The State of M&A Activity in the Middle East

The State of M&A Activity in the Middle East

Published July 28th, 2020 - 10:00 GMT































Dubai-based Lumina Capital Advisers, a specialist mid-market M&A firm, has announced the successful completion of a follow-on equity funding round from a consortium of regional investors into UK-based Amara Living Ltd.

The deal follows closely on the initial April 2020 closing and reflects the rapid growth of the company during the second quarter (Q2) of 2020. The Lumina team, consisting of Andrew Nichol, Gareth Williams and Feico Boonstra, lead-advised the regional group of investors.

Founded in 2005 by Andrew and Sam Hood, Amara sells over 25,000 products from a range of leading homewares brands including Missoni, Versace, and Jo Malone London. Over 50% of sales are now from international markets, mainly the US and Europe.

The company recently expanded its distribution footprint to the Middle East, which is a key growth market with strong consumer demand for online access to Amara's wide portfolio of aspirational homewares and curated gifts sourced from around the world.

The growth of e-commerce has been massively accelerated by the global pandemic and has attracted global, and regional, investment. A survey from Ernst & Young (EY) conducted earlier in