UAE: Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the emirate’s sovereign wealth fund (SWF) and one of the principal pillars of Abu Dhabi’s economic stability, has come a long way since its foundation in 1976.

While the first year of operations for Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) has brought much attention for its licensed financial institutions, and the regulatory and judicial infrastructure within which they operate, 2017 is likely to see more emphasis on the zone’s strategy to develop as a broad-based financial centre.

Abu Dhabi has long been associated with buy-side investment activity, thanks largely to its success in transforming fiscal surpluses into global investments aimed at ensuring future economic security. However, after two full years of lower oil prices, Abu Dhabi’s attractiveness as a destination for inward investment has become more pertinent,...

Driven by healthy population growth, world-leading income per capita, and steady demand for high-end retail space, Abu Dhabi’s retail industry has undergone years of strong expansion, leading to an influx of new project completions between 2013 and 2015. The industry, like many others, is beginning to feel the pains of reduced economic...

The media sector in Abu Dhabi looks set for continued growth as ongoing efforts to attract major international companies to twofour54, the emirate’s dedicated media free zone, continue to bear fruit. Expansion efforts are underpinned by the rollout of the physical infrastructure required to support the sustainable growth of the sector, as well...

Climate change, dwindling natural resources, pressure on ecosystems from urban expansion, pollution and waste management are all global challenges that are having an impact in Abu Dhabi, whose delicate environment is characterised by extremes of temperature and landscape. Over the last few decades, extraordinary economic and population growth...