Summit Day - GT (Gulf Time, GMT+04:00)
- Walid Faza - Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer, MSA Capital
With capital flowing between the Middle East, East and West, how are fundraising dynamics evolving in the context of geopolitical conflict, and what is truly differentiating successful GPs today? How are fundraising models adapting, across blind pools, deal-by-deal, and independent sponsors? Where are LP expectations heading on liquidity, returns and cashflow, and how are GPs positioning to meet these while continuing to drive growth? As exit pathways broaden, from IPOs to secondaries and strategic sales, how should managers think about building credible, repeatable routes to liquidity?
- Ariella Vildan Young - Principal, Alicorn VP Secondaries
As private credit continues to expand globally, what is driving its growth, and how is its role evolving relative to traditional bank lending and private equity? How are investors differentiating between managers, strategies, and underwriting quality to ensure consistent returns? As evergreen credit funds grow in popularity, how are investors assessing liquidity, transparency, and the use of gating mechanisms? In the context of conflict consequences, how sustainable is the current growth trajectory for private credit, and what will define the next phase of the market globally and in the Middle East?
How has LP appetite in private credit evolved in recent years, and what is driving the shift beyond traditional direct lending strategies? How are LPs thinking about the role of private credit within portfolios today, particularly as it increasingly overlaps with equity-like returns? How are Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds and family offices balancing the search for yield with disciplined risk management in private credit?
As credit markets evolve globally, what is driving the growth of credit secondaries, and how is momentum building across the Middle East? How are investors approaching opportunities across secondary credit, and what local nuances differentiate the region from more other global markets? With the emergence of secondary NPL sales in the UAE, what does this mean for market development, bank balance sheets, and investor access to distressed opportunities?
Private wealth is rapidly becoming a key capital base for private markets, but access, alignment, and distribution remain evolving.
This discussion will explore how wealth investors are deploying capital today.
Are traditional distribution models still fit for purpose, or is there a shift toward greater control, transparency, and lower-cost access?
As the Middle East positions itself as a global capital hub, how is private wealth in the region evolving, and how are sentiment and capital flows being shaped by the current environment?
Expect a candid conversation on the role of private banks and wealth managers, where incentives are aligned or challenged, and what is really working in practice when it comes to deploying private wealth.
Strictly limited to private banks, wealth managers and single-family offices only.
Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
To register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
As private wealth increases its exposure to private markets, the structures used to deploy capital are becoming just as important as the assets themselves.
This discussion will explore how investors are choosing between an expanding set of investment structures, from evergreen and semi-liquid vehicles to SPVs, secondaries, and bespoke structures.
Do these models offer greater flexibility and access, or do they introduce new risks around liquidity, valuation, and alignment?
The conversation will also examine how blended finance and consortium-style deals are emerging across the Middle East, particularly in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, and food security.
How are private wealth investors participating alongside banks, sovereigns, and institutional capital, and what does effective structuring look like in practice?
Expect a practical discussion on what works, what doesn’t, and how investors are balancing flexibility, access, and control when structuring private wealth investments across regions.
Strictly limited to private banks, wealth managers and single-family offices only.
Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
To register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
As local LPs increasingly prioritise regional deployment, what does this mean for access to capital? With LPs taking a more selective and partnership-driven approach, how are relationships between local and international investors changing, and what does “alignment” now really look like in practice?As LPs reassess portfolio construction across funds, direct investments and sectors, how are allocation strategies shifting in the Middle East, and beyond?What role are corporate investors playing in this evolving ecosystem, as strategic capital providers, partners and acquirers, and how are they reshaping opportunities for GPs and the broader market?
How are investors deciding when to deploy capital into asset-backed lending versus traditional credit strategies? What are the most effective structures in asset-backed lending today, and how are investors navigating complexity, legal frameworks, and market-specific constraints? How is technology, particularly AI and data-driven analysis, transforming underwriting, monitoring, and risk management in asset-backed strategies? What differentiates successful asset-backed lending strategies in practice, from sourcing and structuring to execution and ongoing asset performance?
As attention shifts from large buyouts to the mid and lower mid-market, what is driving this momentum in the Middle East, and how does it compare to global trends? How are investors thinking about access, whether through direct deals, partnerships, or specialist managers, and what models are proving most effective? As more capital targets this market, how are businesses refining their approach to sourcing, pricing, and execution to maintain discipline and returns?
As Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds continue to deploy capital globally, how are their investment strategies evolving across regions, sectors, and asset classes? With increasingly structured allocation frameworks and longer engagement cycles, how should GPs think about building successful, long-term partnerships with sovereign investors? How are SWFs balancing global diversification with growing domestic and strategic priorities?
- Maher Al Kaabi - Advisor to the Group Chairman and Independent Board Member, Alserkal Group
An interactive, discussion-led workshop designed to unpack how emerging managers actually get backed in today’s market, and what LPs are really looking for beyond the pitch deck.
Together, LPs and GPs will explore where first-time funds should be raising capital globally, how to navigate the realities of track record constraints, and what truly differentiates emerging managers, from local connectivity and sourcing advantage to alignment and communication.
The session will also examine how due diligence frameworks are evolving for smaller funds, how return expectations and risk profiles are being assessed, and what role institutions, from DFIs to regional allocators, can play in building a stronger pipeline of next-generation managers in the Middle East and beyond.
Expect a candid, practical exchange on what works, what doesn’t, and how both managers and investors can better position themselves in an increasingly selective and volatile fundraising environment.
- Samuel Cohen Solal - Co-Founder and Managing Director, Sweetwood Capital
- Walid Faza - Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer, MSA Capital
As venture ecosystems mature, where are the most compelling use cases for venture credit emerging across sectors and stages? How are venture credit providers structuring deals to balance downside protection with the growth needs of startups and scale-ups? How are relationships between equity investors and credit providers evolving, and what does effective alignment look like in practice?
A practical, discussion-led workshop focused on how private credit can be structured and executed within evolving legal frameworks across the Middle East.
This session will explore the latest developments in key jurisdictions such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where legal regimes are increasingly adapting to support private credit markets and enhance lender protections.
Participants will gain insight into what has changed, what is now possible, and how to navigate local legal systems effectively.
The workshop will cover critical areas including the structuring and enforcement of security, taking charges over dynamic or fluctuating assets, and the processes around registering and perfecting security interests. It will also explore how private credit structures can be aligned with Shariah principles, and how investors are navigating both conventional and Islamic frameworks in practice.
Designed for both investors and advisors, this session will offer a practical lens on how to operate within the region, highlighting key considerations, common pitfalls, and what differentiates successful credit transactions in practice.
A case study-led session showcasing how global and regional players are deploying private credit across different markets and strategies.
Through three distinct case studies, leading investors will present real examples of credit transactions, offering insight into how deals are sourced, structured, and executed in practice.
The session will highlight a range of approaches across both Middle Eastern and international contexts.
Each case will explore the investment rationale, structuring considerations, risk management, and outcomes, providing a practical view of how capital is being deployed in today’s evolving credit landscape.
Expect a candid look at what has worked, what has been challenging, and what drives performance across different markets.
8 mins presentations each followed by 6 mins Q&A
A closed-door discussion exploring how co-investments are reshaping LP–GP relationships across both global and Middle Eastern markets.
Co-investment is increasingly a core expectation rather than an optional extra. How are GPs structuring these partnerships in practice, and how are allocation decisions evolving across different types of LPs?
The conversation will examine how co-investments are being used as a tool for access, alignment, and fundraising in the current environment.
What works when partnering with family offices, and where do tensions emerge around control, objectives and performance?
Expect a candid exchange on how co-investment strategies are being executed today, how fund models are adapting, and what truly drives successful LP–GP partnerships in practice.
Limited seating. Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
To register, please contact munazzah.siddique@informa.com
This session explores how investors are navigating the growing challenge of zombie funds in global private markets.
As exit timelines extend and distributions slow, an increasing share of capital remains tied up in ageing funds with limited visibility on realisations.
How are LPs assessing these positions, and what options exist to unlock value or manage exposure?
Set against a backdrop of market uncertainty and geopolitical volatility, this discussion will examine how liquidity constraints, valuation challenges, and prolonged holding periods are reshaping portfolio construction and allocation decisions.
Expect a candid exchange on what is working in practice and how LPs are adapting to a world where capital may remain locked for longer than expected.
Limited seating. Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
This exclusive session is only open to pre-registered banks, corporate investors, development finance institutions, endowments, family offices, foundations, insurance companies, investment consultants, pension funds, RIAs, sovereign wealth funds and wealth managers subject to qualification.
LPs, to register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
- Ennis Rimawi - Managing Director, Catalyst Investment Management
As AI accelerates demand for compute, how are data centres, chips and energy converging to create a new infrastructure investment landscape globally? Where are investors seeing the most compelling opportunities across the value chain? What is driving the Middle East’s emergence as a hub for AI infrastructure, from energy advantage to capital availability, and how does this position it in the global race? As demand grows, how are investors navigating key challenges across financing, capacity, power, location, and execution?
- Ennis Rimawi - Managing Director, Catalyst Investment Management
A case study-led session exploring how infrastructure investments are being delivered on the ground, across mobility and logistics.
The session will feature two focused case studies: one on EV ecosystems and transportation infrastructure, and one on logistics and supply chain infrastructure, including ports, freight, and distribution networks.
This session will unpack how investors are identifying opportunities, structuring deals, and executing at scale.
The discussion will also consider how an evolving geopolitical environment is shaping infrastructure priorities, reinforcing the importance of resilience, connectivity, and long-term planning.
Expect practical insights into how capital is being deployed, how projects are brought to life, and what differentiates successful infrastructure investments across both regional and international markets.
10 mins presentations each followed by 5 mins Q&A
Why is data and technology sovereignty becoming a strategic priority for governments and investors globally? How are countries approaching sovereignty in practice, from regulation and data localisation to infrastructure and control over digital ecosystems? How is the Middle East positioning itself between global technology blocs, and what does this mean for partnerships, capital flows, and long-term strategy? From an investor perspective, how does the push for sovereignty reshape where and how capital is deployed across technology platforms?
Where is AI genuinely creating value today across industries, and how can investors distinguish real impact from hype? As AI is embedded into businesses, which parts of the value chain are most at risk, and which are most defensible? How is AI changing the way private markets investors source opportunities, assess value, and make decisions in practice?
As more entrepreneurs transition into family offices, the question is no longer just where to invest, but how to build the platform behind it.
This closed-door discussion will explore what it really means to institutionalise private wealth.
What does a “modern” family office look like in practice, and how are SFOs evolving from founder-led capital to structured, disciplined investment platforms?
Where should capabilities sit - in-house or outsourced - and what are the trade-offs between control, cost, and expertise?
Set against a backdrop of growing sophistication in both Middle Eastern and global family offices, this session will unpack the real decisions, gaps, and inflection points in building an institutional-grade family office.
This is a candid exchange between emerging and established family offices on what works, what scales, and what experienced family offices wish they had done differently.
Strictly single-family offices only. Limited seating. Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
SFOs, to register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
- Awaiz Patni - CFO, Saudi Bugshan Company
Family offices today are navigating an increasingly complex investment landscape, balancing global opportunities, evolving allocation strategies, and heightened scrutiny on risk.
This closed-door discussion will explore how SFOs are approaching capital deployment in practice.
Where are investors allocating today across regions, and how are views diverging in the current environment?
What does effective due diligence look like when investing directly, and where are the common pitfalls?
This is a candid exchange on how decisions are being made in real time, what is driving allocation, where conviction lies, and how sophisticated investors are pricing risk and opportunity.
SFOs, to register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
As energy security rises up the agenda globally, how is this reshaping infrastructure investment priorities across renewables, traditional energy, and new technologies? How is the Middle East balancing its role as a global energy producer with growing ambitions around energy independence and diversification? To what extent is capital shifting toward electricity generation as economies move beyond oil? How are capital structures evolving to finance energy infrastructure at scale, across equity, debt, and public-private partnerships?
How are shifting population dynamics and global capital flows reshaping where real estate opportunities are emerging today? To what extent is geopolitics influencing real estate allocation decisions, particularly across regions like the Middle East, US, Europe, and Asia? In a market that has seen both rapid growth and sudden uncertainty, how are investors thinking about resilience, structure, and long-term value in real estate today?
In a more disciplined fundraising environment, how are investors reassessing risk, from valuation discipline to path to profitability and portfolio construction? To what extent is the traditional VC fund model fit for purpose in emerging ecosystems, and does the Middle East require a fundamentally different approach to timelines and returns? As venture activity expands beyond Series A, how are investors approaching both early-stage opportunities and the emerging gap in growth-stage capital across the Middle East? With VC exits becoming more complex and less predictable, how are venture investors rethinking liquidity, from M&A and secondaries to new pathways for realising returns?
- Zainab Al Sharif - Partner, Plus VC (+VC)
- Said Murad - Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Lunara Partners
As innovation shifts from software to deep and advanced technologies such as semiconductors, robotics, and quantum computing, where are the most compelling opportunities emerging globally and in the Middle East? In a world shaped by geopolitical tensions, supply chain constraints, and strategic competition, how are governments and investors positioning themselves around critical technologies such as chips and advanced tech infrastructure? As next-generation technologies move closer to real-world deployment, how should investors think about risk, from capital intensity and long timelines to cybersecurity and system vulnerability?
Real estate remains a core allocation for family offices, but how assets are held and structured is often as important as the investment itself.
This closed-door discussion will explore how SFOs are structuring real estate investments in the Middle East and beyond, from trophy assets to broader portfolio exposure.
When does it make sense to hold directly versus through SPVs or other vehicles, and how do jurisdiction, governance, and long-term objectives shape these decisions?
The conversation will also examine how investors are thinking about timing and opportunity. How are family offices positioning for potential corrections, and how does this influence both structure and strategy?
This is a practical exchange on how sophisticated investors are approaching the real estate market today, what works in practice, and how structure, timing, and conviction come together in decision-making.
Open to single family offices only. Limited seating. Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
SFOs, to register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com
Energy transition and impact investing are becoming increasingly important areas of focus for family offices, particularly as next-generation investors place greater emphasis on sustainability and long-term societal outcomes.
This closed-door discussion will explore how SFOs are approaching these opportunities in practice.
Where are investors deploying capital across areas such as renewable energy, waste-to-energy, and emerging technologies, and how are they balancing purpose with performance?
The conversation will also examine the challenges in this space. How do you assess whether an investment is truly impactful, and how do you navigate issues around measurement, scalability, and evolving frameworks such as carbon credits?
And how are single family offices navigating the complexity of investing in energy transition and impact across both regional and global markets amid energy price volatility and geopolitical uncertainty?
Open to single family offices only. Limited seating. Spaces are first-come, first-served. Run under the Chatham House Rule and closed to press.
SFOs, to register, please contact Niyati at niyati.saini@informa.com