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International Media Investments
International Media Investments was founded in 2016 by the Al Nahyan ruling family of Abu Dhabi.
International Media Investments
International Media Investments was founded in 2016 by the Al Nahyan ruling family of Abu Dhabi. The firm's chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, is also the founder of Emaar Properties and Noon. IMI was created as a vehicle to aggregate and expand media holdings for the family office, distinct from the sovereign wealth fund Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. IMI's strategy centers on acquiring majority or significant minority stakes in established media properties. Asset-class mix includes publishing (The Independent), broadcasting (Euronews), and digital media (Bloomberg Media minority stake). The firm has co-invested alongside other sovereign and family office investors, including in the 2017 acquisition of Euronews (per Reuters, 2017) and the 2016 purchase of The Independent's print and digital operations (per The Guardian, 2016). Geographic focus spans Europe and the Middle East, with additional interests in the United States. The firm operates from Abu Dhabi with a lean professional team; exact headcount is not publicly disclosed. IMI maintains a philanthropic arm, the International Media Investments Foundation, which supports media freedom and journalism development. In October 2023, IMI appointed a new managing director, Ravi S. Viswanathan (per IMI press release, October 2023). IMI is structurally unusual because it functions as a single-family office dedicated exclusively to media assets, a narrow mandate relative to diversified family offices. This focus allows the firm to build deep operational expertise in a single sector while retaining the long-term capital horizon of family-backed investing.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2016
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Middle East
Country
United Arab Emirates
City
Abu Dhabi
Corporate office
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Principals
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Founder
Mohamed Alabbar
Chairman
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who makes investment decisions at International Media Investments?
Chairman Mohamed Alabbar, who also founded Emaar Properties and Noon, provides strategic direction. The day-to-day investment decisions are led by Managing Director Ravi S. Viswanathan, appointed in October 2023 (per IMI press release, October 2023).
How does IMI source proprietary deal flow?
IMI sources deals through direct relationships with media founders and legacy families looking for long-term capital. Given its Abu Dhabi base and Al Nahyan family backing, the firm is a natural partner for media groups seeking sovereign-adjacent, patient investors (per public record).
Is IMI structured as a single family office or does it operate like a venture firm?
IMI is structured as a single-family office with a narrow mandate for media investments. It does not operate like a venture capital firm; it focuses on controlling or significant minority stakes in established media companies rather than startups. It has no separate fund vehicles.
Does IMI participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
IMI invests directly in media companies, not through external funds. Its investments include direct equity stakes in The Independent (full ownership of print/digital), Euronews (majority stake in the broadcaster), and Bloomberg Media (minority stake)(per The Guardian, 2016; Reuters, 2017).
What investment stages does IMI typically target?
IMI targets growth-stage and mature media companies — established titles, broadcasters, and digital platforms — rather than early-stage startups. Its typical deal size is in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars (per public record).
Which sectors does IMI explicitly avoid?
IMI explicitly avoids technology, real estate, energy, and other non-media sectors. This is a deliberate structural focus; the firm's entire portfolio is in media and publishing.
How is IMI related to the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority?
IMI is a separate entity from ADIA, the sovereign wealth fund. IMI is a personal family office vehicle for the Al Nahyan family, whereas ADIA manages surplus oil revenues for the Emirate. They are not formally linked (per public record).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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