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Emirates News Agency reported that Forbes Middle East will stage the inaugural Family Business Summit at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas on Saadiyat Island under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism with First Abu Dhabi Bank as presenting partner. The October 28-29 gathering carries the theme “Where Generations Build Tomorrow” and will convene family business owners next-generation leaders investors policymakers and governance experts from across the region. Panels will examine continuity in leadership family constitutions independent directors and pathways for capital deployment that balance legacy preservation with strategic expansion.
The Ministry of Economy and Tourism has determined that family businesses generate around 60 percent of the UAE’s gross domestic product while providing more than 80 percent of employment and forming nearly 90 percent of private-sector companies. These organizations anchor the We the UAE 2031 strategy that seeks to expand national GDP to AED 3 trillion through sustained private-sector contributions. Federal Decree-Law No. 37 of 2022 on Family Businesses together with supporting ministerial resolutions established a unified register and charter mechanisms to reinforce sector governance.
H.E. Juma Mohammed Al Kait Acting Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism said family businesses play an important role in diversifying the UAE economy and supporting its long-term growth. Additional speakers will include H.E. Mohamed Saif Al Suwaidi Director General of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development H.E. Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei Undersecretary at the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and H.E. Khaled Alfahim Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Family Business Council. The program will feature an awards ceremony honoring entries on Forbes Middle East’s 2026 ranking of top Arab family businesses which placed Abdul Latif Jameel in the leading position according to the compilation released this year.
An AGBI assessment projected an estimated $1 trillion in family-held assets will shift to succeeding generations across the Middle East in the decade ahead opening avenues for private equity participation and professional operational structures. A KPMG evaluation developed with the STEP Project Global Consortium from data on 2,683 firms in more than 80 countries identified next-generation inclusion and robust governance as critical drivers of resilience amid economic diversification programs. UAE family enterprises have extended operations into technology logistics healthcare and education while addressing succession and potential public listings.
The summit agenda incorporates a Successors Forum and multiple sessions that review practical aspects of family charters board composition and decisions on retaining private ownership versus pursuing partnerships or market listings. Organizers anticipate the gathering will foster targeted networking among family office executives policymakers and specialist advisors focused on long-term enterprise stewardship. Forbes Middle East has integrated the event into its series of industry-specific forums that previously addressed healthcare sustainability and related themes.
Forbes Middle East’s announcement distributed via Emirates News Agency indicated the summit arrives as many Gulf family groups manage concurrent transitions in leadership governance and capital allocation. Industry figures from the Ministry of Economy and Tourism position these entities as the primary private employers and investors in most GCC economies outside state entities underscoring their influence on employment and capital flows. The two-day format aims to deliver actionable insights that support continuity competitiveness and alignment with national development priorities.
