A Legacy in Motion
For more than 40 years, ADIA has fulfilled its mission by drawing on the wisdom of the past while maintaining a firm focus on the future.
Future generations will be living in a world that is very different from that to which we are accustomed. It is essential that we prepare ourselves and our children for that new world.The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan President of the UAE 1971 to 2004 Ruler of Abu Dhabi 1966 to 2004
Our main objective is to advance the UAE and its citizens. We will invest the country’s income in pursuit of this goal and, in doing so, successfully build our nation.The late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the UAE 2004 to 2022 Ruler of Abu Dhabi 2004 to 2022
Our Founding Vision
ADIA was founded in 1976, at a time when Abu Dhabi was still in the early stages of its transformation from a relatively small coastal city into the multicultural global capital of today.Just over a decade earlier, Abu Dhabi had shipped its first barrels of oil to overseas buyers. And only five years had passed since the creation in 1971 of the United Arab Emirates as a nation, with Abu Dhabi as its capital and the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as its first President.
Amid this time of great change, ADIA’s founding fathers, led by Sheikh Zayed and his son, the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, recognised the important role that ADIA could play in securing Abu Dhabi’s future.
At the core of their vision were three important decisions that laid the foundations of ADIA’s growth and contribution to Abu Dhabi’s success over the decades:
ADIA's mission
ADIA’s mission is to sustain the long-term prosperity of Abu Dhabi by prudently growing capital through a disciplined investment process and committed people who reflect ADIA’s cultural values.
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Long Term
ADIA’s mission, enshrined in law since 1976, ensures that we look beyond market cycles and fluctuations to focus on long-term trends that will generate sustainable returns.
This long-term approach is central to everything we do; from the importance we place on building relationships to our commitment to educating and developing our people.
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Abu Dhabi-based, Global Investor
Since its inception, ADIA has invested globally from its headquarters in Abu Dhabi. This was unusual at a time when technology was less developed than today and investors typically based themselves in London and New York. However, doing so enabled ADIA to bring international talent and expertise to Abu Dhabi and to provide valuable training opportunities to local talent.
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Independent
Our founders understood that ADIA’s long-term success would hinge on its ability to focus solely on generating financial returns, freed from domestic political and regulatory considerations.
In creating ADIA as an independent government entity, they brought valuable clarity to our mission and laid the groundwork for more than four decades of positive, inflation-adjusted returns.
The question is, 50 years from now… after we have loaded the last barrel of oil, are we going to feel sad? If we invest wisely today, I think we will celebrate that moment.HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the UAE Ruler of Abu Dhabi
ADIA Today
ADIA is now a global investment institution, with a multicultural workforce investing in more than two dozen asset classes and sub categories.However, the ADIA of today continues to draw inspiration from the values and principles that have underpinned our success over the past four decades.
The clear line of continuity can be seen in our commitment to diversification, robust risk management and controls, and our determination to put our reputation before all else.
It is also illustrated by our emphasis on educating and developing our people, and on building long-term relationships of trust with our partners based on mutual understanding and respect.
As in the past, ADIA’s culture remains one that emphasizes collaboration and respect for the views of others. Our people also share an acute awareness of their responsibility to fulfil our mission and contribute to Abu Dhabi’s future prosperity.
"ADIA’s culture is unique. It combines great diversity, with more than 65 nationalities represented today at our HQ, with an acute awareness of the responsibility we hold to safeguard Abu Dhabi’s future prosperity."Hamed bin Zayed Al NahyanManaging Director
Innovation has always been central to ADIA’s success, as demonstrated by our early investments in new asset classes, such as private equity and hedge funds, in the 1980s.
In a dynamic and ever changing investment landscape, we believe it is essential to remain flexible and evolve to capture opportunities that may be fleeting in nature. In doing so, however, we must never lose sight of our mission or the attributes that have guided us so well, for so long.
Responsible Long-Term Investing
ADIA is a member of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF), a voluntary organisation of more than 30 global SWFs.ADIA also served as co-Chair in 2008, alongside the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in the development of the “Santiago Principles”, which comprises 24 generally accepted principles and practices voluntarily endorsed by IFSWF members.
In addition, ADIA closely monitors and regularly reviews its approach to other important and emerging global trends. Foremost among these is Climate Change, which is expected to have a significant impact on global assets in the years and decades to come.
As a founding member of the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Fund Working Group, ADIA helped to develop a framework in 2018 to promote the integration of the climate change analysis into the management of large, long-term and diversified asset pools.
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Global
Santiago Principles
At ADIA, we recognise the importance of building a clear understanding of who we are, what we invest in and why.
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Global
Sustainable Investing
As a long term, responsible investor, ADIA recognises the importance of building a portfolio that is able to capture opportunities and anticipate challenges arising from major global trends.
