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Tycoons, an initiative of the AIM Global Foundation, launched its inaugural edition in Dubai as part of AIM Congress 2026, bringing together around 500 senior decision-makers from the global investment community in an exclusive, invitation only platform.
Held yesterday ahead of the official opening of AIM Congress 2026, Tycoons convened a distinguished group of sovereign wealth fund leaders, family office principals, institutional investors, CEOs and visionary founders for high-level strategic discussions focused on the trends shaping the next phase of investment leadership.
The inaugural edition delivered tangible outcomes through closed-door dialogues, roundtables and curated networking sessions designed to translate strategic perspectives into actionable partnerships and create new pathways for long-term collaboration and investment.
H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of AIM Congress, said: “In line with the directives of the wise leadership, the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for capital and investment, supported by a competitive business environment, a flexible legislative and regulatory framework and advanced infrastructure. This further enhances the country’s ability to attract investors and decision-makers from markets around the world.”
He added: “Specialised investment dialogue platforms such as ‘Tycoons’ are an extension of this role, providing a dedicated environment that brings capital owners and decision-makers together around opportunities for long-term collaboration and investment. This supports the development of partnerships with sustainable impact and strengthens the UAE’s role in shaping the future of the global economy and investment decision-making.”
The platform’s closed-door environment prioritised depth of discussion, privacy and alignment of interests, enabling participants to assess opportunities capable of driving meaningful transformation, mitigate risks associated with governance frameworks, and establish pathways for long-term collaboration within a focused and trusted setting.
The carefully curated programme also fostered a high level of engagement, with Tycoons focusing on meaningful and purposeful connections that enabled decision-makers to engage in in-depth discussions on the issues reshaping global capital flows.
The closed-door dialogues explored emerging-market strategies, sustainability frameworks, governance innovation and the deployment of cross-border capital. Meanwhile, private roundtables gave CEOs and wealth managers the opportunity to explore partnership opportunities in an environment built on mutual trust and strategic alignment.
Curated networking sessions also connected visionary founders with institutional capital seeking long-term partnerships, moving beyond investment relationships centred on short-term transactions.
Dawood Al Shezawi, Chairman of the AIM Global Foundation, said the inaugural edition of Tycoons exceeded expectations, explaining that the platform was designed to respond to an investment environment in which capital is moving at an increasingly rapid pace, at a time when there is growing demand for more private spaces for dialogue around issues of legacy, governance and long-term impact, away from large-scale platforms.
He added that hosting the inaugural edition in Dubai further strengthened the city’s position at the heart of global capital flows, while Tycoons demonstrated that it is a natural and essential extension of the mission of AIM Congress in shaping the future of investment leadership, by looking ahead while deploying capital.
The success of Tycoons’ inaugural edition further established its position as a distinctive platform within the global investment ecosystem. Participants noted that the platform helped identify promising pathways for new partnerships, mitigate risks associated with governance frameworks, and establish commitments to long-term collaboration.
These outcomes reflect the essence of the Tycoons model, which prioritises depth of engagement over breadth of attendance, privacy over visibility, and strategic alignment over relationships built around short-term transactions.
The timing of the platform also carried strategic significance, taking place immediately ahead of the Global Investment Summit 2026, which brings together leading global figures, policymakers, institutional investors and innovators from regional and international markets.
The launch of Tycoons comes as the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global hub for investment and innovation, supported by record foreign direct investment inflows, diversified economic growth and a forward-looking legislative and regulatory framework.