Middle East Forum | WFOI Cultural Investment Think Tank

3rd Future & Cultural Investment Summit
Abu Dhabi 2025

Abu Dhabi | 13-14th Janurary, 2026 - Al Saadiyat Island cultural District

Invitation Only · 100+ Global Leaders

Capital Asset Allocation on Cultural Industry

" The Future of Cultural Capital – Invest in Civilisation "
Empowering Cultural, Creative & Lifestyle Investments in the New Economy

Middle East - Europe - Asia

“Invitation Only- Bridging Capital, Culture and Civilizations”

No Pitches, No Sales.

100+ Global investors, sovereign wealth funds, cultural foundations, family offices,

cultural leaders, government cultural entities.

Part of Speakers

Meet some of the distinguished voices joining us in London

Catherine W

CSO , Mulan V Invest (SFO)

Chairman , WFOI

Peter Meli

Economic Attache' - Malta High Commission

Kishore Lulla

Chairman of Eros Group

Lord Ed Vaizey

Member of UK

The House of Lords

Jürgen Blumberg

COO

Goldman Sachs

Jennifer Willetts

Head of Investment

Franklin Templeton

Georges Sanbar

Executive Director

UBS

Paul van den Biesen

TEFAF- The European Fine Art Foundation

Enes Guzel

Country Advisor

Investment and Finance Office of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkiye

Sasja Beslik

Chief Investment Strategy Officer

SDG Impact Japan

Tom Page

Principle

Cambridge Innovation Capital

Josip Kotlar

Professor of Strategy and Family Business

Politecnico di Milano

Charleyne Biondi (Ph.D.)

Digital Economy Expert

Moody's Ratings

Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin

Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom

Dhruv Chhatralia BEM

Partner (Corporate), Head of Venture Capital (UK) and Head of the India Group

Forum Agenda

OPENING

9:00 – 10:00 AM
Opening Reception & Networking

10:00 – 11:00 AM

Panel 1 —

Global Cultural Investment: Building Civilizational Bridges

Global flows of cultural capital: where are the opportunities?
How Middle East can link with Europe & Asia as a cultural hub
Cultural diplomacy as an investment tool
“Cultural Superpower” – why states must invest in culture
Case studies of successful cross-border cultural funds

11:00 – 11:30 AM

☕ Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:30 PM

Panel 2 — Family Offices & Cultural Capital: Legacy, ROI & Impact

Why family offices should allocate to cultural assets
Balancing ROI with soft power, legacy, and influence
Portfolio construction in cultural sectors (heritage, real estate, art, film, hospitality, entertainment)
Why good cultural projects often lack capital – solving the funding gap
WFOI’s role in bridging capital & culture
Creating liquidity in cultural investment markets

12:30 – 1:30 PM

🍽 Private Lunch

Afternoon To Closing

1:30 – 2:30 PM

Panel 3- Invest in Art & Collective: The Next Global Exports of the Middle East

Positioning art & collective in global markets as great investable assets
Family offices & private capital: building exposure to creative industries
Platforms & festivals as venture-style launchpads for regional talent
How to structure investment vehicles: funds, royalties, and co-ownership models
The investment case: monetization, IP rights, and recurring revenue streams

2:30 – 3:00 PM

☕ Coffee Break

3:00 – 4:00 PM

Panel 4 — Capital & Cultural Tourism: Transforming Nations into Global Destinations

Infrastructure, storytelling & branding: the investable side of nation-building
Heritage as an alternative asset class: balancing preservation & profit
Technology (AI, VR, immersive experiences): scaling cultural tourism for investors
ROI drivers: which projects are bankable & attract long-term capital
Global perspectives: how Europe & Asia investors view Middle Eastern tourism plays

4: 00 – 4:30 PM

☕ Coffee Break

4:30 – 5:30 PM

Panel 5 - Culture Meets Technology: Capitalizing the Digital Frontier

Digitization of heritage: blockchain archives & tokenized ownership models
Virtual museums & immersive experiences as investable platforms
IP monetization: turning cultural content into revenue-generating assets
VR tourism & cultural fintech: new models for global reach
Case studies: how tech + culture ventures deliver investor-grade returns

5:30 – 6:30 PM

Panel 6 - Auctions, Collectibles & Luxury: Culture as a Store of Value for Investors

The role of family offices in art, fashion, and collectibles markets
Cultural assets as inflation hedges and intergenerational wealth preservation
Structuring investment: funds, syndicates, and direct acquisitions
Private equity & luxury: where culture meets capital appreciation
Cross-border opportunities: linking Middle East with Europe & Asia luxury ecosystems