Lakshmi Narayanan, Chairman of the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute, spoke to Veronica Martin about the opportunities and benefits for UAE-based businesses and investors during the Global Wealth Conference, the launch of the $10 billion UAE-focused fund and the UAE’s position as a global hub for finance and investment.
The Global Wealth Conference is set to attract investors and visionaries from around the world, including the United Arab Emirates. What specific opportunities and benefits do you anticipate for UAE-based businesses and investors as a result of their participation in this conference?
We witnessed elephantine institutional investors and family offices from the UAE having the ability to network with key decision makers not just from the UK, but from a number of rapidly growing economic countries such as Nigeria and India.
Intelligence, deal flow, and networking were core takeaways from the Global Wealth Conference (GWC). To confirm such behaviour, we had a challenging time getting delegates seated as conversations persisted nearly every time, we tried to draw people into the next session.
The Global Wealth Conference serves as a magnet for investors and visionaries worldwide, including those from the United Arab Emirates. Through their participation in this conference, UAE-based businesses and investors can anticipate remarkable opportunities and benefits.
Networking with key decision-makers from thriving economies like Nigeria and India, they gain valuable intelligence, access to deal flow, and robust networking prospects. Conversations flowed seamlessly throughout the event, reinforcing the immense value of participation.
UAE sovereign wealth funds, such as Mubadala Investment Company, have been actively investing in the UK. How do you see the conference influencing and shaping future direct investments by UAE sovereign wealth funds, both in the UK and other global destinations?
UAE sovereign wealth funds, exemplified by Mubadala Investment Company, have actively engaged in UK investments. The Global Wealth Conference will play a pivotal role in influencing and shaping future direct investments by UAE sovereign wealth funds, not only in the UK but also across the globe.
By reinforcing existing connections and forging new ones, the conference served as an interlocutor for a vast pool of public assets. Positive feedback from the UK, City of London, and capital partners underscores the conference’s impact.
With the backdrop of the historic Great Hall at Guildhall, the Global Wealth Conference reinforced current linkages, while forging new ties. GWC played a role as an interlocutor to a massive pool of public assets. The UK, City of London, and our cohort of capital gave us positive feedback.
The launch of the $10 billion UAE-focused fund is a significant development. Can you provide insights into the key sectors and areas of focus for this fund and how it will contribute to the UAE’s economic diversification and growth?
The launch of the $10 billion UAE-focused fund marks a momentous development. This fund will focus on key sectors such as technology and biotech, representing a strategic alignment between the UAE and the UK. By diversifying investments and contributing to economic growth, this fund will play a crucial role in the UAE’s broader economic diversification efforts, fostering innovation and propelling sustainable development.
With prominent personalities from royal families to policymakers attending the conference, what role do you see UAE leaders playing in shaping the discussions and outcomes of the Global Wealth Conference? How does this reflect the UAE’s position as a global hub for finance and investment?
UAE leaders, ranging from members of royal families to influential policymakers, play a pivotal role in shaping discussions and outcomes at the Global Wealth Conference. Their presence underscores the UAE’s status as a global hub for finance and investment. By actively engaging in cross-border business partnerships and investments, UAE leaders demonstrate their unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration and driving economic growth. Their participation further enhances the conference’s significance as a platform for global dialogue and cooperation.
The UAE has been actively diversifying its economy beyond oil and investing in sectors such as technology, tourism, and renewable energy. How will the Global Wealth Conference contribute to attracting investments and expertise in these strategic sectors to further drive the UAE’s economic diversification efforts?
The Global Wealth Conference plays a vital role in attracting investments and expertise to strategic sectors that are pivotal to the UAE’s economic diversification beyond oil. By embracing the motto “Wealth in Action,” the conference stimulates new ideas, challenges conventional practices, and explores investment opportunities across various industries.
For the UAE, this translates into attracting investments and expertise in technology, tourism, renewable energy, and other sectors critical to the country’s economic diversification agenda. The conference acts as a catalyst, bringing together policymakers, ministers, and industry leaders to showcase the immense potential and opportunities within these sectors.
