Neuberger Hires Walid Mourad and Experienced MENA Equities Team to Strengthen Regional Platform

Riyadh, October 6, 2025 – Neuberger Berman, a private, independent, and employee-owned investment manager, has hired a Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) equities investment team to join the firm’s Middle East business.

The new team is led by Walid Mourad, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of MENA Equities, who has over 20 years’ investment experience. Most recently, he was Head of MENA Equities at Lazard Asset Management in Dubai, where he spent nearly 12 years.

Joining Mr. Mourad are:

Shouq Al-Shahrani, VP-Equity Analyst
With over 7 years’ experience, Ms. Al-Shahrani was previously a VP-Portfolio Analyst at Lazard Asset Management and Alpha Capital.

Emad El-Hage, SVP-Portfolio Manager
Mr. El-Hage previously served as Investment Manager, Internal Equities-GCC/MENA at Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and over 11 years has held positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Arqaam Capital.

Tarek Sleiman, SVP-Equity Analyst
Mr. Sleiman joins from J.P. Morgan where he was an Executive Director- Equity Research Analyst for 7 years. He has over 12 years’ experience holding research roles at Credit Libanais Bank and Arqaam Capital.

Later in the year, one more equity analyst will follow. On average the new team have over 50 years’ experience investing in MENA equities.

The appointments add to the recent hire of Mohammad Alderbass who joined as Managing Director to cover institutional clients and MENA equities portfolio management. He brings with him 13 years’ experience, holding roles at Goldman Sachs where he focused on institutional client coverage and the Kuwait Investment Office where he served as Portfolio Manager.

Commenting on the appointments, George Walker, Chief Executive Officer at Neuberger, says: “We are proud to welcome such a talented group of investment professionals to Neuberger. Our global platform has enabled us to invest in the region across asset classes for many years, but, as we grow our footprint and deepen engagement with clients, we are focused on building local teams – hiring and developing great people who can provide solutions for our clients and help further the local economy.”

Khalid Albdah, Head of MENA and New Markets at Neuberger, adds: “Our new team brings deep expertise and a strong track record that will help drive compelling investment results for our clients. At Neuberger we are committed to aligning our global investment capabilities across public and private markets with the needs of local sophisticated investors.”

Walid Mourad says: “I’m thrilled to be joining Neuberger alongside a group of professionals I’ve had the privilege of working with or knowing for many years. We’ve built strong trust and alignment through our past collaborations, and I’m confident that this shared experience will enable us to hit the ground running. Neuberger’s extensive investment platform, client-first culture, and regional ambitions make it an ideal home for our team.”

About Neuberger Berman

Neuberger Berman is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with over 2,800 employees in 26 countries. The firm manages $538 billion of equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger's investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. The firm has been named by Pensions & Investments as the #1 or #2 Best Place to Work in Money Management for each of the last eleven years (firms with more than 1,000 employees). Visit www.nb.com for more information, including www.nb.com/disclosure-global-communications for information on awards. Data as of June 30, 2025.

Media Contact:

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