Forbes Middle East announced the inaugural Forbes Middle East Family Business Summit will take place in Abu Dhabi on October 28–29, 2026, at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas on Saadiyat Island. The two-day event is organized under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism, with First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) serving as presenting partner.
Operating under the theme “Where Generations Build Tomorrow,” the summit is projected to draw approximately 3,000 participants and over 60 speakers, according to the publication. The audience will comprise family enterprise owners, family office executives, institutional investors, policymakers, governance experts, and next-generation leadership figures.
Confirmed speakers reported by Forbes Middle East include H.E. Juma Mohammed Al Kait, Acting Undersecretary at the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism; H.E. Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Chairman of the Exports Executive Committee of the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX); H.E. Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei, Undersecretary at the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development; and H.E. Khaled Alfahim, Board Member of the Abu Dhabi Chamber and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Family Business Council.
The programme will focus on governance frameworks, succession planning, business transformation, international expansion, sustainability, and capital allocation strategies. The gathering will also host a Successors Forum exploring next-generation priorities such as artificial intelligence and wealth preservation, alongside an awards ceremony honoring companies listed on Forbes Middle East's 2026 ranking of Arab family businesses.
Sources
- Forbes Middle East · 2026-10-23
