Over the past decade, the UAE has moved from being a regional operating base to a jurisdiction where private capital is increasingly headquartered and governed. This reflects structural changes in global capital allocation. In practice, family offices and alternative asset managers now anchor capital locally rather than routing it through the region. This change has reduced the role of public markets and increased reliance on private capital. Investors are increasingly concentrating activity in jurisdictions that offer legal certainty, regulatory credibility and stability. As a result, the UAE is now a place where long-term investment decisions are made, not just implemented.
Private markets now account for a growing share of investment activity in the UAE. Expansion has taken place across private equity, private credit, venture capital, infrastructure and real assets, supported by a larger pool of long-term capital and a more established institutional environment. Private credit has expanded particularly quickly, reflecting demand for non-bank lending and the availability of legal frameworks that support enforcement and restructuring. Venture and growth capital activity has increased alongside technology and innovation initiatives. Infrastructure and real assets continue to attract long-duration capital aligned with national development priorities. The composition of capital has also changed. Sovereign investors continue to provide scale and stability. Family offices and international managers are increasingly driving growth by relocating senior decision-makers. Capital that was previously managed offshore is now more often held and governed onshore, with deployment decisions taken from within the UAE.
This shift has been supported by the institutional frameworks of Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai International Financial Centre. What matters is the legal and regulatory substance they provide. Both operate under English common law, with independent courts and regulators aligned to international standards. This has brought greater certainty around enforcement, insolvency and dispute resolution, which matters for investors managing cross-border private market portfolios. Regulatory regimes covering private funds, private credit, foundations and digital assets have continued to develop. Greater responsibility now sits with firms themselves, particularly in areas such as governance, risk management and internal controls. This has raised expectations around institutional oversight and leadership capability.
Historically, international firms were able to access Middle Eastern capital while managing relationships, governance and decision-making from outside the region. That model is now under increasing pressure. Across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, capital providers increasingly expect relationship management, investment teams and governance functions to be based locally. Capital is seeking closer proximity to decision-making, stronger alignment with regional priorities and deeper integration with local regulatory and institutional frameworks. For international asset managers, on-the-ground presence has shifted from being optional to becoming a prerequisite for sustained access and credibility.
The UAE has consequently become a coordination point for global capital. Gulf capital continues to be deployed into Europe, the US and Asia using UAE-based structures, while capital flowing into the UAE itself is increasingly diversified, with participation from the UK, Europe and North America alongside regional and Asian sources. Decision-making has followed these capital flows. Boards, treasury functions and investment committees are now more frequently based in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Family offices are formalising governance and adopting institutional operating models, while international managers are establishing regional headquarters with investment authority anchored in the region. As a result, investment horizons have lengthened, governance structures have become more formal and engagement with regulatory frameworks has deepened.
The UAE now serves as a base from which private capital is structured, governed and deployed internationally. Investment vehicles, holding structures and co-investment platforms are designed locally to support activity across asset classes and geographies. Balance sheets are increasingly anchored and overseen from within the UAE. This affects how governance is designed, how risk is overseen and how leadership accountability is structured across private market organisations.
As capital becomes more firmly established locally, expectations of leadership have increased. The role now extends beyond transaction execution to include cross-border structuring, fiduciary oversight, treasury management, risk governance and regulatory compliance. Experience gained in regulated markets such as the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States is particularly relevant, reflecting the alignment of local frameworks with international standards. Demand is most concentrated in private credit, complex structuring, digital asset governance and the institutional development of family offices. Leadership teams are expected to operate within established governance norms while managing regional dynamics and stakeholder environments.
Talent is a central consideration in the UAE’s development as a private capital hub. Firms are looking for individuals able to operate across jurisdictions, apply institutional discipline and build governance frameworks around private capital. As private markets scale, gaps are most evident in roles requiring a combination of technical expertise and regulatory judgement. Attracting and retaining globally experienced professionals has become a strategic requirement.
Family offices play a significant role in the UAE’s private capital ecosystem. Many are transitioning from informal arrangements to institutional models, formalising governance, introducing risk oversight and adopting multi-entity investment structures. This reflects generational change and the growing complexity of global portfolios. The legal and regulatory environment has supported the change through structures aligned with internationally recognised fiduciary and governance standards.
The next phase of the UAE’s development as a private capital hub will centre on stronger governance, more established institutions and longer-term capital. Private markets are expected to continue growing, particularly across private credit, infrastructure, technology and energy transition., particularly in private credit, infrastructure, technology and energy transition. Regulators are expected to increase their emphasis on governance, transparency and accountability. By the end of the decade, the UAE is likely to establish itself as a long-term base for private capital governance and deployment. Its role will depend on the strength of institutional decision-making, leadership capability and regulatory alignment around that capital.
As private capital and alternative investment activity continues to increasingly locate in the UAE, access to the right leadership is a key requirement. Firms establishing or expanding their presence in the region increasingly require senior talent with a combination of global investment experience, regional credibility and the ability to operate within changing governance and regulatory frameworks. Hanson Search works with private equity firms, asset managers, alternative investment platforms and family offices at critical points of growth, fund formation and regional expansion. Our work spans investment, investor relations, capital raising, portfolio value creation and senior functional leadership, drawing on experience across the UAE, UK, Europe, Asia and the US.
If you would like to discuss leadership requirements, market dynamics or approaches to senior hiring in the UAE, private capital landscape, please get in touch with our team. Our specialist practice, Hanson Capital, part of the Hanson Search Group, works closely with private capital organisations and would be pleased to share insight from recent search work and ongoing conversations across the sector.
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