- These agreements reinforce Emirates Islamic’s commitment to enabling impactful investments in education, a sector that is foundational to the UAE’s vision of a knowledge-based economy
Dubai: Taaleem Holdings PJSC (“Taaleem”), one of the largest premium K-12 education providers in the UAE, has signed two strategic financing agreements that will enable a collective value of AED 968 million, to support its growth and expansion plans with Emirates Islamic, one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the UAE.
The first financing agreement secures AED 730 million to support Taaleem’s recent acquisition of a majority stake in Kids First Group, a leading early childhood education provider operating 34 premium nurseries across the UAE and Qatar. The acquisition strategically positions Taaleem to expand into the rapidly growing early learning sector, complementing its existing K-12 portfolio.
The second agreement, valued at AED 238 million, will enable financing for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art school, to be operated under the world-renowned Harrow name. Taaleem holds exclusive rights to operate Harrow Schools across the GCC region and the financing by Emirates Islamic will support Taaleem’s entry into the super-premium education market aimed at addressing the growing demand for innovative and future-ready learning environments.
These agreements reinforce Emirates Islamic’s commitment to enabling impactful investments in education as a foundation to building a knowledge-based, sustainable economy, aligned with the National Strategy of Higher Education 2030.
Alan Williamson, CEO at Taaleem Holdings PJSC, said: “This partnership with Emirates Islamic represents a powerful alignment of values and vision. By joining forces with a pioneer in ethical and Shari’ah-compliant finance, we are not only strengthening our capacity to invest in the future but also reaffirming our mission to deliver world-class education. With the momentum of our acquisitions and new school developments, we are amplifying our impact across the UAE and GCC, shaping and creating opportunities for generations to come.”
Mohammad Kamran Wajid, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Islamic, remarked: “We are proud to sign two financing agreements with Taaleem Holding to enhance and support its expansion strategies. Education is a key driver of economic growth and fosters global competitiveness. Taaleem is raising the bar with respect to super-premium and early years education. By supporting investments into the sector, Emirates Islamic is committed to making a lasting impact and fostering a knowledge-based economy in line with national objectives.”
Emirates Islamic is dedicated to pioneering Shari’ah-compliant products and services to meet the growing demand for ethical banking solutions. In 2024, the bank entered a joint agreement with Taaleem for a groundbreaking partnership that includes Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) linked financing facility, marking a significant milestone in advancing environmental goals in the UAE.
About Taaleem Holdings
Taaleem DFM:TAALEEM is one of the largest K-12 premium education providers in the UAE with a portfolio consisting of 38 schools, comprising 12 owned and operated premium private schools, and 26 Government partnership schools operated on behalf of Government entities. The Company boasts a student body of 41,363 students and world-class faculty from diverse backgrounds.
About Emirates Islamic:
Emirates Islamic DFM:EIB, part of Emirates NBD Group, is a leading Islamic financial institution in the UAE. Established in 2004 as Emirates Islamic Bank, the bank has established itself as a major player in the highly competitive financial services sector in the UAE.
Emirates Islamic offers a comprehensive range of Shariah-compliant products and services across the Personal, Business and Corporate banking spectrum with a network of 40 branches and 229 ATMs/CDMs across the UAE. In the fast-growing area of online and mobile banking, the bank is an innovator, being the first Islamic bank in the UAE to launch a mobile banking app and offer Apple Pay, as well as being the first Islamic bank in the world to launch Chat Banking services for customers via WhatsApp.
Emirates Islamic has consistently received local and international awards, in recognition of its strong record of performance and innovation in banking. Emirates Islamic was recognized as ‘Best Overall Islamic Bank’ and ‘Most Innovative Islamic Bank’ at the Islamic Finance News Awards 2024. The Bank was also named the ‘Most Innovative Islamic Bank’ at the prestigious Euromoney Islamic Finance Awards 2024.
As part of its commitment to the UAE community, the Emirates Islamic Charity Fund provides financial aid to those in need, with a focus on food, shelter, health, education and social welfare contributions.
For further information please visit www.emiratesislamic.ae
Or please contact:
Amina Al Zarooni
Media Relations Manager, Emirates Islamic
Email: AminaAlZarooni@emiratesislamic.ae
Burson
Dubai, UAE
Email: ei@bm.com
Send us your press releases to pressrelease.zawya@lseg.comDisclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.
The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.