Emirates NBD and BlackRock Launch Two Income Funds After $350 Million Platform

Emirates NBD Asset Management and BlackRock have launched two income-focused funds, the FundStar Emirates CLO AA Fund and the Emirates Systematic Income and Growth Fund, expanding a partnership that has attracted $350 million in assets under management over the past year. The launch was announced by EIN Presswire.

Emirates NBD's Two New Income Funds

The platform began in 2025 to give wealth clients access to alternative investments, and the two new funds move it from private asset offerings reserved for professional clients to public fund structures open to a broader retail investor base across the region. The FundStar Emirates CLO AA Fund, sub-managed by BlackRock, invests in a high-quality, investment-grade Collateralised Loan Obligation portfolio of senior secured corporate loans across the US and Europe. It targets an average portfolio credit rating of AA with zero sub-investment-grade exposure, daily liquidity and no leverage. The Emirates Systematic Income and Growth Fund follows a flexible, benchmark-unconstrained approach across globally diversified income-producing assets, with BlackRock as investment advisor and Emirates NBD Asset Management responsible for ongoing portfolio management. It targets a 7% distribution net of fees, paid quarterly.

Michail Samawi, Senior Executive Officer at Emirates NBD Asset Management, said: "One year ago, we partnered with BlackRock to redefine how wealth investors in the Middle East access institutional-grade strategies." Keith Saldanha, Head of Wealth and Global Product Solutions for the Middle East & Africa at BlackRock, said: "One year into our partnership with Emirates NBD, we are proud of how quickly our collaboration has evolved and expanded."

Emirates NBD's Scale Behind the Fund Launch

According to akta.pro company records, Emirates NBD reported AED 1,217 billion in total assets as of Q1 2026, AED 8.2 billion in net profit before tax for Q1 2026 and AED 14.4 billion in total income in Q1 2026, a 21% year-over-year increase. The same records list eight funding rounds, including a $1.5 billion post-IPO debt round in June 2026, a $750 million post-IPO debt round in April 2026, a $1.8 billion post-IPO debt round in March 2026 and a $1 billion post-IPO debt round in January 2026 led by T. Rowe Price.

Emirates NBD's Recent Product and Partnership Moves

Emirates NBD launched the UAE's first bank-led AI travel assistant with Visa and Tripadvisor, accessible without a bank account or login, The Fintech Times reported in October 2026. The bank expanded its VIP Privilege Program for business banking clients to all existing and new customers on qualifying packages, announced on 7 October 2026, The Fintech Times reported. Emirates NBD will become the first MENA bank to run OpenAI's GPT models on UAE-based infrastructure, announced on October 19, GulfNews reported.

Emirates NBD's Loan Presentation Date

Emirates NBD is raising up to US$1bn in a dual-tranche loan from Asian banks, with Mizuho as coordinator, and a lender presentation is set for October 29, TradingView reported.