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UAE private sector key to enhancing global cooperation

Over $450 trillion in worldwide private wealth set to increase 6% annually to the end of the decade

Published: Tue 22 Oct 2024, 9:11 PM

Updated: Tue 22 Oct 2024, 9:11 PM

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Badr Jafar delivers his keynote address.

Badr Jafar delivers his keynote address.

The Alternative Investment Management Summit (AIM) kicked off another successful edition in the UAE, bringing together leading investors and managers from across the alternative investment landscape. Over 800 decision makers from hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, private debt, digital assets, and fintech gathered to engage with global industry leaders and explore emerging trends.

Speakers included: Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy, Boris Johnson, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Kevin McCarthy, 55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, Founder and CEO of KBW Ventures, and Badr Jafar, CEO of Crescent Enterprises and Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, UAE.


The event featured a range of engaging sessions and panel discussions, offering intellectual debate on key global economic challenges and critical analysis of prevailing investment themes. Key discussions revolved around global market conditions, the latest investment trends, and the challenges and opportunities presented by today’s complex geopolitical and economic environment.

In his keynote address titled “A UAE Example: The Imperative of Multistakeholder Collaboration,” Badr Jafar emphasised the importance of partnerships in addressing global challenges amid ongoing geo-economic uncertainty. He highlighted the UAE’s unique position as a hub for multistakeholder diplomacy, given its strategic location, diverse population, and forward-thinking approach to innovation. “As a relatively young nation, the UAE has found its place in the world as a master convenor and interlocutor,” Mr. Jafar said. “Our strategic location between East and West, North and South, combined with our commitment to mutual respect and shared prosperity, enables us to build bridges globally and foster meaningful cross-sector collaboration.”


Jafar also underscored the critical role that alternative investment specialists can play in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Drawing attention to the more than $100 trillion in assets under management between sovereign wealth, pensions, insurance and family offices, and the UN estimates of approximately $4 trillion annually to meet all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Badr Jafar called for a multistakeholder approach, where private investors, governments, and civil society work together to unlock these opportunities, adding; “With worldwide private wealth at over $450 trillion and set to increase 6% annually to the end of the decade, capital pools are not necessarily the issue. The issue is our ability to align capital with the most pressing needs of our time. That is where leadership and collaboration must come into play.”

The AIM Summit continues to serve as a vital platform for thought leadership, providing opportunities for global investors and economic leaders to exchange ideas, forge connections, and explore the future of alternative investments in an ever-changing world.



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