Agenda subject to change. Time Zone: Gulf Standard Time
08:00am |'Meet the Allocator' Roundtables (GP-only)
Moderated conversations designed to be efficient opportunities for LPs to discuss their allocation process with a small group of GPs and how to best engage.
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: Talent Wars: Winning in a Competitive Hiring Market
From tightening labour pools to changing compensation structures, attracting and retaining top talent has never been harder. Explore strategies for hiring smarter, building resilient teams and adapting to candidate-driven dynamics.
SESSION C: From 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 .
11:35am | Panel Three | Future-Proofing Through Policy: Inside the GCC’s Regulatory Reset
From cross-border harmonisation to localisation mandates, the policy landscape is shifting fast. How are firms adapting to on-the-ground changes and what’s coming next? Hear directly from the regions regulators and gain actionable insights into the evolving rulebook that will shape your operations.
12:15pm | 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.
