The Investindustrial Foundation has joined the Transition Investment Lab at the NYU Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi as a lead partner, according to an announcement from the university. The move, formalised through a signing ceremony at NYU Abu Dhabi between Emanuele C. Bonomi, chairman of the Investindustrial Foundation, and Fabio Piano, interim vice chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi, reinforces efforts to promote transition investment in the Middle East, Africa and Southern Asia. It was unveiled during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, underscoring the area’s expanding influence in developing practical approaches to sustainable finance based on real economy projects and measurable impacts.
Support from the foundation will extend to three main research streams at the lab, the NYU Abu Dhabi statement said. These encompass institutional investment and sustainable development along with sustainable investment in emerging private markets and impact measurement frameworks with analytics. The partnership’s first major initiative is a multi-year study on food security in the MENA region that will examine past interventions and detailed global data to highlight high-return opportunities in food logistics, affordable farm inputs and food safety standards.
The lab has created a Signature Impact Framework that lets investors embed strong impact measures into deal sourcing and portfolio oversight to ensure financial gains match positive societal results, according to the NYU Abu Dhabi release. This tool forms part of a broader aim to produce actionable research that tackles economic, social and environmental issues through targeted investments. The framework has already shown potential to guide capital toward areas that deliver both returns and resilience in frontier markets.
Fabio Piano stated, “This partnership reflects NYU Abu Dhabi’s commitment to advancing knowledge that speaks directly to the challenges and opportunities shaping the region. By bringing together academic rigor, long-term partners, and a clear focus on transition investment, the Transition Investment Lab and Stern at NYU Abu Dhabi are contributing research that helps inform responsible capital allocation and sustainable growth, particularly in areas such as food security that are critical to regional and global resilience.” The interim vice chancellor highlighted how the lab builds a knowledge hub for sustainable practices grounded in regional needs.
Andrea C. Bonomi, founder and chairman of the Investindustrial Advisory Board as well as an NYU alumnus and trustee, said in the announcement, “Our longstanding partnership with NYU, and now with the Transition Investment Lab at NYU Abu Dhabi exemplifies Investindustrial’s commitment to advancing sustainable business practices to create long-term value on a global scale. Our strategic presence in Abu Dhabi not only strengthens our collaboration with world-class academic partners but also enables us to invest in the region’s dynamic growth and innovation. Together, we are driving measurable socio-economic and environmental impact, combining rigorous research, local insight, and capital to create lasting value for communities and investors across the Middle East and beyond.” Bonomi drew on the foundation’s prior work with the university.
The latest agreement extends a relationship between the Investindustrial Foundation and NYU along with NYU Stern that dates back more than a decade in New York, the university reported. As a founding partner of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, the foundation has contributed to creating methods for assessing and monetising sustainability results in business and private equity, fostering advances in impact evaluation. This history has positioned Investindustrial as a leader in linking sustainability with value generation in investment decisions.
Further activities under the partnership will include additional research projects, stakeholder forums and cooperation with investors and bodies focused on credible transition strategies in vital industries, according to the NYU Abu Dhabi assessment. The foundation’s increased activity in Abu Dhabi and the broader region includes its signing of the ADGM Sustainable Finance Pledge, which aligns with goals for responsible investing and greater transparency. The Investindustrial Foundation centres its philanthropy on education, sustainability and inclusive economic growth to support these objectives.
