Ethmar International Holding reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global
capital for creative industries through long-term, institutional investment
Guggenheim Brothers Media targets high-growth opportunities in the media,
entertainment and digital creative economy
Bolsters Abu Dhabi’s goal of becoming a leading hub for creative industries
and next-generation content
Abu Dhabi, UAE; 7 January 2026: Ethmar International Holding (EIH), a leading
Abu Dhabi investment holding company, and Guggenheim Brothers Media (GB
Media), a private investment firm focused on early to growth-stage media and
entertainment companies, have partnered to launch a multi-million-dollar investment
fund based in Abu Dhabi with a global focus on media, entertainment, and the digital
creative economy. The partnership represents a key milestone in the fund’s
development and supports its path toward launch, bringing together EIH’s local
expertise and GB Media’s global experience in creative investments.
Building on the Guggenheim family’s legacy of cultural impact, Guggenheim Brothers
Media will focus on investments in content creation, creator tools and infrastructure,
digital intellectual property and entertainment technologies, fan engagement
platforms, and next-generation storytelling.
The fund is led by Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis who bring more
than two decades of combined entertainment and media expertise. Lawson-
Johnston, the great-great-grandson of Solomon R. Guggenheim who founded New
York City’s iconic Guggenheim Museum, is focused on continuing the family’s legacy
of supporting talent and culture with experience at UTA, Sugar23, Untitled
Entertainment, and Anonymous Content. Fiordalis’ brings leadership expertise from
roles at Lionsgate, MRC, Hello Sunshine, and WEBTOON.
Their shared mission is to help advance Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming a global hub
for creative industries and next-generation content innovation. By offering access to
a world-class platform rooted in Abu Dhabi, the fund seeks to provide creative
entrepreneurs and their teams with opportunities to thrive on a global stage.
An Ethmar International Holding (EIH)
spokesperson said: “Abu Dhabi is globally recognised as a capital of capital, while
also building the foundations of a scalable and globally connected creative economy.
It is for this reason that EIH has partnered with Guggenheim Brothers Media, where
together we’re able to combine the Guggenheim legacy with EIH’s vision to propel
Abu Dhabi’s objectives as a dynamic, future-focused media and creator hub. We fully
expect that this fund will serve as a catalyst of new opportunities and outcomes that
will add significant economic and creative value to Abu Dhabi.”
Dillon Lawson-Johnston and Criswell Fiordalis, said: “We are thrilled to partner with
Ethmar International Holding to advance our shared mission of supporting the early-
stage creative companies shaping the future of culture from Abu Dhabi to the world.
EIH brings the scale, ambition, and long-term strategic vision this sector needs, and
together we aim to build the destination platform for the world’s emerging creative
businesses. Guggenheim Brothers Media will be a place where founders can access
the resources, community, and strategic support required to thrive globally.”
