How Four Seasons Abu Dhabi became the preferred base for investors, innovators

Credit for images: Bob Suri (left) Supplied, Illustrative image (right) Getty Images

From discreet dealmaking spaces to ESG-driven operations and bleisure-friendly suites, Four Seasons Abu Dhabi is redefining how global leaders work, connect, and experience the capital, says GM Bob Suri

Four Seasons Abu Dhabi sits at the heart of Al Maryah Island, adjacent to Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and the city’s major financial institutions. How do you see the hotel’s role within this ecosystem of banks, sovereign funds, fintechs, and global investors?

At Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, our strategic location on Al Maryah Island positions us at the very heart of the city’s financial ecosystem, adjacent to ADGM and key institutions. This allows us to play an active role in supporting the business community, whether through hosting high-level meetings, networking sessions, or providing spaces where important discussions can take place. For example, our restaurants, such as Butcher & Still and Cafe Milano, as well as the Al Meylas Lounge, have become well-recognised hubs for business gatherings. Each year, we strengthen this role through partnerships such as Abu Dhabi Finance Week, and this December, we are proud to cater during the event, further embedding ourselves as a preferred destination for executives and investors. The combination of location, bespoke service, and thoughtfully designed spaces enables Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi to be both a business facilitator and a hospitality destination, offering an experience that seamlessly blends work and lifestyle.

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You’ve spent more than three decades in international hospitality, including senior roles in Dubai and Baku before moving to Abu Dhabi. How does your global experience shape the way you support the financial community here on Al Maryah Island?

With over three decades in international hospitality, spanning roles in three continents, I have gained a deep understanding of how business leaders operate and what they value when traveling for work. Each market has its own nuances. Dubai taught me the importance of seamless luxury service in a fast-paced financial hub, while Baku reinforced the value of building strong relationships through hospitality and attention to detail. Applying these lessons in Abu Dhabi allows Four Seasons to anticipate and tailor experiences for the unique needs of the financial community on Al Maryah Island. Our guests are highly discerning finance professionals who seek privacy, efficiency, and spaces that facilitate meaningful discussions. For example, our private dining rooms in Butcher & Still and Cafe Milano are frequently booked by business delegations and executives, providing an ideal environment for focused meetings, deal-making, or networking dinners. Being strategically located adjacent to ADGM, we can attract key executives, delegations, and global investors, and our team works proactively to ensure these guests experience bespoke offerings aligned with Abu Dhabi’s evolving financial ecosystem.

ADGM has seen rapid growth in active companies and assets under management. From your vantage point at the hotel, what shifts are you seeing in the profile and expectations of business and finance guests?

ADGM continues its rapid expansion. What stands out is how executives are increasingly blending longer stays with meaningful in-person engagement; a shift that aligns with broader 2025 travel trends, where business travellers are opting for fewer, but more extended, trips. These longer stays offer the opportunity to build deeper relationships, conduct thorough deal-making, and also take in the local culture. At Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, this manifests in very tangible ways: we see a significant rise in bookings for our private dining rooms and executive suites, as finance delegations increasingly value the combination of discretion, sophistication, and convenience. Meanwhile, the modern business traveller also expects smart, connected spaces; from high-speed seamless connectivity to secure meeting facilities, which is something we deliver very intentionally.

High-level dealmaking increasingly requires spaces that balance privacy, technology, and a hospitality-led atmosphere. How does Four Seasons Abu Dhabi design or curate its meeting rooms and executive spaces to support discreet negotiations and investor gatherings, especially during events like Abu Dhabi Finance Week?

High-level dealmaking requires spaces that seamlessly combine privacy, technology, and a hospitality-led atmosphere, and that is precisely how we approach our meeting and executive spaces at Four Seasons Abu Dhabi. Our property offers a range of venues designed to accommodate every scale and need, from our intimate private dining rooms and boardrooms, which are frequently used by finance delegations for confidential meetings and negotiations, to larger waterfront ballrooms ideal for summits and investor gatherings. Each space is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including advanced AV systems and secure communication capabilities, ensuring that every meeting runs smoothly and discreetly. During key events such as Abu Dhabi Finance Week, we scale our services to match the intensity and importance of the moment. This includes dedicated concierge teams, bespoke catering, and seamless logistics, allowing executives to focus on their meetings.

Sustainability is now a central priority for many global corporates and investors. How is Four Seasons Abu Dhabi incorporating ESG principles into its operations, and how important is this to your business guests?

Sustainability and ESG are central to how I approach operations at Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, not just as corporate priorities, but as a personal commitment to the community and environment in which we operate. Over my career, I’ve learned that luxury hospitality and environmental responsibility can coexist and here, we strive to embed both into every aspect of the guest experience.

At our property, we’ve implemented concrete initiatives that reflect this philosophy. For example, our partnership with BE WTR allows us to eliminate single-use plastic bottles by providing purified water in elegant reusable glass bottles, which significantly reduces waste while enhancing the guest experience.

Our hotel’s mashrabiya-inspired façade helps reduce solar heat gain and supports natural ventilation, cutting energy consumption. We also operate water-efficient landscaping and conserve energy through smart room systems, and our food and beverage outlets prioritise locally-sourced ingredients, and zero-waste approaches wherever possible.

From a guest perspective, these efforts resonate strongly with the modern business traveller. Many of our finance and corporate clients actively consider ESG practices when selecting partners, and seeing our tangible initiatives, whether it’s eco-conscious dining, reduced plastic usage, or local community engagement, strengthens trust and alignment. On a broader level, we also engage in local conservation projects, such as mangrove planting in Al Jubail, and ensuring our impact extends beyond the hotel walls. Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi has just achieved Silver Certification by EarthCheck, a global benchmarking program that helps travel and tourism businesses measure, manage, and and improve their environmental, social, and cultural sustainability performance.

Many executives now blend business and lifestyle, bringing families, extending trips, or using Abu Dhabi as a regional base. How is the hotel evolving its offering to cater to this new way of travelling and working?

Many of today’s executives stay, extend their trip, bring their families, and use Abu Dhabi as a regional base. This ‘bleisure’ (business + leisure) trend is especially pronounced in the UAE, where reports suggest that up to 96 per cent of business travellers combine work and leisure to make the most of their time.

At Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, we’ve seen this manifest directly in how guests choose to stay with us. Executives often book our Executive Suites and Deluxe Executive Suites not just for work, but because these spaces
offer enough room and comfort for families. These suites combine dedicated work areas, and living space, ideal for someone who needs to work by day but also wants a warm, residential experience in the evenings with loved ones.

Our amenities are designed to support this lifestyle blend. Through our Kids For All Seasons programme, for example, children are looked after by trained staff, giving parents time to strike a balance between business and family. Meanwhile, our location on Al Maryah Island, connected to The Galleria shopping mall, makes it easy for guests to enjoy shopping, dining, and cultural experiences during downtime.

As Abu Dhabi’s financial sector continues to scale, what opportunities do you see for Four Seasons Abu Dhabi to deepen its role as a preferred hub for global capital, innovators, and decision-makers?

Looking ahead, Abu Dhabi’s financial sector is entering an exciting phase of growth, with increasing activity in areas such as sovereign capital, fintech, AI, and sustainable finance. From our vantage point at Four Seasons Abu Dhabi, this presents a unique opportunity to further position the hotel as a preferred hub for global capital, innovators, and decision-makers.

We aim to continue building on our existing strengths: our strategic location on Al Maryah Island, adjacent to ADGM; our versatile private dining rooms and executive suites that facilitate high-level meetings; and our hospitality-led approach that blends discretion, comfort, and seamless service. By leveraging these assets, we can host more targeted networking events, investor summits, and bespoke corporate experiences that align with the ambitions of Abu Dhabi’s financial community.

Moreover, we see opportunities to integrate innovation and technology into our offering, from hybrid meeting solutions to enhanced executive services, creating an environment where business and lifestyle naturally converge. As Abu Dhabi continues to attract global talent and investment, Four Seasons Abu Dhabi is uniquely positioned to not only accommodate but actively support these leaders in their work, their decision-making, and their experience of the city.