IVI-RMA to expand in Middle East, Asia and Europe

Alternative asset manager Gulf Capital, which acquired IVI-RMA’s Middle Eastern clinics for more than US$100m, has announced a three-year growth plan to triple the number of clinics and expand operations regionally and into Asia and Europe.

The acquisition is a carve-out of the Middle Eastern clinics of IVI-RMA, the largest IVF service provider globally, and continues Gulf Capital’s strategy of acquiring controlling stakes in market leaders.

“We are thrilled to back the strongest management and medical team within the IVF sector regionally,” said Gulf Capital chief executive Karim El Solh.

Launched in early 2016, IVI-RMA Middle East is the fastest growing IVF service provider in the UAE and Oman, growing at a 50% CAGR since inception.

With increased awareness coupled with the technological advancements in the field, the fertility sector in the GCC is forecasted to continue to grow at 15%+ CAGR annually over the next five years.

Gulf Capital said that it intends to launch a new platform-wide brand identity in 2020 for IVI-RMA Middle East, inaugurate a genetics lab in Abu Dhabi, and expand the number of clinics to nine clinics.

The asset manager said that it “will also be opportunistically looking at acquisitions in other geographies”.