Five Abu Dhabi government entities have united at the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2022 to demonstrate their support for local and international investors seeking expansion opportunities in the emirate.
Led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), the group comprising Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO), Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Masdar City is exhibiting and participating in panel discussions and networking events at AIM 2022.
Individually, each entity offers investors dedicated support in different focus areas, including business set up, talent acquisition and capital raising, in addition to specialised offerings for specific sectors, including sustainability and financial services. Reflecting the integrated nature of the Abu Dhabi ecosystem, the entities have come together at AIM 2022 to engage investors and explain the advantages of doing business in the emirate.
Comprehensive investor support
ADIO is the government hub enabling investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi, with a mission to help investors achieve sustainable success in the emirate, across the region and beyond. ADIO plugs investors directly into Abu Dhabi’s enabling business environment and ecosystem to develop and scale innovative solutions.
H.E. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), said: “Abu Dhabi offers investors clear advantages, from a thriving business environment and established infrastructure to attractive incentive programmes and strong government support. These benefits give investors a sound footing and head start in the race for success in a fast-changing global economic landscape. The Abu Dhabi government ecosystem is uniting at AIM 2022 to connect with investors and showcase the comprehensive package of support available across the emirate for ambitious, innovative companies.”
ADRO is a division of ADDED, established to support the emirate's thriving international community. The office is dedicated to helping new residents settle into Abu Dhabi and supporting the integration and harmonisation of the international community with the local culture and society.
H.E. Rashed Abdulkarim Al Blooshi, Undersecretary of ADDED, commented: “Abu Dhabi’s integrated business-financial ecosystem is built on collaboration between the public and private sectors with the goal of continually creating new opportunities for talented individuals and global enterprises in high-growth fields. Strategic projects like ADDED’s Investor Journey programme are making it easier and cheaper to set up and renew businesses, while ADRO is helping to grow the emirate’s thriving international community. Cross-pollination across the economy is set to increase further via the upcoming AED5 billion Abu Dhabi IPO Fund, which will enhance opportunities for private enterprises to accelerate their growth through an ADX listing. We look forward to sharing Abu Dhabi’s unique investment opportunities with the international community at AIM 2022.”
ADGM is an award-winning international financial centre strategically located in the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Under the theme, 'Investments in Sustainable Innovation for a Thriving Future’, ADGM will capitalise on its continuous efforts at offering foreign investors a robust platform for sustainable trading, business and investment, attesting to the UAE's standing as a main hub for foreign investments.
Dhaher bin Dhaher Al Muhairi, CEO of the Registration Authority of ADGM, said: “Abu Dhabi is a global leader when it comes to creating an environment that nurtures businesses, innovators, and investors alike. It has always been at the forefront providing businesses with the launchpad they need to excel and thrive. Initiatives such as AIM enable participants to discover new investment opportunities in the global market while promoting economic growth. As an international financial centre, ADGM has always been focused on creating a business-friendly and sustainable ecosystem for local and international businesses from diverse industry clusters within the traditional finance and new age finance sectors to support their growth journey in this region, whilst offering them a wide spectrum of financial and non-financial services.”
ADX is a market for trading securities and the second largest exchange in the region. As part of the ADX One strategy’s goal to double its market capitalisation, the ADX launched a derivatives market in the fourth quarter of 2021, which led to an agreement with FTSE Russell to develop co-branded indices, including a tradable FTSE ADX Blue Chip Index (FADX15) which was announced at the AIM event. The exchange has also established a framework for listing Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) on ADX, which was approved by the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) in January.
Mr. Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ADX, said: “ADX is proud to be participating at AIM to showcase the unique opportunities available to investors on our exchange. Through its comprehensive strategy launched last year to increase liquidity, ADX has played an integral role in enhancing the attractiveness of the emirate’s investment ecosystem by encouraging the listings pipeline and introducing innovative products and services.”
Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is a pioneering sustainable urban development and a hub for research and development, spearheading the innovations to realise greener, more sustainable urban living.
Abdulla Balalaa, Executive Director at Masdar City, said, “Abu Dhabi provides a highly progressive environment for businesses, and at Masdar City, we actively contribute to this through the promotion and facilitation of R&D and entrepreneurship in key sectors - including renewables, artificial intelligence, AgTech, mobility, health and space. The City is currently home to more than 1,000 companies, from startups and SMEs through to multinationals, all of which benefit from its unique ecosystem where they can build business networks, explore multiple investment opportunities, and test new technologies. As the emirate’s only planned and approved R&D cluster, Masdar City supports Abu Dhabi’s position as an attractive global hub that promotes economic diversification, empowers global talent, and supports sustainable development.”