Abu Dhabi Shapes Global Finance, Energy, and AI with Trillions

To mitigate the confusion, a top body in the emirate oversees investment proposals. Still, finance firms are willing to wade through this complex web because there are almost no other investors anywhere on the planet with the kind of cash Abu Dhabi’s entities possess. “In Abu Dhabi, much like the rest of the region, there isn’t a guidebook or map to tell you where to go — it’s not something that you can Google,” said Amine Bouchentouf, chief investment officer of Atlas Mena Capital, a family office based in Abu Dhabi. “The ecosystem is built on a deep network of trusted interpersonal relationships and at the heart of those relationships is trust, which is something that cannot be bought; it can only be earned over years and, often times, decades.”