Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Executive Council, ADFW commenced with a grand opening ceremony in the ADQ Arena in ADGM, setting the stage for more than 60 events and breakout events throughout the week.
In an exclusive setting, with ADQ as the headline partner, ADFW 2024 officially opened in the presence of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed and Abu Dhabi’s economic leadership, with an exclusive guest list of the top financial leaders from over 100 countries. The theme of Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy was at the core of the event’s high-level strategic discussions and highlighted the city’s growing status as the ‘Capital of Capital’.
A prosperous future
The event commenced with a special address by His Excellency Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, member of Abu Dhabi’s Executive Council, and chairman of ADGM and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), where he highlighted Abu Dhabi’s growth and the promise of a prosperous future in the capital of the UAE. His speech was accompanied by an uplifting video that welcomed delegates to the ‘Capital of Capital’ and showcased Abu Dhabi’s exponential growth, especially over the past three years, since the launch of ADFW’s first edition.
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“In a world seeking stability and growth, Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy stands as an unwavering partner for businesses, investors, innovators, and visionaries alike, welcoming them to the ‘Capital of Capital’. Here, every investment and every relationship is supported by our commitment to build a future defined by trust, resilience, and boundless opportunity. As our jurisdiction expands and achieves new milestones, our community grows simultaneously. Through international platforms like ADFW, we invite the world to join us in shaping conversations that will outline the legacy of progress that transcends borders and generations,” said Al Zaabi.
Second edition of ADEF
The opening ceremony was followed by the returning second edition of the Abu Dhabi Economic Forum (ADEF), which was held in partnership with ADQ and ADDED. The high-level, exclusive event featured in-depth discussions on the current state and future prospects of the Falcon Economy, bringing together senior leadership from Abu Dhabi’s government, as well as prominent figures from the private sector, representing key industries. Top speakers included the CEOs and C-suites of Blackrock, UBS, PGIM, Bridgewater Associates, HSBC, ADQ, Mubadala, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, BNY, Lunate, 2PointZero, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Pure Health, GQG Partners and Aldar.
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The forum’s agenda tracked Abu Dhabi’s economic growth and its emerging role as a global business and investment hub. One of the most popular sessions – ‘The ADFW Boardroom: Abu Dhabi In the Global Economy’ – involved leaders from some of the world’s largest financial institutions such as Sergio Ermotti – group CEO of UBS, Ray Dalio – founder and CIO of Bridgewater, Hana Al Rostamani – group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Jihad Azour – director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at International Monetary Fund (IMF). They discussed global economies and highlighted strategies to support Abu Dhabi’s growth ambitions in the evolving global landscape.
Later in the day, Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, deputy group CEO of Mubadala, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, took center stage to share Mubadala’s perspective from one of Abu Dhabi’s top investors. Other important sessions explored topics such as Building the Falcon Economy, A New Era of Capital Flows in a Polycentric World, The Factors Influencing Global Markets, The Titan’s View: Abu Dhabi’s New Place in the World, Slowbalization: A New Kind of World Order and SheLeadsBusiness: Abu Dhabi’s Mission for Women in Business.
Abu Dhabi Capital Markets Forum
The first day of ADFW also featured the inaugural Abu Dhabi Capital Markets Forum, held in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX). The event showcased some of Abu Dhabi’s most dynamic publicly traded companies such as PureHealth Group, Taqa Group, ADNOC Drilling, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Borouge.
Meanwhile, the UBS Investor Forum brought together over 30 CIOs and founders from leading, global hedge funds. Other side events during the day included iConnections Private Markets House, Greenwich Economic Forum – Chatham House VIP Roundtable chaired by Ray Dalio and ADFW Startup Campus and Venture Park.
On the same day, ADQ, in collaboration with ADFW and ADGM, and Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi serving as an academic advisor, released an insightful paper titled “A New Era of Capital Flows in a Polycentric World”. The paper explores how global capital flows now originate from a wider range of contributors and reach even more diverse destinations, reshaping the investment landscape.
Over the next three days, events such as Asset Abu Dhabi, RESOLVE, Fintech Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum are scheduled and promise to advance Abu Dhabi’s reputation as the ‘Capital of Capital’ with discussions of global importance.
