Abu Dhabi group backs global media tech fund

Abu Dhabi’s Ethmar International Holding has partnered with Guggenheim Brothers Media to launch a multi-million-dollar investment fund aimed at backing emerging media and technology companies, positioning the venture at the intersection of capital, content and digital innovation.

The new fund, announced by the two groups, is designed to provide growth capital to early- and mid-stage firms developing technologies and platforms that serve film, television, streaming, gaming, advertising and adjacent digital media sectors. While the precise size has not been publicly disclosed, executives involved have described it as a sizeable pool with a mandate spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East and selected Asian markets.

Leadership of the fund has been entrusted to Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis, combining financial heritage with operational experience in entertainment and media. Lawson-Johnston is the great-great-grandson of the founder of New York City’s Guggenheim Museum and has been associated with investment initiatives linked to the wider Guggenheim family network. Fiordalis brings a track record in studio operations, strategic advisory roles and media deal-making, particularly in navigating the commercial realities of content creation and distribution.

Ethmar International Holding, based in Abu Dhabi, has built a portfolio across hospitality, leisure, financial services and strategic investments. Its move into a dedicated media and technology fund reflects a broader push by Gulf-based investment groups to diversify beyond traditional sectors and capture value from intellectual property, digital platforms and creative industries. Abu Dhabi has been positioning itself as a hub for media production and technology development, supported by regulatory frameworks, free-zone incentives and sovereign-linked capital seeking long-term growth opportunities.

Guggenheim Brothers Media operates as a private investment and advisory platform focusing on media, entertainment and technology assets. Its collaboration with Ethmar brings together regional capital from the Middle East and global industry connections rooted in the United States and Europe. People familiar with the structure say the fund is intended to operate independently, with its own investment committee and governance standards aligned with international private equity and venture capital practices.

The fund’s investment thesis centres on companies building tools and platforms that respond to structural shifts in how content is produced, distributed and monetised. These include technologies supporting streaming infrastructure, audience analytics, artificial intelligence-driven content workflows, immersive media, gaming ecosystems and digital advertising solutions. Executives involved argue that traditional media business models continue to face pressure from changing consumer behaviour, while technology-led entrants are reshaping value chains and creating opportunities for outsized returns.

Industry analysts note that the timing of the fund’s launch aligns with a period of consolidation and recalibration across global media and technology markets. Valuations in parts of the sector have moderated compared with earlier peaks, creating entry points for investors willing to take a longer-term view. At the same time, demand for scalable digital content and platforms continues to grow, driven by younger demographics, mobile consumption and cross-border distribution.

For Ethmar, the partnership also supports Abu Dhabi’s broader economic strategy of building globally relevant platforms rather than purely domestic assets. By anchoring the fund in the emirate while deploying capital internationally, the group aims to strengthen its investment credentials and attract co-investors, strategic partners and portfolio companies to the region. Executives involved have indicated that portfolio firms may be encouraged to establish regional operations or production capabilities in the Middle East, subject to commercial viability.

Lawson-Johnston has described the fund as an opportunity to combine disciplined investment processes with a deep appreciation of creative industries, while Fiordalis has emphasised the importance of operational support alongside capital. According to people briefed on the plans, the fund intends to take active stakes, offering strategic guidance, industry access and help with scaling, rather than acting solely as a passive financial backer.