Agenda subject to change. Time Zone: Gulf Standard Time
08:00 - 08:45am |'Meet the Allocator' Roundtables (LPs and GPs only)
These curated roundtable discussions are designed as efficient, closed-door conversations, allowing a select number of allocators to share insights directly with a small group of pre-registered asset managers and allocators. The sessions are particularly valuable for explaining how firms work, allocation themes and practical insight into how investment managers can most effectively engage with allocators in the Middle East region.
Allocator roundtables:
- 76Columbus Family Office
- Miras Invest
- Cornflower Capital Family Office
- Sidra Capital
- Ombori
- KBW Ventures
Registrations open on 22 January. Registered asset managers and allocators will receive an email with details for allocator representatives, inviting them to indicate their preferred roundtable to join. Capacity is limited.
09:15am | Panel One | Unlocking Growth in the GCC
As global capital flows shift and supply chains diversify, the Gulf region is emerging as a vital financial hub. Exchanges, banks, fund service providers are boosting liquidity, widening market access, and opening new investment channels. Speakers will explore how the financial ecosystem is unlocking regional capital, the opportunities for global investors, and how firms can tap into this momentum through partnerships, local integration, and smarter capital deployment.
09:55am | Panel Two | The Private Credit Opportunity
The region’s appetite for non-bank capital is rising fast, with private credit emerging as a key financing alternative. What makes this growth sustainable and how can private credit managers differentiate in a maturing, high-interest environment? We unpack the regional dynamics, risks, and global playbook lessons.
10:40am | Breakout Sessions
SESSION A: Navigating Regulatory Shifts - What’s Changing and Why It Matters
With increasing scrutiny and new frameworks emerging, compliance is no longer a back-office concern. Learn how top managers are adapting their regulatory playbooks to meet evolving expectations across the GCC.
SESSION B: Setup to Scale - Building Institutional-Grade Hedge Funds & Winning Capital in the Middle East
- Fundraising: Practical steps for first-time and mid-sized managers to attract GCC sovereigns, family offices and global allocators.
- Infrastructure: How to build an institutional-grade platform in the DIFC/ADGM.
- Prime Brokerage Role: Execution, clearing/financing solutions, outsourced trading and capital introduction.
SESSION C: Cybersecurity in the Middle East: Regulatory Frameworks and Risk Management
Explore UAE cybersecurity requirements and recent regulatory changes. Gain practical steps to strengthen resilience, manage vendor risk, and stay ahead of evolving threats and supervisory expectations.
11:35am | Panel Three | Future-Proofing Through Policy: Inside the UAE’s and wider GCC’s Regulatory Reset
From cross-border harmonisation to localisation mandates, the UAE’s and wider GCC’s regulatory landscape is evolving at pace. As global and regional priorities converge, asset managers and investors must navigate increasingly complex regulatory expectations across jurisdictions. This panel brings together senior regulators and legal experts from across the region to explore how firms are adapting to on-the-ground regulatory change, what reforms lie ahead, and how policy choices today will shape market structure, competitiveness and growth. Attendees will gain practical insight into the evolving policy and regulatory landscape and how to engage effectively with regulators during this period of transition.
12:10pm | Panel Four | Tech-Driven Alpha: Innovation and Risk in a Digital Era
The GCC is sprinting ahead in fintech, AI, DLT and digital infrastructure, but what does that mean for investment managers? This panel explores how firms can seize opportunities from innovation while managing risks in a rapidly digitising ecosystem.
12:50pm | Panel Five | Beyond Capital: Building Local Partnerships and Lasting Investor Relations in the GCC
The GCC investor landscape is maturing, with greater emphasis on regional partnerships, co-investment, and alignment. Hear from industry leaders on new capital-raising dynamics, the need for local presence, and the importance of trust in a more engaged, locally rooted environment.
