AIM Congress 2026 draws 15,831 participants across 181 countries to Dubai
Deutsche Bank executive identifies intergenerational wealth transition, family office capital and sovereign capital as three pillars of wealth movements.
AIM Congress 2026 convened 15,831 participants from 181 countries at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 7 to 9, 2026, with 1,385 speakers addressing capital flows, wealth management and investment trends. Salman Mahdi, Global Vice Chairman of Private Bank at Deutsche Bank, stated that intergenerational wealth transition, family office capital and sovereign capital form three major pillars of wealth movements, according to Gulf News.
Participant composition and speaker roster#
The three-day congress drew attendees from 181 countries. Speakers included Mohamed Alabbar, founder of Emaar Properties, Yusuf Ali MA, chairman of Lulu Group International, and Mishal Hamad Ali Mohamed Kanoo, chairman of the Kanoo Group. International participants included President Taye Atske Selassie Made of Ethiopia, Robinah Nabbanja, Prime Minister of Uganda, and H.E. Dorjkhand Togmid, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia. His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi addressed delegates on September 7, 2026. The Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah stated that the emirate's business community currently includes more than 73,000 companies representing over 100 countries, according to Gulf News.
Capital flow analysis and wealth data#
Mahdi stated that capital flows toward regions offering regulatory certainty, talent, opportunity and execution capabilities, according to Gulf News. BCG's Global Wealth Report 2026 found that global financial wealth increased by 10.7 percent in 2025 to US$333 trillion, its highest rate of growth since 2021, according to Global Finance Magazine. The GCC's total wealth reached an estimated US$8.6 trillion in 2024, with more than 200,000 individuals across the region qualifying as high net worth, according to EY's GCC Wealth Management Industry Report 2025 cited by Global Finance Magazine. EY's report found that 69 percent of wealthy clients in the Middle East hold alternative investments. Approximately half of private wealth in the region remains tied to real estate, according to the EY report.
Diversification trends and alternative investments#
QNB Group's private banking and wealth management clients are moving beyond traditional equity and fixed income allocations towards broader diversification strategies, according to Abdulla Hashim A M Al-Sada, Senior Executive Vice President, Group Asset and Wealth Management at QNB Group, writing in Global Finance Magazine. Interest is growing in alternative investments, international opportunities and actively managed solutions that can respond to changing market conditions, according to Al-Sada. Alternative investments can provide access to opportunities not always available through public markets, but can also introduce liquidity constraints, longer investment horizons, valuation complexity and varying levels of transparency, according to Al-Sada. Each allocation requires rigorous due diligence and a clear understanding of how it contributes to objectives and liquidity requirements, according to Al-Sada.
Tourism target and sector investment#
Ras Al Khaimah's tourism strategy aims to triple the number of visitors by 2030, according to statements made at the congress and reported by Gulf News. Speakers referenced investment in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, technology, infrastructure, financial services, tourism and advanced industries, according to Gulf News. The development of financial centres, deeper capital markets and national economic transformation programmes is taking place across the region, according to analysis presented at the event and reported by Gulf News.
Sources2 sources across 2 domains
- gulfnews.comGulf NewsAIM Congress 2026 participant count, dates, speaker names, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi statement, Ras Al Khaimah company count and tourism target, Mahdi statements on capital flows
- gfmag.comGlobal Finance MagazineBCG Global Wealth Report 2026 figures, GCC total wealth estimate, EY GCC Wealth Management Industry Report 2025 figures on HNW individuals and alternative investment holdings, real estate allocation percentage, QNB client diversification trends, Al-Sada statements on alternative investments
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