RISE Summit 2026 convenes global capital at Dubai World Trade Centre to explore shifting investment landscapes
More than 250 international institutional investors, sovereign funds and government leaders gather tomorrow to examine how geopolitical dynamics and economic transformation are reshaping where capital flows across the world.
The RISE Summit 2026 opens tomorrow at Dubai World Trade Centre, drawing together an assembly of more than 250 international institutional investors, sovereign funds, government leaders and major developers to examine the profound shifts reshaping global investment priorities and identify where the most compelling opportunities for long-term growth are emerging.
The Summit’s convening arrives at a moment of remarkable economic momentum across Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. Dubai’s non-oil private-sector PMI achieved a robust reading of 54.5 in September, representing the strongest performance of 2026 to date, whilst UAE non-oil foreign trade reached AED1.937 trillion in the first half of the year, reflecting a notable year-on-year expansion of 13.1%. The Dubai International Financial Centre has reached an extraordinary milestone, surpassing 10,000 active registered companies for the first time, achieving 10,018 registrations in H1 2026 and demonstrating a remarkable 30% year-on-year growth trajectory.
Held under the theme ‘Recharging Momentum in Global Economies’, the one-day Summit will explore how evolving geopolitical dynamics, reconfigured trade relationships, shifting financing conditions and rapid technological advances are influencing capital allocation decisions across markets worldwide.
The Global Leaders Series will present two keynote discussions of particular significance. José Manuel Barroso, Chairman of International Advisors at Goldman Sachs and former President of the European Commission, will lead ‘The Great Capital Shift’, exploring how the United States, Europe, Asia and the Gulf are competing for long-term investment and whether current movements in capital flows represent a lasting transformation in the global investment landscape. Ludovic Subran, Group Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist at Allianz, will then examine how investors are recalibrating their approaches to risk, returns and asset allocation in ‘Long-Term Capital in a Higher-Rate World’.
The UAE’s distinctive capacity to sustain investment momentum whilst navigating transformations in the global economy will feature prominently. A session entitled ‘From Resilience to Opportunity in a Realigning World’, featuring Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, will examine how economic diversification, strategic trade and investment partnerships enable countries to navigate an increasingly fragmented global economy and establish new pathways for sustainable growth.
The programme extends beyond macroeconomic analysis to consider how investment is translating into tangible growth across the built environment and essential infrastructure. Particular attention will be directed towards the expanding role of tokenisation in real estate investment through a panel discussion examining how this innovation is fundamentally rewriting ownership structures and investment mechanisms.
Source: WAM