Conference Highlights: Connecting Minds & Creating Futures at Sir Anthony's Dubai Conference

CONNECTING MINDS & CREATING FUTURES

Sir Anthony Ritossa's Celebrates Dubai's 16th Global Family Office Investment Conference. October 3-5, 2021?

"Global Family Offices and International Entrepreneurs come together to Accelerate Positive & Impactful Change for a Better Tomorrow."

Left to right: Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office & Founder, Ritossa Family Office Investment Summits and?H.E. Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade & Minister in charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, Ministry of Economy, UAE.

Sir Anthony's conferences bridge the key continents creating a safe platform for?exceptional networking between Family Offices and Thought Leaders from all over the world. Ritossa Summits in Dubai, Monaco, and Saudi Arabia facilitate funding, partnerships, and co-investment opportunities during two and a half days of exchanges in a private environment.

Left to right: Fiona Banister, Impact Investor Strategist, CEO, Decarbonized.org, Global;?Didi Wong, Angel Investor, Speaker, Producer & Philanthropist, The Yes Academy, USA, and?Her Highness Princess M?rtha Louise, Daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway.

Left to right: Hamed AlHamed, Founder and CEO, Gracia Group, UAE in conversation with Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE.?

Left to right: Badr Al Towaijri, CIO, Al Towaijri Holding / Director Wealth Management, MEFIC Capital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;?Mitch Lowe, Founding Senior Executive at Netflix, Former COO & President at Redbox, Former CEO at Moviepass and Advisory Board at The Abrahamic Business Circle, USA, and?Ahmed Elmetwally, CEO & General Manager, Private Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Ahmed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, UAE.

Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office

"The Summit attracts visionaries with a passion for making a difference. I could not be more proud of our joint forces to accelerate positive & impactful change for a better tomorrow.

It is exciting to be at the forefront of a new era in investing. It is all about connecting with the right mindsets at the right time and place."

Left to right: Bruce Porter, CRO, evai.io, USA;?Nick Spanos, Bitcoin Pioneer, Chairman, Blockchain Center Miami, Founder, Bitcoin Center NYC, USA;?His Imperial Royal Highness Prince Sandor Habsburg Lothringen, Archduke of Austria, Austria, and?Matthew Dixon, CEO & Co-Founder, evai.io, UAE.

Dubai Agenda

The Summit Highlights Included:

The UAE and GCC Lead the World with Innovation

His Excellency Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the UAE, opened the Summit with high-level commentary on the region’s latest initiatives and a deep dive into how they affect family office investors. Expo 2020, the Golden Visa programme, and a full schedule of upcoming global events continue to position the UAE as a leading global powerhouse. Furthermore, the UAE government’s expert handling of Covid 19 and the health pandemic led the world to effectiveness.?

FDI (foreign direct investment) throughout the GCC has doubled in the past few years, and many success stories have emerged. New regulations support investors’ search for opportunities, and growth is accelerating at a rapid pace. Dubai is producing unicorns, and there is a strong focus on early growth-stage companies as it expands its position as a technology hub.?

Left to right: Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder and Executive Chairman, TransAfrica Group, South Africa, and?Reuben Ichikowitz, CEO, TransAfrica Group, South Africa.

Hot New Investment Sectors Continue to be Front and Center

The health pandemic forced investors to reconsider priorities. Summit attendees agreed, however, that education, technology, and healthcare have always been essential yet are now, more than ever, the keys to a stable, prosperous ancillary economy. They are at the core of everything we do and impact many investment sectors. Hot new investment sectors also include logistics, oil/energy/pipelines, artificial intelligence/machine learning, real estate, cryptocurrency, and more.?

Discussions included a look at “Why China Now”? China is opening its fixed-income debt market, and $9.6 trillion in debt supply is now available. Its government permits more extraordinary price discovery of assets, thus inviting greater participation from the financial markets. Additionally, business-to-government risks are an essential worldwide consideration. For example, Libya’s volatility is projecting north into Italy and Greece.?

Climate Change is Top of Mind?

The United Nations Capital Development Fund, in conversation with SkyPower Global, explained its initiatives to support climate change solutions. Frontier markets present opportunities since many people around the world do not have access to energy and electricity. SkyPower is donating a percentage of its profits to support this challenge, and the UN seeks additional support of its efforts to make a difference via impactful investments.

The theme “Capital Should Service Humanity” is all-important as family offices work together to make the future better for the next generation.

Protecting Generational Wealth is Deeply Personal

As families consider growing and protecting their wealth, they emphasize how deeply personal the journey can be. As a family moves forward, it must do so based on respect and the quest to help make the world a wonderful place. It requires a commitment to the environment, social structures, community, and sustainability. Together, these values reduce risk and help secure wealth.

Family dynamics affect everyone. Thus, it is helpful to assess what patterns your family follows and consider how joyful your family life can be when these patterns are positive. In addition to educating the next generation, families must inform the senior generation to garner their support as they hand over the reins. Younger family members need to view their elders as mentors and learn from them since that is a privilege.

Left to right: Majed M. Al Tahan, Co-founder & MD, Danube Online, Founder & CEO, AYM Commerce, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE.

Food Security is a Global Key Issue?

Eleven million people worldwide die each year due to poor nutrition, and food security is an ongoing issue of concern. Building a globally resilient digital food ecosystem is essential.?

Family offices are committed to food education that improves communities; for example, teaching local farmers, including women, to farm responsibly -- in emerging markets and elsewhere -- benefits the entire world and can produce strong investment returns.?

Artificial Intelligence is the Future

Artificial intelligence may be viewed as a commodity since, at some point, all companies will use it to power data and as a sophisticated resource. Blockchain and AI, for example, combine to eliminate the middleman.?

Together, they can create products with AI as the driver and blockchain as a platform. Essentially, AI may be used as a tool that facilitates problem-solving in many areas.

Top to bottom:?Adria L. Dunn, Philanthropist & Author, USA, and Ahmad AR BinDawood, Chief Executive Officer, Danube & BinDawood, BinDawood Holding, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Education is a Key Global Investment Sector

The impact of online learning during the health pandemic supports renewed interest in investing in education. Attendees noted that the business of the $7 trillion education sector is a complex landscape. School calendars and processes are antiquated, current teaching methods are imperfect, and today’s students need to learn at their own pace. Companies that consider the student journey and incorporate that in their offerings will emerge as the eventual winners.?

The child-teacher-parent loop must continue to evolve via technology. Scalability and mass customization, including customization for students and teachers, are critical.

Technology is Changing and Improving Industries

New technology is changing and improving industries, and it is essential to know how the world will change and how to pivot. Netflix is an example. Today it has a $250 million valuation, but it started as a la carte business mailing DVDs to customers. Once it stopped growing, its CEO sought a new way to move inventory via streaming, and the rest is history.?

Similarly, Restaurant.com got it wrong when it tried and eventually failed with a business model based on restaurant websites. It then reinvented itself via marketing gift certificates to customers in partnership with eBay. Now, the two CEOs are working on their next big venture – an automated scheduling platform with AI and ML. Investors are advised to stay tuned for details.

Left to right: Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE; Dr. Catherine Waldrop, Medical Director, CI Investments, SFO, Puerto Rico, Ticino, Switzerland and?Gordon "Grant" Curtis, CIO & Executive Director of CI Investments, SFO, Ticino, Switzerland.

With Cryptocurrency, the Genie is Out of the Bottle

Cryptocurrency has brought us over the top in our evolving financial system, and its supporters must speak bluntly and not whisper. With decentralized exchanges, you are in control of your funds. It is essential to learn about this $2 trillion asset class which is positioned for growth to $500 trillion in the next few years. Investors should move fast, learn quickly, and adapt.

NFTs represent an emerging opportunity for investors. We’re early in the evolution of the asset class; banks and governments do not want to lose control, yet the sector is fast revolutionizing the world. The new world of digitalization and the concept of tokenization are essential to understand.

Top to bottom: Kerry Adler, President & Chief Executive Officer, SkyPower Global Group of Companies, UAE & Canada and?Preeti Sinha, Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), USA.

A Spirit of Giving Helps Ensure a Lasting Legacy

Family offices must base their philanthropic endeavours on charities with which they are aligned and embody a spirit of giving. The world is full of great leaders, and each of us can create bridges by talking amongst ourselves about our “why” and ways to change the world for the better. We must help each other, practice cultural diplomacy, understand each other, and share our relationships gently for the benefit of others.

Summit attendees?agree on the importance of incorporating EQ - emotional intelligence - into decision making. When that is done, the ability to leave a legacy is solidified, and the next generation is sure to benefit from a better world.

Left to right: Badr Al Towaijri, CIO, Al Towaijri Holding, Director Wealth Management, MEFIC Capital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;?Jason Ma, Founder, CEO & Chief Mentor at ThreeEQ, Author of Young Leaders 3.0, Member of The B20 with The G20, USA;?Adam Malouf, Chief Asset Sourcing Officer, Knowledge Fund - Government of Dubai’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, established under the order of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UA.E. and Skip Cooper, Managing Director, Cooper Family Office, USA.

Purpose, Impact and Passion?

The world’s leading families possess an eternal flame and DNA that represents their past as well as their future. Purpose, impact, and passion are keys to developing family values and actionable, aligned strategies as they move forward into new generations. Within a family, dynamics are essential, and family members must create space for each other and teach their children correctly.?

Families must work within their communities, rise by lifting others, honour their word, and hire smart people. They must inform, inspire, and innovate while taking care of those who surround them.

Top to bottom: Steve Savad, Founder & CEO Restaurant.com and Pepper.AI, SVP Amazon's Audible, USA and?Mitch Lowe, Founding Senior Executive, Netflix, Former COO & President, Redbox, USA.

Focus on Family Interests Leads to the Biggest Impact

Family offices must choose and focus on their areas of interest to make the most significant possible impact. For example, younger people prefer impact investments, and these values are being heard as the young are often the best teachers. Once this commitment is in place, the family must be proactive, not just reactive, and be ready to help the world in the event of disasters such as in Haiti and Afghanistan.?

Additionally, the family should develop new ways of thinking about investing and returns. Gender diversity, decarbonization, carbon-neutral forests, clean water, and solar energy are just a few examples of areas where families can bring consciousness into action.

Left to right: Dr. Adil Alzarooni, CEO, Zein Investments, UAE and?Faisal Al-Osaimi, Senior Executive Officer, Invesense Asset Management, UAE.

Top to bottom: Perihan Inci, Board member of Family Office, Inci Family Office, Turkey and?Dame Sheila B. Driscoll, President & Co-Founder, The Billionaire Foundation, USA.

Top to bottom: Michael Terpin, Managing Director, Transform Ventures, USA and?Arash Dara, Group CEO, Lootah Holding, UAE.

Left to right: Badr Al Towaijri, CIO, Al Towaijri Holding, Director Wealth Management, MEFIC Capital, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and?Sidney Wheatley, Chief Investment Officer, The Private Office of H.H. Sheikh mohamed bin Salman bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, UAE.

Left to right: Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE and Ritossa Team.

Left to right: Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE and?Hamed AlHamed, Founder and CEO, Gracia Group, UAE.

Left to right: Habtoor M. Al Habtoor, Complex Business Development Manager, Al Habtoor Palace, LXR Hotels & Resorts, UAE,?Mohammed Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO, Al Habtoor Group,?UAE and?Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE.?

Left to right: A CEO Magazine interview with His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) – the principal authority responsible for strengthening Dubai’s positioning as a world-leading tourism destination and commercial hub, and?Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, Ritossa Family Office, UAE.?

Welcome to Sir Anthony Ritossa's Next Global Family Office Investment Summit in 2021

17th Conference,?Dubai, December 5-7

For Information & Registration, please contact[email protected]