Marwan Elaraby

Marwan Elaraby has been appointed President of the MENA region at BlueFive Capital, effective September 1, 2026. He brings more than three decades of experience in the Middle East market as a lawyer, investment banker and private equity investor, and will be based in BlueFive Capital's Abu Dhabi office reporting directly to Founder and CEO Hazem Ben-Gacem.

Elaraby received his Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the American University in Cairo, majoring in Economics. He is fluent in English, Arabic, and French. Elaraby is ranked by Chambers Global as a leading individual for Corporate/M&A (Band 1) and Capital Markets: Equity in the UAE and as a leading individual in Egypt for Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets, and Projects & Energy.

Chambers Global describes Elaraby as "a phenomenal lawyer," someone who is "super-commercial, very sharp and reads situations well" and "widely respected for his capital markets skills, with particularly notable experience in the UAE and Egypt." At Gibson Dunn, he was the Partner in Charge of the Dubai office and a member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets Practice Groups, advising clients on M&A and private equity transactions, governments on strategic and regulatory matters, and both issuers and underwriters on equity and debt securities offerings.

Career History

• President, MENA Region, BlueFive Capital (September 2026–present)
• Partner in Charge, Dubai Office, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher (2022–2026)
• Partner, Shearman & Sterling LLP, serving in New York and the UAE
• Managing Director, Citadel Capital (now Qalaa Holdings), Cairo (eight years)
• Executive Director, Investment Banking, EFG Hermes

What Marwan Elaraby could bring to President, MENA region at BlueFive Capital: Elaraby's appointment reflects recognition of his extensive regional networks and deep expertise in complex cross-border transactions across the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. His three decades of experience advising sovereign entities, oil and gas companies, and private equity investors on strategic transactions—combined with his established relationships across the GCC and Egypt—positions him to accelerate BlueFive Capital's expansion across the MENA region and bridge capital flows to high-growth opportunities across the Global South.