Exclusive: Abu Dhabi Backs Branson's Rock Bid | Sky News Blogs

A prominent Abu Dhabi financier is among the investors backing Sir Richard Branson’s effort to win control of Northern Rock, the nationalised mortgage lender, I have learned.

The Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth investor, a major UK pension fund and at least two US-based private equity firms have agreed to inject hundreds of millions of pounds into Virgin Money’s bid to buy the Rock.

Virgin’s bid will be submitted later today, ahead of a deadline set by advisers to UK Financial Investments, the body which manages the taxpayer’s stakes in Britain’s bailed-out banks.

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