Skip to main content

Abu Dhabi's ADQ, Sotheby's majority owner Drahi to invest $1 bln in auction house

1 min Mena Today

Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADQ and Sotheby's majority owner Patrick Drahi will invest $1 billion in the auction house in a deal that will see ADQ acquire a minority stake in the company, the fund and Sotheby's said.

French-Israeli billionaire Drahi, who founded telecoms group Altice, has been struggling with soaring debt costs because of a $60 billion debt pile that allowed him to build his media-to-telecoms empire in an era of low interest rates © Mena Today 

French-Israeli billionaire Drahi, who founded telecoms group Altice, has been struggling with soaring debt costs because of a $60 billion debt pile that allowed him to build his media-to-telecoms empire in an era of low interest rates © Mena Today 

Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADQ and Sotheby's majority owner Patrick Drahi will invest $1 billion in the auction house in a deal that will see ADQ acquire a minority stake in the company, the fund and Sotheby's said.

French-Israeli billionaire Drahi, who founded telecoms group Altice, has been struggling with soaring debt costs because of a $60 billion debt pile that allowed him to build his media-to-telecoms empire in an era of low interest rates.

Under the deal with ADQ, Drahi will keep majority ownership of Sotheby's, one of the world's largest brokers of fine and decorative arts and jewellery.

ADQ, Abu Dhabi's third biggest sovereign wealth fund, said Drahi will invest additional capital to bring the total investment by both parties to around $1 billion.

"Our investment underscores our firm belief in the enduring value of Sotheby’s brand, market leading platform and the ability of its management to execute on their growth agenda," said Hamad Al Hammadi, ADQ deputy group CEO.

ADQ was established in 2018 and holds a broad portfolio including energy and utilities, food and agriculture, healthcare and others.

"The additional capital and investment expertise will enable us to accelerate our strategic initiatives, expand our commitment to excellence in the art and luxury markets, and continue to innovate to better serve our clients around the world," said Charles F. Stewart, CEO of Sotheby’s.

Reporting by Nayera Abdallah and Shakeel Ahmed

Related

United Arab Emirates

Shock exit: UAE leaves OPEC and OPEC+

The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it was quitting OPEC and OPEC+, dealing a heavy blow to the oil exporting groups and their de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the Iran war has caused a historic energy shock and unsettled the global economy.

United Arab Emirates

Aldar posts strong Q1 results as Abu Dhabi property market stays resilient

Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi's largest real estate developer and asset manager, has reported robust first-quarter 2026 results, with net profit after tax climbing 20% year-on-year to AED 2.3 billion ($626 million), on revenues of AED 8.7 billion ($2.4 billion).

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.