Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor Mubadala Investment Company has signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Apleona, a leading European provider of integrated facility management services headquartered in Neu-Isenburg, Germany.

The investment is part of a consortium led by Bain Capital’s Private Equity team in Europe, aiming to support Apleona’s continued growth and development into Europe’s leading integrated facility management group.

Apleona has over 40,000 employees in more than 30 countries, and manages and operates real estate from all asset classes, production facilities, and cross-regional and country portfolios

“We are pleased to announce our investment in Apleona, a market leader in the real estate and technical facility management industry, alongside one of our key partners Bain Capital. We look forward to working closely with Dr Jochen Keysberg and Apleona’s management team and supporting them in the next chapter of their growth story,” said Zouhir Regragui, head of Industrials & Business Services at Mubadala.

Apleona focused on ESG solutions

The company addresses the growing demand for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) solutions, focusing on products that reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions in buildings.

Looking ahead, the company plans to expand its European platform and accelerate the digital transformation of its services.

The company is investing in data-driven and AI-based control systems for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as predictive maintenance for building technology.

It has already made significant strides, having acquired and successfully integrated 14 strategic acquisitions across Europe, including the transformative acquisition of Gegenbauer Group in 2023.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

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The AI-first work platform for human connection has established its first node in Saudi Arabia in partnership with centre3 and Zoom.

This initiative introduces high-performance infrastructure to address the increasing demand for low-latency conferencing, enhancing service performance for users across the region.

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“The deployment of this node in Saudi Arabia is a crucial step towards our mission to provide seamless and reliable global communications,” said Mohannad Alkalash, Head of METAP at Zoom.

“We’ve strengthened our ability to meet the unique needs of users in the Middle East, offering faster and more reliable experiences essential for modern collaboration through our partnership with centre3,” Alkalash added.

Fahad AlHajeri, CEO of centre3, highlighted that their partnership with Zoom demonstrates the company’s commitment to providing state-of-the-art infrastructure to empower customers.

“This collaboration also aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, supporting the localization of digital applications to benefit both the Kingdom and the wider region,” he said.

The partnership between centre3 and Zoom is set to not only deliver lasting value to users across the region but also act as a cornerstone of Zoom’s Middle East expansion.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has executed a series of traffic enhancements on the Dubai-Al Ain Road near the Al-Faqa area.

According to a report by RTA, the improvements on this route include the construction of an additional exit on Dubai-Al Ain Road towards Al Ain at Exit 58, leading to the U-turn tunnel before the Al-Faqa area.

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The road development aims to improve traffic flow and significantly reduce commute times for drivers heading to both Al Ain and Dubai.

The authority has made these enhancements to streamline traffic flow and cut down on travel time for vehicles heading towards both Al Ain City and Dubai.

“A new roundabout has also been constructed to improve entry and exit from the existing tunnel and enhance U-turn movements on the road, along with a 600-meter acceleration lane for vehicles exiting towards Al Ain, ensuring a seamless merge into the main traffic flow,” said Hamad Al Shehhi, Director of Roads at the Traffic and Roads Agency at RTA.

How the road improvements helped d rivers

These upgrades have not only eased congestion at Exit 58 but have also greatly benefited residents and visitors of the Hind and Al-Faqa communities. The improvements have improved access for farm owners and workers in the vicinity.

The Dubai Mall is all set to open a brand-new section at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

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As announced by Mohamed Alabbar, the founder of Emaar Properties and Eagle Hills in an Instagram post, the new section will feature 65 exclusive brands as well as other food and beverage outlets.

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A post shared by Mohamed Alabbar محمد العبار (@mohamedalabbar)

Emaar, on February 5, 2025, also announced the temporary closure of the Dubai Fountain for a comprehensive upgrade and routine upkeep.

According to a report by Emaar, the renovation is set to begin in May and will take about five months to complete.

Once the enhancement of the fountain is complete, the spectacular attraction will continue to display breathtaking performances with even more fabulous displays.

The fountain’s upgrade will include:

• Advanced technology
• Improved choreography
• Enhanced sound and lighting systems

All of these enhancements have been designed to create an even more spectacular and immersive show for those who have enjoyed it over the years.

Emirates Global Aluminium plans to explore alternative clean energy development in Indonesia, Jakarta said, amending a statement denied by the company that EGA planned to build a nuclear power plant in the Southeast Asian country.

Indonesia’s economic affairs ministry issued a statement late on Saturday, replacing one that had said EGA planned to build a nuclear plant of up to 5 gigawatts in an attempt to remedy a shortage of low-carbon power bedevilling efforts to boost capacity at an aluminium smelter in North Sumatra.

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An EGA spokesperson said in an email on Thursday that the company “is not in the nuclear power business so, with all respect, the account of this aspect… is inaccurate”. EGA reiterated it was “interested in Indonesia”.

Indonesia has no nuclear power capacity.

The company agreed in 2022 to help expand production capacity by up to 400,000 tons a year at the smelter owned by state-owned Indonesia Asahan Aluminium.

Indonesia has been trying to develop its mineral processing industry by attracting investment on the basis of its rich reserves of minerals such as nickel, copper and bauxite.

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Senior Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto and EGA CEO Abdulnasser Ibrahim Saif Bin Kalban met in Dubai on Wednesday to discuss development of the aluminium industry.

Airlangga, in Dubai to attend the World Government Summit, also met Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the chief executive of UAE state-owned renewable energy firm Masdar.

The two discussed their projects in Indonesia, including a 145-megawatt floating solar power plant on a reservoir in the province of West Java and development of a gas pipeline from Aceh to East Java.