ADFW 2026 Unveils First Wave of Top Speakers, Bringing the World's Capital Community to Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) has revealed the first wave of speakers for its fifth edition, taking place 7–10 December 2026 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The event, hosted by ADGM, has already secured more than 200 confirmed international speakers and will feature over 70 thematic events across the week, with the broader programme expected to involve in excess of 800 speakers. New programme additions include the inaugural Abu Dhabi Real Estate Summit, the AIMA Global Hedge Fund Leaders Platform, The Hub71 Startups Campus, and a Healthcare and BioTech Forum, alongside expanded private forums and Global Strategy Roundtables.

"The exceptional early commitment from global financial leaders to ADFW 2026 reflects growing confidence in Abu Dhabi as a trusted destination for capital, investment and long-term partnerships," said H.E. Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi, Chairman of ADGM and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. "The strength of ADFW lies not only in the conversations that happen here, but in what they lead to. By bringing together the world's leading investors, policymakers and innovators, Abu Dhabi creates an environment where dialogue translates into investment and relationships become long-term partnerships. That is what distinguishes Abu Dhabi as the Capital of Capital."

Context and confirmed participants

The announced cohort spans senior UAE and Abu Dhabi government leaders as well as top executives from global financial institutions, asset managers, technology firms and digital-asset platforms. Government and Abu Dhabi representatives named include H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade; H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Department of Municipalities and Transport; H.E. Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; H.E. Shamis Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development; H.E. Salem Al Nuami, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Pension Fund; and H.E. Majid Al Suwaidi, CEO of ALTÉRRA.

Global financial leaders confirmed span CEOs and chairpersons from major institutions, including Oliver Bäte (Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO, Allianz SE), Tan Su Shan (CEO, DBS Group), Ron O'Hanley (Chairman & CEO, State Street), Bill Winters (CEO, Standard Chartered) and Jenny Johnson (CEO, Franklin Templeton). Asset management and alternatives voices include Tobias C. Pross (CEO, Allianz Global Investors), Charles R. Kaye (Chairman, Warburg Pincus), Hendrik du Toit (Founder and CEO, Ninety One), Dmitry Balyasny (Co-Founder, Managing Partner and CIO, Balyasny Asset Management) and Mike Freno (Chairman, President and CEO, Barings).

• Technology and digital-asset leaders: Chamath Palihapitiya (Founder, Social Capital), Richard Teng (CEO, Binance), JoeBen Bevirt (Founder & CEO, Joby Aviation), Robert Smith (Founder & CEO, Vista Equity), Pascal Gauthier (Chairman & CEO, Ledger), Lily Liu (President, Solana Foundation), Charles Cascarilla (Co-Founder & CEO, Paxos).
• Other institutional figures: Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara (Executive Director & CEO, Temasek Holdings), Andreas Berger (Group CEO, Swiss Re), Marc C. Ganzi (CEO, DigitalBridge), David Druley (CEO, Cambridge Associates), Stefan Hoops (CEO, DWS).

Outlook

Organisers say the 2026 programme is deliberately structured around four main thematic days covering Abu Dhabi's economic strategy, global markets, asset management, fintech and digital assets, sustainable finance and Islamic finance, aiming to deepen senior engagement and produce actionable outcomes. With the event already drawing heavyweight global capital and policy figures, ADFW 2026 positions itself as a convening point for investor-government dialogue and deal-making as Abu Dhabi seeks to solidify its role as a hub for capital and long-term partnerships.