ABOUT SOLING PARTNERS

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

After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Richard worked with several media companies before joining Euromoney Institutional Investor in 1995 to specialise in coverage of global emerging markets. He further specialised in the Middle East from 2000 when he established a joint venture with Euromoney to develop their regional business.

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

Richard has been a senior regional adviser or board member of several companies with significant businesses in the Middle East – 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 16-year veteran of the Middle East. At Soling he leads our coverage for US and Asian clients with an additional focus on venture and real assets.

Prior to founding Soling Partners, Marius worked at Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi based 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 frequently see companies visit the region and be unaware of local priorities, how to address them, how to connect personally with stakeholders and craft multi-layered business partnerships. 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 the waters of Lake Michigan.

Marius is a graduate of Northwestern University and the London School of Economics. He started his career with apprenticeships at The Federal Reserve Bank and Goldman Sachs in Chicago. He is a cellist, a distance cyclist and a jiu jitsu practitioner but more importantly knows exactly when to step away from it all to go surf.

Rola Al-Shwaikh, a British national brings a decade of experience and expertise working in key strategic roles within a leading angel investment firm as well as asset management, wealth management, family office and fund placement firms. Rola Al-Shwaikh is a Principal at Soling Partners and is based in Dubai, UAE.

Rola Al-Shwaikh has raised over $500m of capital from GCC institutional investors across international alternative asset manager funds, MENA SME’s and international direct deals. Her network of investors spans across the GCC from Family Offices, Financial Institutions to Sovereign Wealth Funds.

Rola is also the Senior Investment Advisor to H.H. Khaled Bin Ibrahim AlQasimi.

Rola earned her Master of Arts degree in Accountancy and Finance in Edinburgh, UK. Having also achieved her Diploma in UK Regulated Financial Advice from the London Institute of Banking & Finance.

Richard is a finance, media and business development professional of more than 25 years’ experience. At Soling he leads coverage for UK and European clients as well creating as our firm’s research and insights product.
After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Richard worked with several media companies before joining Euromoney Institutional Investor in 1995 to specialise in coverage of global emerging markets. He further specialised in the Middle East from 2000 when he established a joint venture with Euromoney to develop their regional business.

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

Richard has been a senior regional adviser or board member of several companies with significant businesses in the Middle East – 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 16-year veteran of the Middle East. At Soling he leads our coverage for US and Asian clients with an additional focus on venture and real assets.

Prior to founding Soling Partners, Marius worked at Mubadala, an Abu Dhabi based 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 frequently see companies visit the region and be unaware of local priorities, how to address them, how to connect personally with stakeholders and craft multi-layered business partnerships. 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 the waters of Lake Michigan.

Marius is a graduate of Northwestern University and the London School of Economics. He started his career with apprenticeships at The Federal Reserve Bank and Goldman Sachs in Chicago. He is a cellist, a distance cyclist and a jiu jitsu practitioner but more importantly knows exactly when to step away from it all to go surf.

Rola Al-Shwaikh, a British national brings a decade of experience and expertise working in key strategic roles within a leading angel investment firm as well as asset management, wealth management, family office and fund placement firms. Rola Al-Shwaikh is a Principal at Soling Partners and is based in Dubai, UAE.

Rola Al-Shwaikh has raised over $500m of capital from GCC institutional investors across international alternative asset manager funds, MENA SME’s and international direct deals. Her network of investors spans across the GCC from Family Offices, Financial Institutions to Sovereign Wealth Funds.

Rola is also the Senior Investment Advisor to H.H. Khaled Bin Ibrahim AlQasimi.

Rola earned her Master of Arts degree in Accountancy and Finance in Edinburgh, UK. Having also achieved her Diploma in UK Regulated Financial Advice from the London Institute of Banking & Finance.