Adnan Al Faraj Appointed Head of SME Direct Lending of ZCG Arabia

Builds on Firm’s Commitment to Invest in Saudi Arabia

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Z Capital Group (“ZCG”), a leading, privately held global firm, today announced the appointment of Adnan Al Faraj as Head of SME Direct Lending of ZCG Arabia. Mr. Al Faraj will lead the firm’s direct lending platform for small- and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the “Kingdom”), with a focus on high-growth, cash-flow generative businesses led by experienced management teams.

The appointment builds on ZCG’s previously announced commitment to invest in the Kingdom as part of its broader global expansion. ZCG Arabia’s mission is to become a leading provider of tailored capital solutions that support sustainable growth and contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.

Through its direct lending platform, ZCG Arabia will offer a suite of flexible financing options, including secured term loans, revolving credit facilities, and mezzanine loans. Mr. Al Faraj will lead sourcing and originating transactions, underwriting and risk assessment, and managing the SME lending portfolio.

Mr. Al Faraj brings over two decades of strategic leadership experience and has had a successful history in SME sourcing and banking across multiple sectors. He spent more than 15 years at Banque Saudi Fransi, most recently as SME Unit Head within its Corporate Banking Group, where he played a key role in quadrupling the SME portfolio and expanding market share. He also held senior roles at Saudi Awwal Bank, where he led business development and managed a portfolio of corporate clients.

“SMEs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represent a market with tremendous untapped potential, and we are committed to delivering the creative, tailored capital solutions to help them grow,” said James Zenni, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of ZCG. “Adnan’s deep expertise in SME banking and his strong leadership make him the ideal person to lead this important initiative for ZCG. We are confident he will drive long-term value for our partners and investors.”

In addition to the SME direct lending strategy, ZCG will build on its presence in the region and look to deploy capital across the Kingdom through its core private equity, private credit, and infrastructure platforms, supported by the firm’s business consulting platform ZCG Consulting, LLC (“ZCGC”) (www.zcgc.com) and technology affiliate, Haptiq (www.haptiq.com). ZCG Arabia is headquartered in Riyadh, serving as the firm’s regional hub for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), located at North Yard, 7068 Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz I, ​Riyadh, 13523, Saudi Arabia.

“I am honored to join ZCG and excited by the firm’s clear commitment to supporting economic growth across the Kingdom,” Mr. Al Faraj said. “I look forward to working closely with ZCG’s exceptional team to provide flexible, growth-oriented capital solutions and help SMEs overcome their challenges and achieve sustainable success.”

About ZCG

ZCG is a leading, privately held global firm comprised of private markets asset management, business consulting services, and technology development and solutions.

For nearly three decades, ZCG has invested tens of billions of dollars in private equity and credit-related strategies, through multiple economic cycles and across many industries, including consumer products, steel, steel processors, agriculture, consumer food, gaming, hospitality, manufacturing, specialty services, and automotive.

ZCG's investors include prominent global sovereign wealth funds, endowments, pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, family offices, wealth management firms, and other financial institutions in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

ZCG has a global team comprised of approximately 400 professionals. The company is headquartered in New York, with affiliate offices located in Pune and Mumbai, India, and Riyadh, KSA.

For more information, please visit www.zcg.com.