Image: DIFC
Nettlestone Capital Advisors, a DFSA-regulated advisory and capital raising firm, has officially launched its operations at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), aiming to connect specialist investment managers with institutional capital across the Middle East.
Founded by Edwin Lawrence, a veteran with over two decades of regional asset management experience, Nettlestone is among the few firms in the DIFC offering fundraising services tailored to alternative and specialist managers targeting Gulf-based investors.
The firm is fully authorised and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).
Nettlestone employs a selective, partnership-driven model
“Nettlestone was born out of a belief that the Middle East deserves better alignment between local investor needs and the specialist managers seeking to serve them,” said Lawrence, who previously held senior distribution roles at Franklin Templeton and Columbia Threadneedle Investments. “Operating under DFSA regulation from within the DIFC gives us a strong governance framework — while our on-the-ground knowledge enables us to build trusted, long-term relationships in a market that values commitment and cultural fluency.”
The firm adopts a selective, partnership-driven model, working with a small number of high-conviction managers, primarily across alternative asset classes. It also leverages a proprietary database of more than 400 institutional investors and family offices spanning six Gulf markets, offering a focused and strategic approach to distribution.
The launch comes amid a surge in institutional appetite for differentiated strategies and increased emphasis on governance and alignment in capital raising.
