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3/19/25, 1:11 PM Office of Development Affairs hosts two sessions at Investopia 2025 on future of philanthropy – UAE Business and Travel Insights –…

Office of Development Affairs hosts two

sessions at Investopia 2025 on future of

philanthropy

BY CONTENT ADMIN

ABU DHABI, 1st March, 2025 (WAM) — The Office of Development Affairs (ODA) at the Presidential Court
held a discussion session and a round table on the future of philanthropy at the fourth edition of Investopia 2025,
held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime
Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

Organised under the slogan “Harnessing MegaForces”, Investopia 2025 brought together a host of global leaders
and change makers. The sessions held by ODA stressed on maximising the social impact of philanthropy in
developing countries and bringing about positive transformations in the lives of millions of people across the
world.
The session on “Capital for Good: The Future of Philanthropy” emphasised on the importance of donors
diversifying their philanthropic activities and working together with relevant organizations and institutions to
engage different segments of beneficiaries and find apt and innovative solutions to the various challenges.

Badr Jafar, the UAE’s Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, Baroness Ariane de Rothschild, CEO of
Edmond de Rothschild Group, Switzerland, Tsitsi Masiyiwa, President of the Higher Life Foundation and Delta
Charitable Foundation in the United Kingdom, and Dr. Alfonso Garcia Mora, Regional Vice President for
Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean were on the panel.

Reflecting on the future of philanthropy and the necessity of sustainable financial models, Badr Jafar remarked,
“Philanthropy is entering a new era, one defined by innovation, strategic capital deployment, and measurable
impact. The UAE has emerged as a global hub for philanthropy, leveraging its position as a convener of cross-
sector collaboration and its deep commitment to technology and innovation. AI and digital platforms are
transforming how we mobilise and scale giving, shifting from traditional donations to catalytic capital that
unlocks new resources and drives systemic change.”

The roundtable, meanwhile, focused on the future of impactful charitable investment by harnessing modern and
innovative methods to maximize positive impact and social progress. Titled “From Niche to Norm: The Future
of Impact Investing,” the interactive roundtable featured high-level government leaders, CEOs, investors, and
civil society representatives, who explored the mainstream adoption of impact investing, emphasizing the role of
transparency, data-driven impact tracking, and blended finance models in scaling the sector. With trillions in
wealth transfers expected over the coming decades, the roundtable highlighted how impact investing is shaping
the future of finance.

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