Oak Hill Advisors expands Middle East presence with Dubai office

Oak Hill Advisors has received regulatory approval to establish an office in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), expanding its presence in the Middle East as global alternative asset managers continue to grow their regional operations.

The credit-focused alternative investment manager, which oversees approximately $112 billion in assets under management, will use its Dubai office to serve investors across the Gulf and broader Middle East. The expansion adds to the growing concentration of global asset managers establishing operations in the region.

The approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) follows Oak Hill Advisors becoming the 100th hedge fund manager registered with DIFC in late 2025. The firm manages private credit, leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, collateralised loan obligations and multi-strategy credit investments.

OHA’s expansion into Dubai underscores the growing global significance of DIFC as the region’s preferred hub for alternative investment firms, asset managers, and financial institutions seeking access to regional and international markets.

DIFC is home to the region’s largest cluster of wealth and asset management firms, and continues to attract the world’s leading investment firms as a result of its world-class legal and regulatory framework, deep talent pool, and strategic geographic position connecting East and West.

Declan Tiernan, partner and head of EMEA Client Coverage at OHA, said: “Establishing an office in the GCC marks an important milestone in OHA’s continuing growth in a region where we have developed many significant partnerships over time. The DIFC offers a sophisticated financial ecosystem, a strong regulatory framework, and strategic access to investors and opportunities across the Middle East and beyond. We look forward to expanding our already meaningful presence in the region and continuing to bring our differentiated credit investment capabilities and long-term partnership approach to regional investors and stakeholders.”

Arif Amiri, CEO of DIFC Authority, said: “OHA’s decision to establish its presence in DIFC further reinforces Dubai’s position as a leading global financial hub and a destination of choice for the world’s foremost alternative investment firms. OHA joins a rapidly expanding ecosystem of global asset managers and credit specialists operating from DIFC, reflecting continued confidence in our regulatory environment, infrastructure, and ability to support the evolving needs of the global investment community.”

OHA manages a broad range of credit strategies across private credit, leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, stressed and distressed debt, collateralised loan obligations, and multi-strategy credit investing, supported by more than 30 years of experience across global credit markets.

DIFC continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of finance in the region by attracting world-class institutions, fostering innovation, and enabling sustainable economic growth. Driven by DIFC initiatives, Dubai is currently ranked seventh in the world as a global financial centre and sixth for investment management.

Re-disseminated by Wealth and Society