While Daimler's public position appears to deny any plans to seek a large investor, sources close to Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche have revealed to Focus magazine that the carmaker’s boss was in favor of hearing any proposals that may provide a buffer from private equity shareholders - especially considering the volatility of the share price and the lack of other large shareholders.
Currently, the nation of Kuwait is Daimler's only major shareholder with 7.6% of the German company in its hands and plans to increase this figure.
While the ADIA is wholly state-owned, it’s not the only investment company being run by the Abu Dhabi government. There’s also the state-owned Mubadala Development Corp., which has a 5% stake in Ferrari and a 17% stake in Dutch sports car manufacturer Spyker.