U.S. Asset Managers Converge with Abu Dhabi Inc. atAbu Dhabi Finance Week 
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(L to R) Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) H.E. Badr Al-Olama; President of the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council Danny Sebright; Head of Sovereign Partnerships at Mubadala Investment Company Meera Al Suwaidi; CEO of ADGM Registration Authority H.E. Rashed Al Blooshi

“Relationships with our partners are built on trust, and this is what Abu Dhabi is about. It isn’t a transactional relationship but a relationship for the long-term.” – H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO)

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council convened more than 40 senior executives from leading American and Emirati financial institutions on Tuesday, December 9th, 2025, for an Executive Finance Roundtable on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025. Guests included senior leadership from the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council’s financial services members including new members Ajman Bank, Blue Owl Capital, BNY, Fortress Investment Group, GCM Grosvenor, PGIM, and Vista Equity Partners.
 

Abu Dhabi Inc. in Force:

The roundtable featured Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) H.E. Badr Al-Olama, ADGM Registration Authority CEO H.E. Rashed Al Blooshi, and Head of Sovereign Partnerships at Mubadala Investment Company Meera Al Suwaidi. Speakers highlighted:

  • How ADIO, ADGM, and Mubadala work together as a well-connected group of partners to promote and support “Abu Dhabi Inc.”
  • The infrastructure that supports Abu Dhabi’s ambitions to diversify its economy, with a goal of 80% non-oil GDP for the U.A.E.
  • The depth of Abu Dhabi’s investment capabilities, which is driven by sovereigns and makes Abu Dhabi the “Capital of Capital”
  • The safety and quality of life Abu Dhabi offers to those who wish to establish a long-term presence in the Emirate

The Rise of Abu Dhabi as a Global Financial Hub:


“ADGM remains attractive with more than 15,000 companies licensed and 3,500 new companies registered this year.” – H.E. Rashed Al Blooshi, CEO of ADGM Registration Authority

His Excellency Al Blooshi touted the growth of ADGM and Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) as the flagship event for the “Capital of Capital”:

  • The value of companies attending ADFW 2025 totals over $63 trillion, which represents 53% of the world’s GDP
  • The over 40,000 attendees at ADFW 2025 encompass private sector leaders and decision-makers
  • The growth of Al Maryah Island over the past 14 years into the thriving home of ADGM reflects Abu Dhabi’s remarkable vision and long-term planning

Newly Announced Fintech, Insurance, and Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) Cluster:


H.E. Badr Al-Olama emphasized ADIO’s focus clusters as areas of opportunity for investment, including the newly announced Fintech, Insurance, and Digital and Alternative Assets (FIDA) cluster. He outlined that:

  • FIDA aims to expand Abu Dhabi’s financial sector into high-growth areas that serve the evolving needs of the emirate, the region and beyond
  • By 2045, the cluster is projected to contribute an additional $15 billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, generate 8,000 new skilled jobs, and attract at least $4.5 billion in investment
  • The focus on fintech and digital assets will complete the financial value chain Abu Dhabi offers

The Importance of U.S.-U.A.E. Partnership

Meera Al Suwaidi discussed the importance of the U.S.-U.A.E. bilateral relationship in Abu Dhabi’s rise and discussed:

  • Two decades of Mubadala’s business in the U.S. with 41% being in North America and a physical office presence in New York and San Francisco
  • Mubadala’s current focus in the United States, which is strengthening industrial capacity as well as job creation for positive impact on American citizens
  • Several current U.S.-U.A.E. projects of note including Emirates Global Aluminum’s (EGA) plans to build the first new primary aluminum production plant in the United States since 1980 in Oklahoma

“The U.S.-U.A.E. relationship is becoming more strategic and forward thinking, laying the foundation for the next generation.” – Meera Al Suwaidi, Head of Sovereign Partnerships at Mubadala Investment Company

To learn more about the U.A.E.’s fast-evolving capital landscape, please consult the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and Morgan Lewis’s Guide to Doing Business in the U.A.E. To learn more about the Business Council’s finance programming, please contact Caitlin Cottrell at ccottrell@usuaebusiness.org.