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ABU DHABI / WAM
HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Managing Director of ADIA, issued an open letter on the occasion of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority(ADIA) celebrating its 40th anniversary:
Over the course of the past four decades, ADIA has evolved from a small operation using shared office space to become one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated investment institutions. It has achieved this while always remaining true to its mission and by forging its own path – one that was right for ADIA – and not simply following the route taken by others.
On this day in 1976, an Emiri Decree was signed announcing ADIA’s creation. However, the true significance of ADIA’s anniversary lies in the foresight and vision that led to that historic decision. For this, we feel a great sense of gratitude to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding President of the UAE, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and ADIA’s Chairman since inception, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
I would also like to highlight the significant contributions of Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi and Mohammed Habroush Al Suwaidi, former Vice Chairman and Managing Director respectively, as well as the late Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, former Managing Director, God rest his soul, who all worked tirelessly to build the foundations for the success ADIA enjoys today.
In choosing to create an independent institution, whose investment decisions would be based solely on economic considerations, and through the clarity of its mission, ADIA’s founding fathers created the conditions that have underpinned our success for the past 40 years.
The other crucial ingredient has been ADIA’s people – almost 5,000 in total who have contributed in countless ways, small and large, over the decades. We are in debt to you all for the successful realisation of our founders’ vision.
ADIA’s culture is unique. It combines great diversity, with more than 60 nationalities represented today in ADIA HQ, with an acute awareness of the responsibility we all share to safeguard Abu Dhabi’s future prosperity. This requires a degree of prudence and discipline that is integral to everything we do – from how we are organised to how we make decisions.