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| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Finance and Insurance |
| Founded | Dubai, UAE (2003) |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | UAE China United States |
Key people | Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman |
| Products | Financial services |
| Parent | Dubai World |
| Website | www.istithmarworld.com www.istithmar.world |
Istithmar World ("istithmar" (Arabic) for "investment" (English) is an investment firm based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). This company is a state-run business owned by Dubai World, a Dubai government-owned company, and was established in 2003. Originally known as "Istithmar," the company was renamed as "Istithmar World" in 2008.
Istithmar World, which was created in 2003 as the investment firm of Dubai World specializes in private equity and alternative investment opportunities globally. In the five years since its inception, Istithmar World has built a portfolio of investments in markets ranging from North America and Europe to Asia and the Middle East, and across a variety of sectors, including consumer, industrial, financial services and real estate.
An analysis of Istithmar's investment portfolio which included the investment of $3.8 billion with an associated $14 billion of debt, has not performed positively. In a number of cases, Istithmar has lost control of assets or sold at a loss. As a subsidiary of Dubai World, the company has been mentioned in numerous press reports related to the high debt levels of its parent. Since late 2009, the company has seen numerous departures of high-profile executives.