Abu Dhabi Finance Week kicks off with a grand opening ceremony at the ADQ Arena in ADGM

Abu Dhabi: The ADQ Arena in ADGM had a grand opening ceremony today to kick off Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW), which laid the groundwork for over 60 programs and breakout events this week.

Top financial executives from more than 100 nations were invited to the inaugural opening of ADFW 2024. The event’s first day included high-level strategic talks centered on the topic of Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Economy, which emphasized the city’s increasing standing as the “Capital of Capital.”

Following the opening ceremony, the Abu Dhabi Economic Forum (“ADEF”), which was organized in collaboration with ADQ and ADDED, returned for its second edition. Senior leadership from Abu Dhabi’s government and notable corporate sector individuals from important sectors participated in the high-level, exclusive event, which included in-depth talks on the Falcon Economy’s current situation and future potential. The CEOs and C-Suites of Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, BNY, Lunate, 2PointZero, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Pure Health, GQG Partners, Aldar, HSBC, ADQ, Mubadala, Blackrock, UBS, PGIM, Bridgewater Associates, and Morgan Stanley were among the top speakers.

The forum’s elite agenda followed Abu Dhabi’s economic development and its emergence as a major international center for investment and commerce. The ADFW Boardroom: Abu Dhabi is one of the most well-liked sessions. Leaders from some of the biggest financial institutions in the world were involved in “In the Global Economy,” including Jihad Azour, Director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF); Hana Al Rostamani, Group CEO of First Abu Dhabi Bank; Ray Dalio, Founder & CIO of Bridgewater; and Sergio Ermotti, Group CEO of UBS. They spoke about international economies and outlined plans to help Abu Dhabi achieve its economic goals in the face of a changing world.

Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Deputy Group CEO of Mubadala, one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds in the world, took center stage later in the day to discuss Mubadala’s viewpoint as a leading Abu Dhabi investor. Other significant sessions covered subjects like SheLeadsBusiness: Abu Dhabi’s Mission for Women in Business, The Titan’s View: Abu Dhabi’s New Place in the World, Slowbalization: A New Kind of World Order, A New Era of Capital Flows in a Polycentric World, The Factors Influencing Global Markets, and Building the Falcon Economy.
The first Abu Dhabi Capital Markets Forum, organized in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), took place on the first day of ADFW. Some of the most vibrant publicly listed firms in Abu Dhabi were on display during the event, including PureHealth Group, Taqa Group, ADNOC Drilling, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and Borouge.

In the meanwhile, more than 30 CIOs and founders from top international hedge funds gathered at the UBS Investor Forum. iConnections Private Markets House, the Greenwich Economic Forum-Chatham House VIP Roundtable, which was led by Ray Dalio, and ADFW Startup Campus and Venture Park were among the other side events that took place throughout the day.

The same day, ADQ, in partnership with ADFW and ADGM, and Stern, an academic advisor at NYU Abu Dhabi, published an enlightening article entitled “A New Era of Capital Flows in a Polycentric World.” The study examines how the investment environment is changing as a result of global capital flows that now come from a greater variety of sources and end up in even more varied locations.

Events including Asset Abu Dhabi, RESOLVE, Fintech Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum are planned for the next three days and are expected to enhance Abu Dhabi’s standing as the “Capital of Capital” via debates of worldwide significance.