The roundtable organised by Dubai Chambers in conjunction with the World Governments Summit 2026 united government officials with senior executives from more than 40 local and international family businesses. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, chairman of Dubai Chambers, chaired the session and highlighted the pivotal function of family businesses in social and economic development as well as the global investment arena. Al Mansoori noted a significant evolution in their operations, moving beyond wealth preservation to actively shape sustainable development, forge cross-border partnerships and integrate broader considerations into decision-making processes. He called for renewed support structures to bolster adaptability and growth in a competitive environment marked by rapid technological change.
Al Mansoori emphasised the importance of agile governance models within family offices to improve decision quality and capitalise on emerging market prospects while involving the next generation, whose technological fluency equips them to guide strategic directions. Investment decisions, according to his remarks, increasingly weigh social and environmental factors in addition to financial returns, with impact-driven philanthropy becoming a core strategic component for community engagement. The Dubai Centre for Family Businesses, which functions under Dubai Chambers, delivers integrated support encompassing governance standards, succession planning and capacity building to sustain competitiveness across generations.
Initiatives at the centre work to reinforce legislative frameworks, assist adaptation to economic transformations and incorporate international best practices in management and investment, thereby advancing Dubai’s standing as a global hub for family enterprises, the chairman stated. The gathering addressed two primary themes, beginning with philanthropy and the societal contributions of family businesses, where participants explored methods to redefine responsibility, broaden measurable impacts and establish enduring legacies through aligned policies. A PwC report referenced in the discussions pointed to evolving philanthropy patterns that accompany intergenerational wealth transfers and place greater weight on sustainable results.
Recommendations from the philanthropy segment included deepening knowledge of legal, financial and tax dimensions of giving, instituting dependable systems to gauge initiative outcomes and fostering cooperation with public and private institutions for consistent implementation. The second theme centred on governance and diversification strategies essential for sustainable expansion, during which attendees assessed the sector’s alignment with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. PwC data shared at the event placed the family business contribution to Dubai’s GDP in 2024 at AED491.8 billion, equivalent to $134 billion.
A PwC Global Family Office Deals Study from 2025 found that club deals accounted for 69 percent of family office investments in the first half of the year, reflecting preferences for risk sharing and larger collaborative transactions amid market volatility.[[1]](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/family-business/family-office/family-office-deals-study.html) UAE family offices completed venture capital deals valued at around $3 billion during that period, securing third position globally behind the United States and the United Kingdom in the rankings. Industry analyses indicate family businesses drive more than 90 percent of private-sector economic activity in the UAE, amplifying their relevance to the D33 target of doubling the economy by 2033.[[2]](https://houranipartners.com/building-a-legacy-a-practical-guide-for-dubais-family-businesses/)
Participants stressed the development of governance models suited to managing global portfolio exposures and regularly updating asset allocations in response to shifting family business priorities and risk tolerances. The conversations drew on trends showing family offices expanding into new sectors and asset classes while pursuing partnerships to pursue opportunities at scale both locally and internationally.
