited to lead IP Excellera’s expansion in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s financial capital and home to some of the largest of the UAE’s listed companies, sovereign wealth funds, and one of the fastest-growing and most liquid exchanges in the region, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. With a supportive regulatory framework, Abu Dhabi is a natural hub for regional and international capital flows and IPOs. Establishing a presence here allows us to be closer to clients and to support companies as they grow, list, and communicate with investors on ADX.”

“The opening of IP Excellera’s offices in Abu Dhabi marks an important milestone in the growth strategy of our Group. We are confident that the MENA region, with its dynamic market evolution, offers exceptional opportunities for clients across the entire Excellera Group. Leveraging the expertise of our teams, we are ready to further enhance our strategic advisory services, supporting businesses in an increasingly competitive and ever-evolving environment. This step not only strengthens our presence in a key market but also reaffirms our long-term commitment to international expansion in the world’s major decision-making hubs,” stated Paolo Zanetto, CEO of Excellera Advisory Group.