France’s Ardian Set to Join Global Firms Planning Kuwait Offices

French private equity firm Ardian plans to open an office in Kuwait, according to people familiar with the matter, joining a growing cohort of global financial companies in establishing a presence in the Gulf state as it looks to position itself as a regional business hub.

The office, slated to open in 2026, is expected to serve as a gateway to Europe for Kuwaiti investors, the people said, asking not to be named discussing information that isn’t public. Ardian, which manages about $196 billion, would be the first major European private equity manager to set up in Kuwait.