Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Ben is the Founder and CEO of Black Oaks, a firm launched in 2022 to partner investors in the formation, launch and market development of new ventures.For the past 16 years Ben has served as CEO and Senior Advisor to a portfolio of distinguished Middle East Islamic Sovereign Wealth Funds, Family Offices and Investment Firms, executing commercial restructuring and strategy mandates to consolidate, enhance or exit group holdings and new market entry.Ben has (re)financed multiple rounds of Islamic financing resulting in being awarded the prestigious Islamic Finance News award for “Most Innovative Deal of the Year” in 2019 and executed numerous fundraising mandates and commercial asset sales to institutional REIT’s.In 2008, Ben was mandated by the distinguished Al Khorafi family office in Kuwait to support their acquisition of Liverpool Football Club. Ben served the family for a further 6 years, listing RAK Real Estate in London on ICAP Securities for USD 988MM in Q1, 2009 while congruently completing a reverse takeover of Rafco International Real Estate KSC.Prior to relocating to the Middle East, Ben worked with Deloitte in Corporate Re-Organization and thereafter joined ASX listed Lend Lease Retail and Lend Lease Communities before relocating to the United Kingdom in 2005 to support the restructure and launch of two private equity firm’s targeting social infrastructure and affordable housing.Ben was raised in Adelaide, South Australia and is married with 2 boys. He is an Alumni and former Foundation Board member (2003 - 2005) of Charles Darwin University.
Listed skills include Real Estate, Real Estate Development, Investments, Residential Homes, and 14 others.