The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council hosted an executive networking luncheon with leadership from ADQ and its portfolio companies on Monday, November 18, 2024, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Abu Dhabi. ADQ is an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company overseeing a diverse portfolio of major enterprises.

Dr. Jaap Kalkman, Group Chief Investment Officer at ADQ, provided attendees with an overview of ADQ and its expansion strategy. Key highlights include:

• ADQ’s active efforts in forming partnerships and pursuing acquisitions to accelerate Abu Dhabi’s transformation into a globally competitive economy.
• Describing ADQ’s structure as organized around economic clusters designed to harness synergies and enhance trade flows, driving long-term value creation. These clusters include energy and utilities, food and agriculture, healthcare and life sciences, transport and logistics, real estate investments, financial services, and sustainable manufacturing.
• Noting that ADQ comprises over 25 portfolio companies in strategic sectors aligned with its long-term vision. These companies aim to become global leaders while delivering high-quality services and products to the local economy.
• Emphasizing ADQ’s commitment to innovation, R&D, and advanced technology, with a focus on implementing digital strategies across its portfolio. This includes the ADQ Growth Lab, a network of innovators within its portfolio companies, which plays a key role in contributing to the U.A.E.’s expanding R&D ecosystem.
• Encouraging U.S. companies to collaborate with ADQ, leveraging their expertise and capabilities to support the growth of Abu Dhabi’s innovation ecosystem, and identifying key opportunities for collaboration in clean energy, agricultural technology, biotechnology and digital health, and advancing Abu Dhabi’s capital markets.

ADQ’s portfolio companies outlined their business development priorities, and how these align with Abu Dhabi’s strategic goals in the energy, food security, logistics, and mobility sectors. Key highlights include:

• Energy and utility companies, including TAQA, EWEC, and TAZIZ, highlighted their focus on meeting growing global energy demands while reducing carbon emissions.
• Representatives from PureHealth and Arcera emphasized advancing the U.A.E.’s healthcare ecosystem to improve health outcomes.
• KEZAD Group, AD Ports Group, and Noatum discussed their commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global trade hub through the development of efficient, sustainable, and technologically advanced logistics infrastructure. 

The following ADQ portfolio companies were represented at the event: 

• AD Ports Group: AD Ports Group is a world-class provider of trade and logistics services. It manages several ports and terminals and operates an integrated portfolio of activities covering industrial zones, logistics, digital, cruise, and marine.
• KEZAD Group: Part of AD Ports Group, KEZAD Group is the U.A.E.’s largest provider and operator of fully integrated economic cites, free zones, value-added business services, staff accommodation, and industrial real estate solutions. 
• Noatum: Part of AD Ports Group, Noatum Logistics is a leading company in Supply Chain Management with global coverage and is positioned in the Top 50 freight forwarders worldwide.
• TAQA: TAQA, meaning energy in Arabic, is an international energy and water company listed on ADX. It is one of the largest utility providers in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and the U.A.E.’s third largest publicly traded firm by market capitalization.
• EWEC: EWEC is the exclusive procurer of water and power in Abu Dhabi.
• ARCERA: Arcera is a global company operating in the life sciences sector, with its headquarters located in Abu Dhabi. 
• PureHealth: PureHealth is an integrated healthcare solutions provider dedicated to empowering healthcare systems and improving the business of healthcare.
• TA’ZIZ: The result of a joint venture with ADNOC, TA’ZIZ was created in 2020 to develop the next phase of technology-driven industrial growth within the planned Ruwais Derivatives Park in Abu Dhabi.
• Q Mobility: Q Mobility focuses on providing sustainable and integrated smart mobility solutions to enhance the efficiency, reliability and convenience of transportation infrastructure. 
• Silal: Silal’s mission is to enrich people’s lives by ensuring access to sustainable food supplies, delivered through responsive sourcing and active collaboration with local, regional and international suppliers and manufacturers.
• ADX: ADX is the second largest exchange in the Middle East by market capitalization, according to the World Federation of Exchanges.

For a full list of ADQ’s portfolio companies, please see here.

The U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council looks forward to hosting additional sector-specific events with ADQ and its portfolio companies in future. For any questions about this event, please contact Caitlin Cottrell at ccottrell@usuaebusiness.org.