Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer, Investment Attraction, DEDC

Industry leaders will discuss how they are navigating today’s markets, adapting strategies to capture new sources of alpha, and positioning their businesses and portfolios for the opportunities shaping 2027.

This keynote will assess the evolving global investment landscape, considering the role of hedge funds and private markets in portfolio construction, examining key manager selection criteria, and highlighting emerging opportunities across high-growth markets, including the GCC.

This fireside conversation will explore the regulatory and market developments influencing the region’s financial ecosystem, from fund manager licensing and the rise of tokenisation and digital assets to the strategies being deployed to attract world-class talent. The discussion will also examine how Gulf financial centres are positioning themselves for long-term competitiveness and global relevance.

This panel will explore how institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds and family offices are positioning portfolios, allocating to alternatives and identifying opportunities for diversification and alpha across global markets

This panel will explore the outlook for direct lending, the growing appeal of asset-backed finance, and the opportunities emerging in distressed and special situations strategies. Speakers will also examine private credit deployment across the Middle East and discuss how non-bank lenders are meeting evolving borrower demand.

Open to allocators and asset managers only, this exclusive lunch is host to investor-led roundtable sessions. The roundtables will provide a structured opportunity where investment professionals can engage in candid discussions on allocation priorities, emerging trends, manager selection criteria, and evolving market opportunities.