Abu Dhabi Finance Week will start on Monday with the participation of top global executives as Abu Dhabi emerges as a key hub in attracting investment and talent from across the world.
Key themes will include the state of the global economy – opportunities and risks, the effect of geopolitics on markets, investment in humanitarian projects, new energy finance, artificial intelligence and an update on Abu Dhabi’s falcon economy.
ADFW will place sharper focus on digital assets and the tokenisation of real-world assets during the four-day event hosted by Abu Dhabi’s financial centre ADGM on Al Maryah Island.
More than 5,000 financial companies from 100 countries, and 40,000 private equity, capital market, hedge funds, asset managers, venture capitalists, institutional investment houses, investment banks and FinTech figures are expected to take part.
The event comes as Abu Dhabi’s economy continues to grow on the back of its diversification strategies.
It is projected to grow by about 6 per cent this year, driven by the easing of oil production cuts by Opec+ and a strong real estate sector, the International Monetary Fund said in October.
The emirate's economy grew by nearly 4 per cent annually to Dh306.3 billion ($83.4 billion) in the second quarter of this year, boosted by strong performance in its non-oil sector.
Abu Dhabi continues to diversify its economy, increasing its focus on its sectors such as financial services, manufacturing and tourism.
The government has also introduced more measures to attract international investors, boost competitiveness and improve the ease of conducting business.
In October, Switzerland’s largest bank UBS opened an advisory office in ADGM, while JP Morgan Chase, the biggest US bank, is building its team of private bankers in the UAE capital. Trillion-dollar asset managers, including New York-based BlackRock, PGIM and Chicago investment firm Nuveen have chosen Abu Dhabi as their regional base.
Media in focus at Bridge Summit
Thousands are also expected gather in Abu Dhabi next week for the Bridge Summit, which focuses on media and entertainment-related industries.
Speakers at the three-day event, which begins on Monday at Adnec, will include Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, Princess Lamia bint Majed Saud Alsaud, secretary general and member of the board of trustees of Alwaleed Philanthropies, and Idris Elba, actor and philanthropist.
The event is expected to attract thousands of creators, communicators, brands, leaders and decision-makers to explore themes such as podcasting and media, producing and presenting entertainment programmes, and building brands.
