London-based Oscar-winning visual effects studio, DNEG Group, has secured over £150 million in funding from United Al Saqer Group to expand its intellectual property and content creation arm, Prime Focus Studios, co-produce The Garfield Movie and create an AI-powered technology division called Brahma. With the new investment, the company will transform from a pure services provider to a content production and AI-powered technology partner, providing solutions across media, entertainment and gaming. Furthermore, DNEG Group plans to open a visual experience hub in Abu Dhabi. DNEG Group CEO, Namit Malhotra commented, “We are building on our success with the opening of a studio in Abu Dhabi, bringing content creation and technological capabilities to the region, positioning us as a leader there, and allowing us to leverage our global capabilities like no other.” The backing from United Al Saqer expands the DNEG Group’s offering in terms of services and markets. On the company’s board of directors will sit Nabil Kobeissi and Edouard Zard from UASG and Prabhu Narasimhan from NaMa Capital.
The DNEG Group is set to drive innovation and generate significant job opportunities across the UAE using advanced AI technologies whilst expanding Prime Focus Studios. Kobeissi, CEO of UASG said, “This strategic partnership not only turbo-charges the development of Brahma, the group’s ground-breaking AI-powered CGI creator, but also, under Namit’s leadership, demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global epicentre for content creation and distribution.”
In conclusion, this investment will accelerate the DNEG Group’s plans to expand its intellectual property and content creation arm technology division that provides solutions across multiple sectors. It will also expand its service offering to markets both in the UAE and globally.
