The House
Knightsbridge Partners is a merchant bank, modeled on the merchant banks of the late 19th century-like
Rothschild, Morgan & Co. and Brown Brothers Harriman, firms that were not only considered traders and
financiers but entrepreneurs with core values and total commitment to clients that rarely exist today.
At Knightsbridge, we are strong believers in the value of partnership and we structured ourselves
around
that single idea.
Whether managing investments for our private clients or advising institutional investors, our long-term view
on doing business is a distinguishing and a crucial part of our success.
Knightsbridge is characterized by the team-based approach with strong global partners coupled with the
know-how of an investment bank and our emphasis on the highest ethical standards.
Our competitive advantage rests in the combination of extensive investment experience, access to unique
investment opportunities and our vast network of powerful relations throughout Latin America, the Middle
East,
North America and Europe.
Expertise
Investment expertise across private markets
Real Estate
Knightsbridge core investments have been traditionality in the real estate sector. Our firm offers clients
with a combination of extensive real estate invesment experience with in-depth local knowledge, formidable
execution and access to unique opportunities.
The firm is an active, hands-on investor and, with its strong financial engineering capabilities,
international partners and network, provides significant value beyond the deployment of equity capital.
OUR FOCUS IN:
- Luxury Residential Development
Private Equity
Our private investment platform, ATMOS, is dedicated to investing in the sports ecosystem. Our foremost
interests are in Football and Padel, two of the fastest growing sports in the world. The sector offers an
attractive combination of opportunities (the global sports industry takes in more than half a trillion
dollars
a year) and low correlation to traditional asset classes.
At their core, sports are growth assets with compelling financial and operating performance.
INVESTMENTS:
- Padel
- Football
Private Capital Advisory
Our Private Capital Advisory group raises capital for major private firms as well as for entreprenuers.
We work closely with our clients in adapting their needs in an ever changing fundraising environment. At the
same time, our aim is to form long-term relationships, supporting them through succesive campaigns to raise
capital.
Our long-established global relationships include both institutional investors and over 300 family offices
throughout the Americas, the Middle East, United Kingdom and Europe.
These relationships provide us with in-depth insight into the objectives and decision-making process our our
clients, and enable us to design optimal fundraising strategies.
Middle East
Transformative Investments
In 2019, our Founder, Daniel Melhem established The Corniche House, an entity with the objective to
challenge
the status quo and transformed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region into a powerful global
manufacturing
and technological HUB.
Since then, our company has been working closely with several pharmaceutical, food, and technology companies
to established new state-of-the art facilities across the GCC.
Learn how Qatar has become the spearhead for our worldwide business partners in one of the most attractive global hubs through its unique geographical location, superb infrastructure, logistics and our access to key decision makers.
Daniel Melhem
Founder & Chairman
Daniel Melhem is Founder & Managing Partner at Knightsbridge Partners. Knightsbridge is an Investment
Management firm with offices in London. Mr. Melhem has a long track record in the financial and real estate
industries. In 2019, our Founder, Daniel Melhem established The Corniche House, an entity with the objective
to challenge the status quo and help transformed the key Gulf States: the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United
Arab
Emirates and Qatar, into a powerful global manufacturing and technological HUBs.
Mr. Melhem begun his career at Lehman Brothers in 1997 as a Financial Analyst in New York, moving to Private
Client Services as Vice President where he soon became one of the most successful financial advisors at
Lehman
Brothers. In 2000, he joined Morgan Stanley and was responsible for South America.
He holds a BS in Economics and International Business from Babson College, and earned the faculty's Economic
Achievement Award. In 2018 he founded the Argentine Investment Council, Consejo Argentino de Inversión, a
non-profit organization dedicated to foster economic development and promote foreign investment in
Argentina.
Mr. Melhem has been featured in several magazines and newspaper as an expert on the Argentine economy and
the
Middle East, including: La Nación, Clarin, Infobae, El Mercurio, The Economist, the Financial Times, Gulf
News, among other publications, and has participated as a speaker at several conferences around the world.
We serve as superior stewards to our clients, we provide independent, discreet and innovative financial solutions.
Andrés Pan de Soraluce Muguiro
General Partner, Europe
Andrés Pan de Soraluce Muguiro is General Partner at Knightsbridge Partners, leading all investments and
developments across Southern Europe in partnership with The Avington Group.
Mr. Pan de Soraluce Muguiro brings decades of senior leadership across landmark hospitality and real estate
projects in Spain and internationally. Prior to joining Knightsbridge, he served as CEO of Acciona’s Living
& Culture division, where he accelerated the group’s real estate and cultural businesses through
sustainable, high-impact developments. He previously served as CEO of Acciona Real Estate, President &
CEO of OHL Desarrollos — where he led the Mayakoba masterplan on the Riviera Maya, recognised by the UN
World Tourism Organization with the Ulysses Prize — and as Managing Director of Walt Disney Spain. His
earlier roles include Director of Strategic Planning at Grupo Occidental Hoteles and senior positions at
Banco Santander de Negocios and American Express.
Notable projects under his leadership include the Four Seasons Canalejas Madrid, the W Barcelona, and the
Old War Office - Raffles Hotel & Residences in London.
He holds a Law degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and a Master’s in Economics and Business
Administration from IESE and the University of Navarra.
Michael Brennan
Senior Partner, Madrid
Michael Brennan is a Senior Partner at Knightsbridge Partners, based in Spain, where he leads the firm’s
Iberian coverage and cross-border investment activities.
Mr. Brennan has built a distinguished global career in banking, with deep expertise in cross-border
financing and M&A in the real asset space. Throughout his career, he has worked with leading family
offices and corporates across Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia, holding senior roles at HSBC
and BBVA across London, Madrid, Shanghai, Singapore, Manila, Mexico City, and Panama City. His most recent
positions include BBVA Head of Iberia Institutional Business, Head of Europe and Asia Coverage, CEO
Singapore, and HSBC Head of Philippine Wholesale Banking and COO China Global Banking. He began his career
as a lawyer with Freshfields and White & Case.
Mr. Brennan holds an MA in Classics from Oxford University and postgraduate legal studies from Oxford
Brookes University. He is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England & Wales and a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society
Andrew Ausama Kaidbay
Senior Partner, United Arab Emirates
Andrew Ausama is a senior investment and advisory executive with over 20 years of international experience
across financial services, real estate, and strategic investment. Based in Abu Dhabi, he specializes in
high-value deal structuring, cross-border joint ventures, and connecting private capital with public sector
opportunities across complex markets.
He is Co-Founder and Director of Fortress Dynamic, where he leads investment sourcing and structuring
across infrastructure, technology, industrial assets, and commercial real estate. Andrew works closely with
sovereign wealth funds, conglomerates, and family offices, advising on regulatory facilitation, investor
pathways, and geopolitical risk, and supporting the successful execution of large-scale, cross-border
transactions.
Previously, Andrew held senior roles at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), including Head of Investor
Attraction, where he played a key role in driving foreign direct investment and supporting Abu Dhabi’s
economic diversification agenda. His earlier experience includes leading real estate acquisitions at Cushman
& Wakefield UAE and advising international investors on infrastructure and financial structuring. Andrew
holds a Bachelor of Business (Banking & Finance) from Southern Cross University, Australia, is a
Certified Financial Consultant in Abu Dhabi, and has advised on over AED 2.2 billion in UAE assets.
Waleed Arab
Senior Partner, Saudi Arabia
Mr. Arab started his career at Citibank | SAMBA Bank where he worked as a Corporate banker between
1994-2000, moving on to the Private Wealth Management division and advising HNW individuals in Saudi Arabia.
In 2000 he joined Unilever as brand Manager in the Middle East and Africa. As part of his growth and
experience, he joined Philip Morris International in Lausanne, Switzerland 2005-2007, and managed the
company’s Easter Europe markets.
In 2007 he became Managing Director of Pepsico International until 2011. That year, he moved to UAE and
became a Director for Quilvest Group, where he represented the interests of the Bemberg family, an
international financial group with over $20 billion in asset under management.
In 2012 he founded Karma, a firm that primarily provides corporate services (MISA, Government Relations) to
foreign and local companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Arab also owns a logistics company in Saudi
Arabia, which provides last-mile deliveries to customers such as Amazon, Aramex, among other companies. He
also owns a Holding Company that invests in the Advisory Defense Industry, Tourism and in Real Estate.
Mr. Arab holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Minor in Business Administration from Boston
University.
Celma de Almeida
Senior Partner, Portugal
Celma de Almeida is a Founding Partner of Blue Buffalo Capital and a Senior Partner at Knightsbridge
Partners in Portugal. Blue Buffalo Capital has played a key role in the development of luxury residential
projects in Lisbon and Cascais and currently manages over EUR 100 million in assets. She brings more than 25
years of experience in the real estate sector.
Previously, she led the growth of Madrilisboa, helping establish it as one of the largest private real
estate developers in Portugal. In that role, she oversaw the full lifecycle of projects—from land
acquisition through development and sales—managing assets in excess of EUR 500 million.
Mrs. de Almeida is also the founder of Reform AI, a proptech company with a presence in South America, the
United States, and Europe.
She was a founding member of WIRE Portugal (Women in Real Estate), where she currently leads the mentorship
programme and serves as a non-executive director.
Mrs. de Almeida holds a degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Bath and a degree in
Interior Design from the Inchbald School of Design, both in the United Kingdom. She also holds a Master’s in
Real Estate Development from IE University in Spain, where she graduated as the top student in her class.
Miguel de Almeida
Senior Partner, Portugal
Miguel de Almeida is a Founding Partner of Blue Buffalo Capital and a Senior Partner at Knightsbridge
Partners in Portugal. He brings over 25 years of experience in real estate investment and development.
Previously, Mr. de Almeida served as General Manager at Madrilisboa, where he oversaw the delivery of more
than 1,000 residential units across Portugal and led the firm’s real estate investment initiatives in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil.
With significant international experience, he began his career in Private Wealth Management at Chase
Manhattan Bank in Madrid. He later became a director of two companies: an energy efficiency company based in
Australia and a consulting firm in the United Arab Emirates, advising clients across Africa, Asia, and the
Middle East.
Mr. de Almeida is a member and former Chair of YPO Portugal. He holds a degree in International Relations
from University of Sussex and an MBA jointly awarded by NYU Stern School of Business, London School of
Economics, and HEC Paris
Jorge Antúnez Vega
Investment Associate
Jorge G. Antúnez Vega is an Investment Associate at Knightsbridge Partners, supporting the build-out of the
firm’s hospitality advisory platform and the structuring of its inaugural investment fund. His work focuses
on deal execution and investor engagement across Latin America and Europe
Prior to joining Knightsbridge, Jorge was in the Investment Banking division of Citigroup in Buenos Aires,
where he advised leading Argentine corporates on over US$8 billion of capital markets transactions,
acquisition financings, syndicated loans, and restructurings across the energy, infrastructure, and
industrial sectors. He also worked in the Finance and Investments Department at Techint Group, Argentina’s
leading conglomerate.
Jorge holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Manchester and an MPhil in
Development Economics from the University of Cambridge.
News & Insights
-
Flush with capital and with a mandate to diversify, Gulf sovereign and private investment is moving beyond traditional markets and into Latin America and the Caribbean. From energy and infrastructure to food security and consumer sectors, the region is emerging as a strategic testing ground for a new phase of Gulf global investment. -
On Dec. 10, 2023, Javier Milei became the new president of Argentina by an overwhelming majority (55.65 percent) after enduring a tough presidential campaign. This shock reverberated not only within Argentina’s elite but also throughout Latin America, and also stunned Washington, London, Paris and Madrid. -
La empresa dueña de los shoppings tenía previsto edificar 8000 viviendas en el partido de San Martín, pero vendió su participación del megalote a una desarrolladora cordobesa [...] -
After a humiliating defeat in primary elections on Sunday, many pundits now assume that it is game over for Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri. [...] -
A casi tres años de la asunción de la administración de Cambiemos aún no se han podido emprender las reformas de fondo que son vitales para que la Argentina de una buena vez se encamine [...] -
Una de las palabras más frecuentes hoy en día en importantes diarios del exterior y revistas especializadas, como The Economist, Wired y Time, es la palabra disruptiva [...] -
La publicación subrayó la “confusión” y “sorpresa” de la comunidad financiera por la baja de tasas del BCRA, cuando el Gobierno quiere reducir la inflación anual a 15% en 2018 [...] -
Generally speaking, today’s investors find that expected returns in Argentina are still lower than in other emerging markets. Taxes still rank among the highest in the region, and labour costs are expensive. Thus, investing here remains a difficult proposition for institutional investors, even for the most aggressive funds [...] -
Tras la visita de una comitiva a Dubai en abril, el pasado lunes la Agencia de Promoción de Inversiones y Comercio Exterior de la Ciudad (InvestBA) y la Agencia de Desarrollo de Inversiones de ese emirato (Dubai FDI) firmaron un memorando de entendimiento para fomentar el flujo de inversiones y desarrollar una cooperación en materia de negocios [...] -
Alejo Rodríguez Cacio, director general de la Agencia de Promoción de Inversiones y Comercio Exterior del Gobierno porteño (investBA), se reunió en Medio Oriente con dos fondos soberanos, con el fin de estrechar los vínculos entre la ciudad de Buenos Aires y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos [...] -
This EIU report discusses the current economic and political climate in Latin America and explores sectors that present opportunities for economic growth—particularly trade-related infrastructure and the services sector [...] -
This EIU report examines the current trade and investment relationship between the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and Latin America and maps out engagement in key sectors and opportunities for Gulf investors [...] -
Convencido de que así atrae inversiones, el Gobierno acapara debates y seminarios. Una consultora armó un evento sobre el país para Londres, Abu Dhabi y Shanghai [...] -
This EIU report examines the current trade and investment relationship between the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries and Latin America and maps out engagement in key sectors and opportunities for Gulf investors [...] -
Para muchos argentinos, la semana que comienza es una más. Pero para el futuro del país, y en particular para el de las generaciones más jóvenes, lo que ocurrirá en Buenos Aires esta semana podría tener un enorme impacto en sus vidas [...] -
El presidente de Argentina, Mauricio Macri, inició una gira de trabajo a Catar y a China, donde participará en la cumbre del G20, con la mira puesta a conseguir inversiones para el país austral [...] -
La semana pasada la visita del emir de Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, no sólo tuvo una alta expectativa en el Gobierno, sino también en los empresarios del país de la península arábiga, quienes analizan las alternativas de inversión que pueden realizarse en la Argentina [...] -
El presidente del Consejo de Líderes del Golfo y América Latina, Daniel Melhem, cuenta cuáles son los sectores en los que invertirían estos países [...] -
El próximo 10 de diciembre, Mauricio Macri presidirá el primer Gobierno centrista; romperá así la hegemonía radical y peronista que gobernó a la Argentina desde 1916 [...] -
Como lo hizo en 2002 desde el banco central, el economista enfrenta una vez más la tarea de recuperar una economía golpeada por una alta inflación y un régimen cambiario caótico [...] -
Como lo hizo en 2002 desde el banco central, el economista enfrenta una vez más la tarea de recuperar una economía golpeada por una alta inflación y un régimen cambiario caótico [...] -
Argentina is coming under increasing pressure to strike a deal with its so-called “holdout” creditors, after the dollar-starved government failed to gain financial breathing room with a bond issue and debt swap last week. [...] -
State-backed investments into Latin America are set to increase, as developing countries act to secure natural resources, providing the region with a vital source of revenue but also stirring political tensions [...]
