In the fast-paced world of startups, a new era is upon us—a return to the "grinder" CEO. This is not the passive figurehead basking in the glory of on-camera media interviews, guided Ayahuasca trips and unicorn valuations - while letting teams handle the dirty work. No, this is the CEO who rolls up their sleeves, digs into the trenches, and hustles harder than anyone else on the team.

For managers just now looking to tap into the Middle East LP stream, the path is tricky. An increasing “in-region” focus has Middle East investors requiring that fund managers “give back” to the region. With institutions like PIF, Mubadala, QIA as well as family offices such as Olayan, DAMAC and others being inundated with opportunities, fund managers without existing relationships face an almost impossible battle obtaining introductory meetings, let alone getting mindshare or capital commitments.