Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), hosted by ADGM, continued for a second day with Asset Abu Dhabi, bringing together leading global capital allocators and asset managers to discuss emerging investment opportunities and the future of asset allocation.
Opening the event, Emmanuel Givanakis, CEO of ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority, highlighted Abu Dhabi’s growing influence in the global asset management sector through robust regulation, strategic innovation and its position as a nexus for international capital. He said, “Asset Abu Dhabi reflects the growing convergence of global capital and innovation, convening the world’s most sophisticated asset managers at a time of profound change in finance.”
Panel sessions examined the future of asset management, hedge funds and private markets, as well as liquidity, leverage and institutional allocation. Speakers also discussed private equity, sovereign capital flows, alternative assets, wealth transfer and art and collectables.
Investment leaders including Todd Boehly of Eldridge Industries, Robert Smith of Vista Equity Partners, Sir Christopher Hohn of TCI Fund Management and Hussain Sajwani of DAMAC discussed how shifting macroeconomic cycles, emerging technologies and geopolitical trends will shape opportunity and risk. A session on hedge funds, featuring Aron Landy of Brevan Howard, Shiv Srinivasan of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council and Robyn Grew of Man Group, explored how data, artificial intelligence and precision analytics are redefining performance. Another session on the Great Wealth Transfer brought together Stefan Bollinger of Bank Julius Baer and Chi Man Kwan of Raffles Family Office to discuss the impact of US$84 trillion in intergenerational wealth.
Bruno Lanvin, President of the Descartes Institute for the Future, and Robert Salomon, Dean of Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi, unveiled the first NYU Global Financial Centre Competitiveness Index. It ranked Abu Dhabi No.1 in MENA and 12th globally, noting the emirate’s progress in regulatory innovation, institutional environment and business support incentives.
ADFW’s second day also brought together global family office leaders to discuss the future of private capital and impact investing. Further sessions focused on the expanding private credit market, infrastructure finance and Abu Dhabi’s long-term urban and economic development strategies.
In a major announcement, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, approved the launch of the FinTech, Insurance, Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster. The initiative, led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, aims to develop next-generation financial and investment solutions.
Several firms also announced new openings in ADGM. Circle Internet Group secured a Financial Services Permission licence to operate as a Money Services Provider, while BBVA received In-Principle Approval to expand its corporate and investment banking services. A total of 23 Memorandums of Understanding were signed with partners including Finstreet, Franklin Templeton, Mubadala, Mastercard and MBank.
ADFW continues for two more days with events under Fintech Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum.
