Abu Dhabi 2025 | GCC Forum

GCC Forum 2025 | 17 January | Abu Dhabi

CONNECTING BUSINESS WITH CAPITAL IN THE GULF

Keynotes | Roundtables | Powered by B2BMatchmaking.AI

The Premier Networking Event to Grow Your Business in the GCC

The GCC Forum offers European Manufacturers, Technology Companies, Investors, and Service Providers an exclusive gateway to explore the vast investment potential of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar—all in one venue.

This VIP event provides unmatched access to insightful presentations on topics that matter most to European businesses, coupled with interactive roundtable discussions. These sessions offer a unique platform for you to showcase your projects and engage directly with influential decision-makers from the GCC, including representatives from government authorities, Private Equity Funds, Venture Capital Funds, Accelerators, Family Offices, Angel Investors, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Corporate Venture Funds, Business Councils as well as Free Zones and Mainland Zones.

What truly sets the GCC Forum apart is its cutting-edge GCC Forum App, delivering a personalized B2B matchmaking list. This AI-powered tool ranks participants based on how well they align with your business goals, from 99% to 1%, ensuring you connect with the most relevant contacts.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Due to organizational considerations, the date of the GCC Forum has been rescheduled from January 31 to January 17 to ensure an enhanced experience for all participants and optimize the event’s success.

Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi, UAE

GCC Forum 2025
17 January | Abu Dhabi

CONNECTING BUSINESS WITH CAPITAL IN THE GULF

Keynotes | Roundtables | Powered by B2BMatchmaking.AI
AI-Powered B2B Matchmaking

The Premier Networking Event to Grow Your Business in the GCC

Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi, UAE

TARGET AUDIENCE

If you’re based in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, or any other European country and are seeking prime opportunities to expand your business in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, or Qatar, the GCC Forum 2025 is the definitive event to attend.

INVESTMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE GCC

Experience the GCC FORUM 2025, your gateway to connecting with Private Equity Funds, Venture Capital Funds, Accelerators, Family Offices, Sovereign Wealth Funds, and Corporate Venture Funds from the Gulf region. Planning to expand your business into the booming economies of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, or Qatar? Don’t miss this unique opportunity to secure an exclusive invitation and gain access to invaluable discussions and partnerships in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

PRIVATE EQUITY FUNDS
Capital Injection | Strategic Growth
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Private Equity (PE) Funds typically invest in companies that have a proven business model and stable cash flows. They acquire either majority or minority stakes and often take an active role in management, implementing operational improvements and strategic initiatives to increase profitability before exiting through a sale, merger, or IPO.

VENTURE CAPITAL (VC) FUNDS
Growth Capital | Mentorship and Guidance
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Venture Capital (VC) Funds provide capital to early-stage startups. VCs invest in exchange for equity and play a hands-on role, offering strategic guidance, resources, and mentorship to help startups scale quickly. While they take on significant risk, the potential returns are equally high if the company succeeds, typically through a sale or IPO.

ACCELERATORS
Intensive Support | Seed Funding
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Accelerators are programs designed to support early-stage startups through mentorship, resources, and seed funding. Startups are usually selected through a competitive application process and receive guidance from industry experts. Accelerators help startups refine their business models and prepare for the next stage of growth or investment.

FAMILY OFFICES
Patient Capital | Flexible Investment Structure
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Family Offices invest in a variety of asset classes, from real estate to startups. They often have a long-term investment horizon, focusing on wealth preservation and legacy building across generations. They are typically more flexible than institutional investors, offering patient capital to businesses in industries that align with the family’s interests.

SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUNDS (SWF)
Capital Resources | Government Support
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) are state-owned investment funds that manage a country's national savings and assets, typically derived from surplus reserves such as oil revenues. SWFs typically have a low to medium risk appetite and long-term investment horizons, focusing on both economic development and wealth preservation.

CORPORATE VENTURE FUNDS
Strategic Alignment | Corporate Resources
UAE|Oman|Kuwait|Bahrain|Qatar|Saudi Arabia

Corporate Venture Funds are investment arms of large corporations that invest in startups or innovative companies, typically in industries aligned with the corporation’s strategic goals. They often seek to acquire new technologies and usually invest in early to mid-stage companies that have the potential for integration into the corporation’s broader business strategy.

B2BMatchmaking.AI

To fully understand how our state-of-the-art app can elevate your experience at the GCC Forum 2025, we encourage you to watch our presentation video. The app delivers a personalized approach to identifying the best business partners and promoting your services to the right clients through advanced AI algorithms. Imagine arriving at the event with insights that reveal an 87% business interest match with one attendee and just 12% with another. This empowers you to direct your networking with precision, making the most of your time and maximizing opportunities for meaningful connections with GCC and European business leaders and investors. Our app ensures that your networking experience is not only smarter but also more impactful than ever before.

HE Abdulla Al Saleh

Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy | UAE

His Excellency Abdulla Al Saleh is Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Economy. He is the Chairman of the Competition Committee, Vice Chairman of UAE CSR Fund, a board member of the UAE Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain Council, and Member of the UAE Digital Economy Council, Member of the UAE Gender Balance Council.

Osama Al Rahma

Head of Business Development at Emirates Investment Bank | UAE

Osama has contributed to the upscale of the standards in compliance and AML/ CFT within the remittance industry in UAE and globally for more than three decades. He has developed many innovative products and services that had an impact on the financial inclusion of the unbanked and underbanked segments.

Munthir Alansari

Principal Advisor, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia | SAUDI ARABIA

Munthir Alansari is a visionary leader and strategist, certified as a tourism expert and consultant. He is a member of the Panel of Tourism Experts on Measuring Sustainable Tourism at the UN Tourism and serves as a Principal Consultant at the Ministry of Culture and General Authority for Statistics in Saudi Arabia.

Hamad AlAmmari

Executive Director, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) | BAHRAIN

Hamad is the Executive Director at Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) and advisor to the Chief Executive. Hamad works with governments, current investors, and prospective investors to support initiatives that enhance trade and business engagement between the rest of the Middle East and the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Essam Al Tamimi

Chairman, Al Tamimi & Company | UAE

Essam Al Tamimi has over 35 years of experience in litigation and dispute resolution in the UAE and GCC counties. In 1989, he established what is now the largest firm in the Middle East & North Africa, Al Tamimi & Company. He has extensive experience in advising and assisting clients throughout the Arab region.

Ayman Al-Wadi

Group Executive Chairman, AW HOLDING INT'L | UAE

Ayman Al-Wadi is the Group Executive Chairman of AW Holding Int'l, a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience in international business development and strategic investments. Under his leadership, AW Holding Int'l has grown into a global powerhouse, driving innovation and success across multiple sectors. Ayman’s visionary approach and commitment to excellence have established him as a prominent figure in the global business landscape.

Ahmed Abdulla Al Nowais

Director of Business Development, Al Nowais Group | UAE

Ahmed Abdulla is currently the business development director for Al Nowais Group. He is in charge of setting and developing goals for Al Nowais Group’s revenue growth. He works hard to research, plan, and implement new target market initiatives. He is will connected to with the government and semi-government.

Abdulla Al Matrooshi

Specialist, Mubadala Investment Company | UAE

Abdulla is an Experienced Founder with a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry. Skilled in Political Risk Analysis, Critical Thinking, and Public Speaking, he holds a MA in Contemporary History and Politics from Birkbeck, University of London.

Dr. Hanan Al Mheiri

CEO and Founder, Hanan Empire | UAE

Dr. Hanan is the CEO and Founder of Hanan Empire. Through Hanan Empire she changes people’s life everyday showing them the path to majestic life. She has 17+ years of professional experience in the government of Dubai in various areas including knowledge management, innovation and future shaping.

Arda Atalay

Regional Director, LinkedIn | UAE

Arda is is the Regional Director at LinkedIn with over 27 years of experience in the technology sector. He leads a high-performing team of 50 professionals across 15 countries, focusing on delivering value and innovation to our customers and partners in the emerging markets.

Khalid Chami

Group Chief Financial Officer, Ali & Sons Holding LLC | UAE

Over the past 17 years, Khalid has played a pivotal role in creating value and addressing strategic challenges within renowned Family Offices across the MENA region. His expertise encompasses diverse sectors, ranging from automotive industry leaders such as Porsche, Audi, Skoda, VW, and MG, to the construction sector.

Jean-Philippe SYED

Investment Partner, Head of EMEA and India Private Equity at X12 Capital

Jean-Philippe is a Partner at X12 Capital, an investment firm specializing in special situations and growth equity across diverse asset classes and regions, with a focus on frontier and emerging markets such as Turkey, the Middle East/GCC, Africa, and India. He is also an ESG/impact specialist with a strong track record in Pharma and industrial roll-ups (ex. McKinsey, JPMorgan, DPI).

Christopher Langner

Chief Financial Officer, EM Ventures

Christopher has extensive expertise in capital markets and restructuring across Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. With 20 years of experience in emerging markets, he has met with senior executives, analyzed companies, and developed significant knowledge of bonds, stocks, and restructuring processes.

Aya Zaghnin

General Partner in the SWG PropTech / C-Tech Global Fund | SAUDI ARABIA

Aya Zaghnin is a dynamic professional with extensive experience in investment and consulting roles across various industries and regions. Currently serving as a General Partner at Startup Wise Guys and a Board Advisor at Presidio Advisors, she excels in strategic advisory and investment management.

Massimo Falcioni

Chief Competitiveness Officer, Abu Dhabi Investment Office | UAE

Massimo is an award-winning CEO with over 30 years of experience in both government and private sectors. He has been recognized as one of the Top 100 CEOs in the Middle East by Forbes in 2022 and ranked 13th in Forbes Middle East’s 2019 list of ‘Top 50 International CEOs Heading Local Companies.

Agnès Lopez Cruz

Managing Director, CCI France UAE | UAE

Agnès is an International expert in Management, Communication and Business Development with over 20 years of experience in the UK, France and the UAE. As a corporate strategist she has delivered targeted results respecting budget and HR resources, she has been involved, high level, in several negotiations and lobbying projects.

Alex Bdeir

Partner at Investcorp | UAE

Alex is a seasoned partner at Investcorp, bringing extensive expertise in private equity and strategic investments. With a proven track record in driving growth and value creation, Alex plays a key role in identifying investment opportunities and leading successful partnerships across various sectors. His deep knowledge and experience make him a trusted leader in the financial industry.

Roisin White Barrett

Managing Director, Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) | UAE

Roisin serves as the Managing Director of the Clean Energy Business Council MENA, where she leads efforts to promote sustainable energy practices and the adoption of clean technologies across the region. With a rich background in international business development, Roisin has effectively facilitated the entry and growth of companies in overseas markets.

Richard Goblet

Managing Partner, MEA Globaleye Capital | UAE

Richard is an investment and M&A professional with a strong interest in emerging markets and innovation. He is currently serving as the Managing Partner MEA of a Swiss Family Office advisory arm to help family-owned groups from the Middle East & Africa transition to the next generation by supporting their vision through M&A operations.

Sanjiv Amar

Associate Director at Lunate

Sanjiv has over 14 years of experience in investment operations and fund administration. He oversees fund structuring, investor reporting, compliance, and relationships with external providers. He is an ACA and CFA Level III candidate, with a strong background in audit and assurance from KPMG.

Najeh Awad

Managing Director at Petley Partners

Najeh is an executive with over 30 years of global experience in Finance, Investments, Risk, and Operations. He has worked across various industries including Financial Services, Investment Banking, Construction, Real Estate, Education, Manufacturing, Government, and Non-profit Organizations.

GCC Forum Format

AI B2B MATCHMAKING

The AI B2B Matchmaking system integrated into the GCC Forum App represents a groundbreaking networking solution. Prior to the event, participants answer a set of multiple-choice questions. These responses are then processed using AI algorithms to determine the percentage of potential collaboration with each participant.

Interactive Roundtables

Engage in dynamic Interactive Roundtables where you can present your projects, discuss trends, and exchange ideas with fellow European businesses and GCC decision-makers. These intimate sessions offer a unique platform to explore strategic partnerships and investment opportunities across the region.

Keynote Presentations

Unlock exclusive insights from top industry leaders at GCC Forum 2025 through our Keynote Presentations. Focused on the most relevant topics for European businesses, these sessions provide a deep dive into the GCC’s investment potential, economic strategies, and emerging opportunities to drive growth and success in the region.

In-Person Participation

Join GCC Forum 2025 in person with PREMIUM Pass and connect directly with decision-makers and high-level influencers across the GCC. Experience unparalleled networking opportunities, exclusive face-to-face discussions, and hands-on engagement with key players driving growth in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

Interactive Roundtable Discussions | PREMIUM PASS

This section features a Speed Business Dating format at round tables, each led by a moderator with expertise in areas of high interest for European manufacturers, technology companies, and service providers looking to expand in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.

The moderator will introduce the topic with a concise 15-minute presentation, followed by a 1-minute window for each participant to introduce themselves and share their interest in the topic. This fast-paced setup ensures meaningful interactions and maximizes opportunities for targeted business growth in the GCC region.