Dubai’s expanding role as a preferred destination for private markets and a meeting point for global investors seeking access to new liquidity and investment capital was highlighted at a key gathering of private capital leaders.

Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a leading global financial hub in the MEASA region, and International Private Equity Market (IPEM) today announced the outcomes of the first IPEM Future Preview, an exclusive gathering in Dubai for the world and region’s most influential private capital investors.

For the first time in the region and hosted at DIFC, the closed-door event brought together senior representatives from sovereign wealth funds, global investment firms, and leading growth and venture platforms to discuss how long-term capital can shape the next phase of innovation, resilience and economic transformation. 

The day-long agenda was designed to accelerate collaboration in a high-energy, workshop driven format with decision makers sharing a view that the Gulf, and Dubai in particular, has entered a new phase in its development as a private capital hub, which is being driven by strong macro fundamentals and a positive business environment.  Global investors are increasingly deploying at scale, allocating more of their portfolios and operations to regional financial centres, like DIFC. Confidence in the institutional ecosystem and the ability to access new liquidity pools is allowing them to target new markets and areas which include AI, data and climate innovation.

Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, said: “The IPEM Future Preview demonstrated the confidence global investors place in DIFC as a platform for long-term capital. Bringing influential leaders together in Dubai reinforces our position at the centre of a rapidly transforming private markets landscape and sets the stage for even deeper collaboration as we prepare to host IPEM Future next year.”

The event also introduced the concept of Transformative Capital - how private markets are recalibrating after a period of volatility. The concept highlights a growing shift toward investments that combine financial performance with strategic long-term value, particularly in rapidly emerging and frontier technologies. These trends reflect the evolving priorities of sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors in the Gulf, who are increasingly directing capital toward these sectors due to their structural, long-duration growth potential.

These findings were aligned to the insights from DIFC’s Future of Finance series, which identifies Dubai as a jurisdiction where long-term capital and high-growth opportunity reinforce one another – positioning the emirate as an increasingly influential centre for global private markets.

Antoine Colson, CEO & Managing Partner of IPEM, said: “This event marks a new chapter in Dubai’s ambition to become a world leading global investment hub. By bringing together leading international decision-makers with major regional partners, IPEM and DIFC are creating a rare space for dialogue, collaboration, and long-term thinking, one that helps shape how innovation, technology, and global growth will be financed in the years ahead. It is also an opportunity to collectively explore how the world can mobilise capital to meet the planet’s most pressing needs, from sustainable development to technological progress.”

Executives who took part in the IPM Future Preview were also invited to join an evening programme which provided networking opportunities whilst showcasing Dubai’s heritage. Discussions from the event will inform the agenda for the inaugural IPEM Future Dubai 2026 on 13 and 14 May 2026. Taking place during Dubai Future Finance Week, IPEM Future Dubai will bring individually selected global executives to advance the international private markets ecosystem. Designed as a platform for strategy-setting, capital alignment and global partnership-building, the event will further consolidate Dubai’s position as one of the most influential centres for private capital, enabling investors and managers to shape the next decade of economic and technological transformation from the heart of the MEASA region. 

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