CFTE at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025
Join us on 8-11 December 2025 in Abu Dhabi, UAE
About
CFTE at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025:
Engineering the Capital Network
CFTE has been involved in Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) since its launch in 2022, and even before that through the early editions of Fintech Abu Dhabi. Over these years, we have observed first hand the remarkable evolution of the event. What began as a regional gathering has become a global platform for governments, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions and technology leaders to shape the future of finance.
Across every edition, Abu Dhabi has strengthened its positioning as a Capital of Capital. Its ambition is visible not only in the scale of capital flows, but also in how the emirate is building digital public infrastructure, regulatory systems, sovereign technology, and long-term capability across its institutions.
The 2025 theme, Engineering the Capital Network, reflects this direction. Financial systems are being re-designed through digital rails, trust frameworks, blockchain architectures, sustainable finance, and the growing need for AI capability across public and private sectors.
This year, ADFW 2025 expands further in size, ambition, and substance. With over 20,000 participants expected and institutions managing over 60 trillion USD in assets represented, it is one of the largest finance gatherings in the world.
CFTE has followed this progression closely through our work with regulators, ministries, financial institutions and national capability initiatives in the UAE. In parallel, our co-founder, Huy Nguyen Trieu, serves on the Council of the ADI Foundation, an organisation contributing to the development of sovereign digital infrastructure in the region. The Foundation has gained prominence across ADFW, particularly in areas such as blockchain, digital identity, trust networks and stablecoin frameworks.
Our Mission
CFTE’s Mission at ADFW 2025
At CFTE, our mission is to help governments, regulators, and financial institutions become future-ready by equipping their workforce with the AI capabilities and digital skills necessary for national transformation. We build strategic national frameworks, AI capability assessments, and large-scale skilling initiatives that support the modernisation of financial systems.
Over the years, we’ve worked in more than 130 countries and collaborated with over 25 central banks. In the UAE, our partnerships reflect our deep and ongoing commitment to the region’s digital and financial transformation. These include:
- Partnering with the Central Bank of the UAE to design and deliver senior leadership transformation programmes focused on AI strategy
- Working with the Emirates Institute of Finance (EIF) to implement national-level future skills development initiatives for the banking sector
- Collaborating with ADGM Academy to design regional AI capability programmes aligned with the UAE’s ambition to lead in innovation and compliance
Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) has become a key regional platform for aligning policy, capital, technology, and talent. For CFTE, ADFW 2025 is a unique opportunity to engage with ministers, central bank governors, sovereign entities, and global institutions that are actively engineering the next generation of financial infrastructure.
Our focus this year includes showcasing the AI Capability Diagnostic, a powerful new tool for mapping AI readiness across organisations. The diagnostic was recently launched in Singapore in collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore, enabling leading organisations to map their entire workforce’s AI skills maturity and design strategic development plans. Now, this diagnostic is being introduced to the UAE with the goal of supporting national and institutional transformation through evidence-based capability insights.
As Abu Dhabi advances its vision of becoming a hub for sovereign technology and digital trust infrastructure, CFTE is excited to contribute with real tools, proven frameworks, and scalable partnerships that align workforce capability with national ambition.
About
Launching the AI Capability Diagnostic in the UAE
In 2025, CFTE introduced one of its most transformative tools for the financial sector: the AI Capability Diagnostic. This data-driven framework helps organisations benchmark their workforce’s AI readiness across ten essential capability areas and three levels of maturity. Designed for banks, regulators, and financial institutions aiming to embed AI into their operations, the diagnostic offers deep insights into current skill levels, gaps, and priorities for strategic upskilling.
The pilot launch in Singapore, in collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore, demonstrated its real-world impact. Through the diagnostic, SkillsFuture was able to map AI capabilities across departments, uncover specific knowledge gaps, and build targeted learning pathways aligned with national skilling strategies. The results informed internal talent development, AI-focused leadership programmes, and future hiring decisions, supporting Singapore’s broader responsible AI adoption agenda.
CFTE is now bringing this capability to the UAE, where national AI strategies and digital transformation efforts are accelerating. For organisations aiming to prepare their teams for AI deployment in financial services, the diagnostic provides a structured foundation. It moves institutions beyond one-size-fits-all training and toward precise, measurable capability building aligned with UAE’s ambition to lead in AI, digital finance, and future skills.
Fireside Chat by Huy Nguyen Trieu
Wednesday, 10th December | 10:10 AM
Huy Nguyen Trieu to Speak at ADFW 2025 on Blockchain for Societal Transformation along with the ADI Foundation
As part of CFTE’s active contribution to shaping the future of digital finance, Huy Nguyen Trieu, Co-Founder of the Centre for Finance, Technology and Entrepreneurship (CFTE), will speak at Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) 2025 on December 10. His session, “Public Chains, Public Gains: Blockchain for a Better Society,” will spotlight the critical role of blockchain in building citizen-centric, trusted digital infrastructure that serves national priorities and empowers future-ready economies.
The session is hosted by the ADI Foundation, a strategic initiative focused on developing sovereign and trusted digital public infrastructure. As an advisory contributor to ADI, Huy Nguyen Trieu brings deep expertise in fintech, digital policy, and AI innovation, aligning with ADI’s mission to build foundational systems that are interoperable, ethical, and aligned with societal impact.
This keynote panel is part of a broader series of high-level roundtables and closed-door sessions hosted by the ADI Foundation during ADFW’s Innovation Day (December 10). Additional speakers include:
- Ajay Bhatia (December 9) speaking at the private roundtable “Transformation of the Global Financial Landscape”
- Andrey Lazorenko (December 10) at the Web3 Leaders Roundtable, discussing public-private cooperation for Web3 adoption
- Kais Haj Taieb (December 10) at the Stablecoin Roundtable, focusing on policy frameworks and risk management for regulated digital currencies
These sessions convene policymakers, technology architects, and finance leaders to address urgent questions around digital sovereignty, blockchain infrastructure, trust systems, and AI-regulated finance — topics central to both the UAE’s financial transformation and the global Web3 ecosystem.
CFTE’s presence, through both thought leadership and ecosystem partnerships, reinforces its commitment to enabling institutions and governments to thrive in a world of decentralised finance, AI innovation, and citizen-empowered digital economies.
Bridging Knowledge & Building the Nation by ADGM Academy
Monday, 8th December | 1:30 PM
Celebrating Talent and Empowerment with ADGM Academy
As part of Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025, ADGM Academy will host a special ceremony titled “Bridging Knowledge & Building the Nation” on December 8, 13:30–15:00 at the ADCB Stage. This event underscores the Academy’s commitment to upskilling UAE nationals, nurturing future leaders, and building a resilient, future-ready workforce.
Over the past seven years, ADGM Academy has become a recognised leader in talent development and workforce transformation in the UAE. By delivering world-class education and future skills programmes, it plays a vital role in shaping the national human capital agenda. This session will highlight the achievements of UAE professionals and reinforce the Academy’s position as a premier hub for knowledge, innovation, and talent development in the region.
CFTE is proud to have collaborated with ADGM Academy on several forward-looking initiatives focused on AI, digital finance, and fintech innovation. Together, these partnerships have helped build cutting-edge learning experiences for UAE professionals and support the nation’s long-term digital transformation. This ceremony offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on the shared mission of empowering national talent and driving sustainable knowledge-based growth.
Day 1
8 December – Opening Day & Abu Dhabi Economic Forum
The week kicks off with a high-level focus on economic strategy and national growth ambitions. The Abu Dhabi Economic Forum, hosted by Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), sets the tone with influential figures outlining the future of Abu Dhabi’s economic agenda and capital strategy.
Key Speakers:
- H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak – Group CEO, Mubadala
- H.E. Hamad Sayah Al Mazrouei – Undersecretary, ADDED
- H.E. Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi – Minister of Investment and Group CEO, ADQ
- H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi – Minister for Foreign Trade
This day serves as a cornerstone for regional policymakers, sovereign investors, and financial institutions preparing for the future of finance in the UAE and beyond.
Day 2
9 December – Asset Abu Dhabi: Institutional Capital Day
This day focuses on unlocking institutional capital, with sessions dedicated to sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, hedge funds, private markets, and family offices.
Key Themes:
- Next-generation asset management
- Global capital flows
- Alternative investment strategies
Featured Speakers:
- Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara – CEO, Temasek
- Ray Dalio – Founder, Bridgewater Associates
- Jamie Dimon (virtual) – Chairman and CEO, JPMorgan Chase
- Robert Smith – Founder and CEO, Vista Equity Partners
- Todd Boehly – Co-Founder and CEO, Eldridge
These heavyweight leaders set the tone for deep institutional conversations on global wealth, investment risk, and the shifting structure of asset allocation in the age of digital and green finance.
Day 3
10 December – Innovation Day: Fintech, AI, Blockchain and Web3
Day 3 is the heart of innovation at ADFW. The sessions are spread across three flagship summits: Fintech Abu Dhabi, AI Abu Dhabi, and Blockchain Abu Dhabi, under the theme of technology disruption and next-gen infrastructure.
Key Sessions:
- Tokenised Everything – Institutional race to digitise assets
- Web3 Leaders Roundtable – Sovereign Web3 visions
- Stablecoin Dialogues – Exploring trust architectures for state-backed digital currencies
- Public Chains, Public Gains – Blockchain for social impact
- Digital Infrastructure 2030 – AI x Blockchain futures
- Risk 4.0 Forum – Understanding the evolving digital risk landscape
Notable Speakers:
- Huy Nguyen Trieu – Co-Founder, CFTE & Council Member, ADI Foundation
- Ajay Hans Raj Bhatia – CEO, Sirius International Holding (ADI Foundation)
- Latifa Alshehhi – Chief AI Officer, Ministry of Investment
- Maurice Gravier – Group CIO, Emirates NBD
- Tim Rayner – CEO, Verisk Specialty Business Solutions
The ADI Foundation is a central player in these sessions, showcasing how Web3, AI, and sovereign tech infrastructures are converging in Abu Dhabi.
Day 4
11 December – Sustainability, Inclusion, and Global Partnerships
The final day of Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 brings together two pivotal themes shaping the future of finance: sustainable finance and inclusive leadership. Discussions will span climate finance, ESG investing, Islamic sustainable finance, and strategic cooperation between the EU and GCC, alongside powerful sessions on women in finance, future skills, and climate-smart partnerships.
Key Themes:
Green capital mobilisation and ESG regulation
Islamic finance for sustainable development
Diversity and inclusion in financial leadership
Strategic EU–GCC collaboration
Capability building for a climate-resilient financial sector
Featured Speakers:
Oliver Bäte – CEO, Allianz SE
Georges Elhedery – Group CEO, HSBC
Sir Christopher Hohn – Founder and MD, TCI Fund Management
Philipp Hildebrand – Vice Chairman, BlackRock
H.E. Ayesha Almulla – Chairwoman, Emirates Business Women Council
H.E. Raja Al Mazrouei – CEO, Etihad Credit Insurance
Dr. Zongyuan Zoe Liu – Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
These sessions underscore the region’s commitment to sustainable capital markets, inclusive growth, and cross-border innovation in finance.
