Family Office Summit’s Obediah Ayton on trends impacting generational wealth transfer

At the recent Family Office Summit in Abu Dhabi, global investors managing over $500bn in assets gathered to exchange ideas, explore partnerships, and chart the future of wealth. From next-gen leadership and gender diversity to wealth tech and sustainability, the summit reflected a key shift in how family offices are evolving — both globally and in the UAE.

In this interview with Gulf Business, the summit’s chairman Obediah Ayton unpacks the most significant takeaways and explain why Abu Dhabi is fast becoming the world’s most influential platform for private capital.

The Family Office Summit in Abu Dhabi brought together global investors and family offices. What were the key takeaways from this year’s summit that signal a shift in how family offices are positioning themselves globally — and particularly within the UAE?

Key takeaways from our summit in May held in Abu Dhabi were that the interest in the buzzword “family office” is definitely there, in addition to the UAE being the most central platform on the globe today, with the progressive regulatory environment, recent banking credibility, and immense human capital concentration.

The summit highlighted the growing role of next-generation and female leaders in reshaping family offices. How is this demographic transformation influencing governance, investment strategies, and the long-term legacy vision of these entities in the region?

We currently live in a world of quick money wins with tech stocks, crypto and geopolitical profits. The young leaders are driving future-ready investment strategies, with bold allocations into venture capital, digital innovation, sustainability, and private equity. They are embedding technology, such as AI, into decision-making processes and building more agile governance structures that ensure long-term growth and resilience.

Women per se are helping family offices adopt more forward-looking investment approaches, embrace innovation, and strengthen legacy planning. They tend to prioritise impact, sustainability, and long-term outcomes, areas that are gaining traction globally.

Traditional roles are evolving. In family businesses and offices, daughters are increasingly being given equal or even leading responsibilities in managing wealth, investments, and governance.

Digital innovation and tech-driven investing emerged as dominant themes. With 79 per cent of next-gen investors in the Middle East seeing high potential in the tech sector, how are family offices adapting their models to be more innovation- and sustainability-focused?

Wealth tech is continuing to steal the show at our summits. One Swiss wealth tech firm recently signed one of UKs biggest multifamily offices, to progress the digitisation of portfolio management and real time asset value.

Imagine a bank account that shows a live value of your house, your car, your stocks, your currencies all in one place. Presenting reports to principals with a nice UX design which makes even challenging months far easier to navigate than traditional Excel spreadsheets.

How is Abu Dhabi’s rise as a hub for private capital, venture investment, and wealth dialogue reshaping regional and global capital flows? What makes the emirate a compelling base for new-generation family offices and sovereign capital alike?

Abu Dhabi is home to the biggest sovereign funds on the planet, which can be intimidating for many in the private sector or overseas families, as not everyone invests billions or hundreds of millions.

Family Office Summit saw an opportunity three years ago in Abu Dhabi, to increase human liquidity in Abu Dhabi, a much-needed resource for the private sector.

On the positive side, sovereign funds can now help de-risk investments by guiding families into new industries, leading investment rounds, and managing DD. This support is especially valuable for family offices, as many do not have massive teams.

From cryptocurrency businesses to green energy and healthcare, family offices are increasingly diversifying through alternative assets. What role do evolving regulatory frameworks, such as those introduced by the UAE’s VARA, play in building trust and long-term value in these sectors?

Regulation is the future of the UAE. With the introduction of corporate tax, financial disclosure and transparent bookkeeping have become mandatory — a move that is set to attract increased foreign direct investment (FDI) from credible international jurisdictions.

As the Financial Times recently reported, Swiss family offices are relocating to the UAE, while US investors are acquiring land in Dubai to develop villas and golf courses.

Why? Because the UAE now offers a high level of financial transparency, with audited accounts and internationally compliant structures under ADGM and DIFC jurisdictions. These highly regulated vehicles, operating under international law, give investors confidence and long-term security. FDI will continue to pour in for years ahead.

The establishment of the UAE Ministry of Investment just over a year ago is a clear signal — the country is preparing for this next phase of global capital inflows.

Looking ahead, what are your projections for the evolution of the family office landscape in the Middle East over the next five years — particularly in terms of intergenerational wealth transfer, technology adoption, and global collaboration?

Family offices will continue to leverage the UAE as the best platform to operate globally from, source human capital and embrace the energy of a country that wants to grow and be know globally.

The Family Office Summit is an organic platform that is taking the long approach on event building. Our focus isn’t on maximising attendance or stacking sponsor lists; instead, we prioritise meaningful connections, because ultimately, people invest in people and with time, the real value of these summits will emerge naturally.