Abu Dhabi’s $16 billion push to become a finance magnet

Highlights from Abu Dhabi Finance Week, Qatar’s new (and bolder) AI ambition and the bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.

11 December, 2025•8 min
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Abu Dhabi’s $16 billion push to become a finance magnet

Welcome to The Gulf Report, a weekly newsletter that brings you the latest developments in tech and business from the Middle East.

The last quarter of the year is always action-packed in the Emirates. The weather is at its best, dealmaking at its finest and conferences are all the buzz. This week, Abu Dhabi has been running its most influential event of the year, where the who’s who of dealmakers, financiers and investors have descended. Abu Dhabi Finance Week kicked off on Monday and concludes today, but the headlines—both on and off campus—have been a spectacle. 

The biggest announcement came …

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