ADIO and EFOA Join Forces to Attract Global Family Offices to Abu Dhabi

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and the Emirates Family Office Association (EFOA) have struck a strategic partnership to further enhance Abu Dhabi's value proposition to local and global family offices in Abu Dhabi. The collaboration seeks to establish Abu Dhabi as the top location for ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) and family offices worldwide.

Abu Dhabi to Become a Hub for Wealth Preservation

The cooperation aims to add EFOA’s unique experience to ADIO's existing mandate of spearheading Abu Dhabi's economic reform. The EFOA's primary contribution is its local and global network of family offices and experience in policy dialogue, business development, and asset preservation.

In detail, the EFOA will be in charge of identifying and referring qualified investors, facilitating international introductions, and co-developing investment propositions in high-growth sectors aligned with Abu Dhabi’s long-term economic vision.

After that, the ADIO will give targeted long-term private capital investment support to qualifying UHNWI and family offices in order to eliminate investment friction. This assistance covers everything from business licensing and market entry to lifestyle integration and strategic partnerships.

Notably, both entities will also collaborate on policy dialogue and regulatory innovation in Abu Dhabi. This move ensures that the city will be able to address the evolving priorities of international investors while reinforcing its role as a partner of choice for wealth management and preservation as well as long-term value creation.

Together, the entities intend to establish a more seamless, investor-led ecosystem that will support long-term capital in the region.

His Excellency Hareb Al Mheiri, Executive Director of the Investor Growth Sector of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, said:

“This partnership reflects Abu Dhabi’s role as a stable, credible and forward-looking hub for UHNWIs and global capital. By working closely with the Emirates Family Office Association, we are not only enhancing entry, we are also raising the ambition for family offices to contribute to global economic transformation from the emirate."

Similarly, Adam Ladjadj, founder and vice chairman at Emirates Family Office Association, commented:

“Family offices today are global operators looking for more than tax efficiency—they want trusted environments where capital, talent and ideas converge. Abu Dhabi offers that rare combination of access, vision and continuity. Our partnership with ADIO is designed to meet that demand, with investors at the centre of the strategy."

Family Offices Sector Sees Significant Growth

The family offices sector has grown significantly from a niche concept in the 1980s to approximately 15,000 offices globally with an estimated $5.9 trillion in assets, according to the Financial Times. Already, cities like Singapore and Dubai are offering tax incentives and regulatory reforms appealing to the family office sector.

Despite its late start, Abu Dhabi is expected to thrive amid rising global competition to attract private wealth. Family offices are growing increasingly active in cross-border investments, often backing early-stage ventures in clean energy, healthcare, and technology, and Abu Dhabi is an ideal candidate to meet that demand.

So far, Abu Dhabi has introduced several reforms in recent years to attract global capital, including easing company ownership rules, expanding its office market and financial free zones, and investing in infrastructure and technology sectors. Now, the ADIO and EFOA partnership is expected to drive sustained capital inflows, which, paired with the region’s financial stability, intends to support healthy long-term market performance.

Abu Dhabi Establishes Itself as a Leading Global Financial Hub

According to data from Financial Times, Abu Dhabi is the Gulf’s leading magnet for global investment firms between January 2024 and July 2025. Many of the new companies operating in the gulf chose Abu Dhabi, from asset managers, hedge funds, private capital firms, and family offices.

Among these global heavyweights entering the UAE capital include Franklin Templeton, PGIM, Nuveen, Fortress Investment Group, Brevan Howard, and Point72.

Notably, family office activity is also clustering in Abu Dhabi. Leon Black and Ray Dalio are two of the high-profile names establishing operations in the emirate. The presence of specialized funds highlights Abu Dhabi’s appeal as a diversified financial hub.

While Dubai continues to attract international firms, particularly asset managers, and Riyadh is making gains, Abu Dhabi dominates the hedge fund and family office segment, reinforcing its strategy to position itself as the region’s premier center for alternative investments and ultra-high-net-worth wealth management.

Abu Dhabi Investment Office

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office is the central government hub supporting investment in Abu Dhabi. As such, the entity is committed to growing the emirate’s private sector and diversifying its economy. The ADIO team helps investors and companies of all sizes establish their business, grow, and develop in the UAE’s capital.

Emirates Family Office Association

The Emirates Family Office Association is an independent, not-for-profit association dedicated to supporting the Family Office Community. The association provides services to local and international family offices, including community building, educational programs, policy and advocacy, and financial structure.

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