U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council President Danny Sebright moderated a fireside chat with Their Excellencies Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, the U.A.E.’s Minister of Economy, and Mohamed Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and Vice-Chairman of ADGM, at SALT New York at the Javits Center in New York City on 12 September 2022. H.E. Minister bin Touq Al Marri discussed the U.A.E.’s economy and how it weathered global challenges and outperformed expectations over the past few years. He also highlighted key business verticals that the U.A.E. is prioritizing to continue future growth in the overall economy. In turn, H.E. Shorafa noted the efforts of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi over the past year to overcome any lingering impact of pandemic fatigue on the local economy and he outlined Abu Dhabi’s top 5 investment priorities. Responding to a question about the technology sector, Minister bin Touq Al Marri highlighted opportunities for investors and stated his desire for the U.A.E. to become a center for IP creation and innovation. He referred to the U.A.E. as a “scale up nation” and a place where investors can bring new ideas and technology innovation for business growth and expansion H.E. bin Touq Al Marri also noted the landmark free trade agreements that the U.A.E. has recently signed with countries like India, Indonesia, and Israel, and encouraged American businesses and investors to use the U.A.E. as a launchpad for business opportunities not only in the broader region, but increasingly globally. In turn, H.E. Shorafa outlined opportunities for investors who visit Abu Dhabi, and invited SALT attendees to participate in events like Abu Dhabi Finance Week, running from 14-20 November 2022, Investopia, set to be held in March 2023, and other landmark conferences set to take place over the next year. |
At the conclusion of Their Excellencies remarks, SALT CEO and Chairman Anthony Scaramucci and U.A.E. Ministry of Economy official Mohamed Hamdan Al Zaabi signed a new partnership agreement between SALT and Investopia which will bring SALT to Investopia in Abu Dhabi in March 2023. The SALT conference, run by Business Council member SkyBridge, convenes leading voices across finance, technology and public policy, as well as provides unparalleled networking opportunities. Stage content covered the rise of fintech and future of finance, new healthcare models and biotech breakthroughs, and global impact investing and sustainable economic development. SALT is also expanding cap intro-style networking at SALT New York, thanks to its growing partnership with iConnections. |