ABOUT SOLING PARTNERS

Richard is a finance, media and business development professional with more than 25 years' experience. At Soling he leads coverage for UK and European clients as well as creating the firm’s research and insights product.

After graduating from Oxford University, Richard worked with several media companies before joining Euromoney Institutional Investor in 1995 to cover global emerging markets. He specialised in the Middle East from 2000 when he established a joint venture with Euromoney to develop their Gulf business.

Richard built the Euromoney brand into the most recognised high-quality financial media, research, and events business in MENA. Richard stepped back from the joint venture in 2016 to join Soling and remains a senior editorial consultant to Euromoney.

Richard has been a senior adviser or board member to several companies with significant Gulf businesses - including 90North Group and Lincoln College International Ltd.

Richard splits his time between London, the Middle East, and the Welsh Marches. He enjoys fly fishing and single malt whisky – ideally at the same time.

Marius Vygantas is a 22 year veteran of the Middle East. At Soling he leads our coverage for US and Asian clients with a focus on venture and real-assets.

Prior to founding Soling, Marius worked at Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. There he helped create the fund's aerospace and defence strategy and implement it through global acquisitions and local joint ventures.

While at Mubadala he would often see companies visit and be unaware of local priorities and how to address them. There was an interest in the Gulf, but a big misunderstanding of how to engage it.

For that reason he established Soling. And named the firm after the Olympic class sailboat he grew up racing on Lake Michigan.

Marius is a graduate of Northwestern University and the London School of Economics. He started his career at the Federal Reserve Bank and Goldman Sachs in Chicago. He is a pilot, a cellist, does jiu jitsu and knows when to step away from it all to surf.

Maria has been working in the Middle East for two decades. She focused on building Soling's Middle East partnerships in the consumer, healthcare and asset management areas.

Maria’s multi-cultural background shines through in her understanding of how partnerships work in the Gulf. Where local priorities and regional nuances are a key part of the commercial dialogue. At Gedeon Mohr & Partners she has cultivated a unique network of senior stakeholders across the region where she structures and manages partnerships that align with both global and local interests.

She is an Advisor to Bain & Company. Prior to that she was the Chief Marketing Officer at the Chaloub Group, LVMH's joint venture partner in the Middle East. She also held senior roles at Majid Al Futtaim Group, Mubadala Investment Company and Dubai Holding.

Maria is a graduate of the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts in Beirut. She is a proud working mom of two. She is a former national ski champion and an avid tennis player (we're still taking bets for Rupert v Maria scheduled in Al Oula in 2026).

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Rupert focuses on capital partnerships in the Middle East for real estate strategies in US, Europe and Asia.

Rupert has over two decades of experience working across real estate, capital markets, developments and strategic advisory. His understanding of both Western and Gulf investment landscapes allows him to bridge cultures and create relationships between clients and both institutional and private investors.

Rupert is the Founder of READ Advisors. Prior to READ, Rupert spent 7 years with CBRE in Abu Dhabi as Head of Agency and Development consulting. He is also a Founding Partner of Ebrington Capital, a London-based GP focused on renewing real-estate for a low carbon future.

Rupert is a keen chess player. Nobody has beat him yet at Soling. He also skis and plays tennis and welcomes the balance of leisure and competition that both sports combine.

Richard is a finance, media and business development professional with more than 25 years' experience. At Soling he leads coverage for UK and European clients as well as creating the firm’s research and insights product.

After graduating from Oxford University, Richard worked with several media companies before joining Euromoney Institutional Investor in 1995 to cover global emerging markets. He specialised in the Middle East from 2000 when he established a joint venture with Euromoney to develop their Gulf business.

Richard built the Euromoney brand into the most recognised high-quality financial media, research, and events business in MENA. Richard stepped back from the joint venture in 2016 to join Soling and remains a senior editorial consultant to Euromoney.

Richard has been a senior adviser or board member to several companies with significant Gulf businesses - including 90North Group and Lincoln College International Ltd.

Richard splits his time between London, the Middle East, and the Welsh Marches. He enjoys fly fishing and single malt whisky – ideally at the same time.

​

Marius Vygantas is a 22 year veteran of the Middle East. At Soling he leads our coverage for US and Asian clients with a focus on venture and real-assets.

Prior to founding Soling, Marius worked at Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund. There he helped create the fund's aerospace and defence strategy and implement it through global acquisitions and local joint ventures.

While at Mubadala he would often see companies visit and be unaware of local priorities and how to address them. There was an interest in the Gulf, but a big misunderstanding of how to engage it.

For that reason he established Soling. And named the firm after the Olympic class sailboat he grew up racing on Lake Michigan.

Marius is a graduate of Northwestern University and the London School of Economics. He started his career at the Federal Reserve Bank and Goldman Sachs in Chicago. He is a pilot, a cellist, does jiu jitsu and knows when to step away from it all to surf.

Maria has been working in the Middle East for two decades. She focused on building Soling's Middle East partnerships in the consumer, healthcare and asset management areas.

Maria’s multi-cultural background shines through in her understanding of how partnerships work in the Gulf. Where local priorities and regional nuances are a key part of the commercial dialogue. At Gedeon Mohr & Partners she has cultivated a unique network of senior stakeholders across the region where she structures and manages partnerships that align with both global and local interests.

She is an Advisor to Bain & Company. Prior to that she was the Chief Marketing Officer at the Chaloub Group, LVMH's joint venture partner in the Middle East. She also held senior roles at Majid Al Futtaim Group, Mubadala Investment Company and Dubai Holding.

Maria is a graduate of the Academie Libanaise des Beaux Arts in Beirut. She is a proud working mom of two. She is a former national ski champion and an avid tennis player (we're still taking bets for Rupert v Maria scheduled in Al Oula in 2026).

Rupert focuses on capital partnerships in the Middle East for real estate strategies in US, Europe and Asia.

Rupert has over two decades of experience working across real estate, capital markets, developments and strategic advisory. His understanding of both Western and Gulf investment landscapes allows him to bridge cultures and create relationships between clients and both institutional and private investors.

Rupert is the Founder of READ Advisors. Prior to READ, Rupert spent 7 years with CBRE in Abu Dhabi as Head of Agency and Development consulting. He is also a Founding Partner of Ebrington Capital, a London-based GP focused on renewing real-estate for a low carbon future.

Rupert is a keen chess player. Nobody has beat him yet at Soling. He also skis and plays tennis and welcomes the balance of leisure and competition that both sports combine.