Lumina launches 2026 Cross-Border Insights report
Lumina is delighted to release our “2026 Cross-Border Insights” report.
The report examines the key themes driving deal making and investment activity between the UK and the Middle East, and our predictions of what will drive 2026 M&A.
Frontier sectors to be a core driver of M&A and investment - underpinned by sovereign-led capital aligned with national sector priorities across AI & digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, EV and semiconductor chips.
Localisation mandates in UAE and KSA to accelerate acquisition-led market entry - prompting international players to increasingly pursue M&A as a route to immediate access to local talent, scale and relationships, and to build on-the-ground capability through buy-and-build strategies.
Rising deal values to be driven by sovereign-led mega-transactions alongside a deeper, more active mid-market - while investors and consolidators are increasingly selective, targets with a strong strategic rationale continue to attract larger cheque sizes.
Growing interest from private equity backed global consolidators - particularly in regional businesses with international client bases, as firms look to integrate Middle Eastern platforms into global offerings. This is already evident in professional services and is expected to extend across corporate services and consulting.
Click here to download the full report.