ADFW 2026 Unveils First Wave of Top Speakers, Bringing the ...

2026-12-07 · Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2026 runs from December 7 to 10 across Abu Dhabi, convening institutional investors, global executives, and founders under the theme of capital and partnerships.

Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2026 brings together senior UAE government leaders, global CEOs, chairpersons, founders, and institutional investors for its fifth edition. Hosted by ADGM under the patronage of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the event focuses on capital, investment, financial services, and innovation. The expanded programme includes new summits, forums, and over 70 thematic events across four main days.

Founder brief

Who should attend

Founders operating in fintech, digital assets, and sustainable finance who want access to major global asset managers, institutional allocators, and regional leadership will find the gathering relevant. It is particularly suited for growth-stage teams navigating regulatory alignment, capital expansion, or corporate partnerships in the Middle East.

What happens

The four-day conference features more than 70 thematic events, specialized summits, and forums across Abu Dhabi locations, including Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Hub71 Startups Campus. Sessions address the local economic strategy, global markets, asset management, financial innovation, digital assets, and Islamic finance.

Who's in the room

The speaker roster includes institutional leaders like Bill Winters of Standard Chartered, Clare Woodman CBE of Morgan Stanley, and Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara of Temasek Holdings, alongside investors such as Chamath Palihapitiya of Social Capital and Charles R. Kaye of Warburg Pincus, plus senior UAE government representatives.

How to prepare

Because the agenda is distributed across multiple city venues without formal startup pitch stages, focus on targeted networking. Review the speaker roster and summit themes in advance to pinpoint relevant sessions. Prepare concise business summaries focused on market traction and strategic fit to share during conversations with corporate executives and allocators.

Organizer: ADGM

Register

At a glance

Format
The programme is structured around four main thematic days covering Abu Dhabi's economic strategy, global markets, asset management, fintech, digital assets, sustainable finance, and Islamic finance, featuring over 70 thematic events and specialized summits.
Theme
The Capital Community, Powered by Partnerships
Attendance
more than 200 confirmed top international speakers
Sectors
Fintech, Crypto web3, Climate energy

Speakers, judges and hosts

  • Ahmed Jasim Al Zaabi — Chairman, ADGM (Speaker)
  • Andreas Berger — Group CEO, Swiss Re (Speaker)
  • Antonoaldo Neves — CEO, Etihad (Speaker)
  • Bill Winters — CEO, Standard Chartered (Speaker)
  • Chamath Palihapitiya — Founder, Social Capital (Speaker)
  • Charles Cascarilla — Co-Founder and CEO, Paxos (Speaker)
  • Charles R. Kaye — Chairman, Warburg Pincus (Speaker)
  • Clare Woodman CBE — CEO, Intl, Morgan Stanley (Speaker)
  • David Druley — CEO, Cambridge Associates (Speaker)
  • Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara — Executive Director and CEO, Temasek Holdings (Speaker)
  • Dmitry Balyasny — Co-Founder, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Balyasny Asset Management (Speaker)
  • Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi — Minister of State for Youth Affairs (Speaker)
  • Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi — CEO, Botim (Speaker)
  • Hamad Al Ameri — CEO, Alpha Dhabi (Speaker)
  • Hendrik du Toit — Founder and CEO, Ninety One (Speaker)
  • Jenny Johnson — CEO, Franklin Templeton (Speaker)
  • JoeBen Bevirt — Founder and CEO, Joby Aviation (Speaker)
  • Katie Koch — President and CEO, TCW (Speaker)
  • Lily Liu — President, Solana Foundation (Speaker)
  • Majid Al Suwaidi — CEO, ALTÉRRA (Speaker)
  • Marc C. Ganzi — CEO, DigitalBridge (Speaker)
  • Mike Freno — Chairman, President and CEO, Barings (Speaker)
  • Mohamed Abdelbary — GCEO, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (Speaker)
  • Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa — Chairman, Department of Municipalities and Transport (Speaker)
  • Oliver Bäte — Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO, Allianz SE (Speaker)
  • Pascal Gauthier — Chairman and CEO, Ledger (Speaker)
  • Richard Teng — CEO, Binance (Speaker)
  • Robert Smith — Founder & CEO, Vista Equity (Speaker)
  • Ron O'Hanley — Chairman & CEO, State Street (Speaker)
  • Salem Al Nuami — Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund (Speaker)
  • Shamis Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri — Chairman, Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (Speaker)
  • Stefan Bollinger — CEO, Julius Baer (Speaker)
  • Stefan Hoops — CEO, DWS (Speaker)
  • Steven Desmyter — President, Man Group (Speaker)
  • Tan Su Shan — CEO, DBS Group (Speaker)
  • Tarek Sultan — Chairman, Agility (Speaker)
  • Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi — Minister of Foreign Trade (Speaker)
  • Tobias C. Pross — CEO, Allianz Global Investors (Speaker)

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