2nd October, 2026
The 2026 MENA Playbook released today by Global SWF highlights the state of play of Middle Eastern Sovereign Investors as at the end of the third quarter of 2026.
1st October, 2026
In the past ten years, Abu Dhabi has evolved into a global financial powerhouse, supported by the massive sovereign wealth of the emirate, and evidenced by the number and caliber of companies establishing a presence in the city’s free zone. The September 2026 edition of the Global Financial Centers Index (published by Z/Yen and China’s CDI) ranked Abu Dhabi at 13th place globally, up from 21st place in 2025. Part of the credit must be attributed to Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which opened in 2015 and started changing the tone and the dynamics of the emirate. Starting from scattered pools of capital and low-profile finances, ADGM pushed for a unified discourse and a pro-active approach to attract inbound foreign capital based on the existing wealth, coining the terms the Falcon Economy, and the Capital of Capital.
30th September, 2026
Temasek is turning years of co-investment with Gulf sovereign funds into a permanent regional presence. The Singapore state investor will open offices in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi in the first half of 2027 and deepen engagement in Qatar, bringing its own investment teams closer to QIA, Mubadala, KIA, MGX and L’IMAD. Its disclosed direct Gulf portfolio remains limited, but the relationships are already well established.
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24th September, 2026
The conflict is raising the value of infrastructural resilience, spare capacity and regional connectivity, bringing economic security further into Gulf sovereign investment decisions.
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21st September, 2026
The Paramount–Warner merger provides a striking test of how far Gulf sovereign capital can reach into US cultural industries. The Hollywood sign has become shorthand for US cultural reach. The deal would place Gulf sovereign capital deep inside the economics of that system, with voting and editorial authority remaining in US hands.
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18th September, 2026
McLaren Automotive plans to invest GBP500 million (US$675 million) in UK manufacturing and engineering, marking its first major expansion since CYVN combined McLaren with Forseven and was subsequently brought under Abu Dhabi’s L’IMAD. The programme includes a second vehicle assembly facility, expanded carbon-fibre production, greater in-house engine and transmission capabilities and McLaren’s first sport utility vehicle, with around 1,000 jobs planned by 2032.
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2nd September, 2026
Two supertankers carrying a combined 4 million barrels of Saudi crude were struck by unidentified projectiles while leaving the Strait of Hormuz on September 1, reinforcing the prospect of prolonged disruption six months into the Iran war.
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18th August, 2026
L’Imad is seeking to acquire the 24.58% of AD Ports Group it does not already control for around AED7.8 billion (US$2.1 billion), reversing the company’s 2022 listing four and a half years after outside investors provided AED4 billion (US$1.1 billion) of new equity to support its expansion.
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17th July, 2026
ePointZero’s US$2.25 billion acquisition of Traverse Midstream shows how royal, listed and sovereign capital circulate through Abu Dhabi’s investment system. The entities remain legally separate, but assets, mandates, executives and liquidity move between them in ways that can strengthen the system as a whole.
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24th June, 2026
Abu Dhabi’s AI strategy is running via MGX which has reported a US$50 billion raise from sovereign funds, pensions and institutions, capturing third-party capital to invest in models, chips, data centres, digital finance and regulated platforms.
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15th June, 2026
In September 2025, we reported about the latest changes at ADIC (formerly known as “the Council”), including the restructuring of its portfolio, the hiring of several seasoned investment professionals, and an increased oversight from its mother company, Mubadala. Nine months later, the team, portfolio and focus has continued to evolve as the SWF seeks its place in the over-crowded investment ecosystem of Abu Dhabi Inc.
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12th June, 2026
On Thursday, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) announced that 2PointZero will be transferring the 7.29% stake it owns in the domestic utility giant TAQA, to its majority owner AD Power. The seller is part of the family office Royal Group, via IHC, while the buyer is a subsidiary of sovereign fund L’IMAD, via ADQ.
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