Family Office Summit Abu Dhabi agenda

Once upon a time, a family office was a quiet fortress of spreadsheets, trusts, and the occasional
philanthropic check. Now? It’s part venture studio, part think tank, part therapist’s office. In this entertaining and enlightening session, we explore what it really takes to modernize the family office in a world where wealth is expected to do more — and mean more.

• Vaidotas Melynavicius, Chief Investment Officer, Santocedrus Capital
• Amer Al Osh, Chief Development Officer, Gewan Holding
• Julien Tizot, Chief Investment Officer, Aras Partners
• Biju Thomas, Senior Director Private Banking, Mashreq

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

How Young Family Leaders Are Writing Their Own Rulebook in the World of Venture Capital, Startups, and Digital Innovation. If the next generation’s leadership is anything like their social media, we’re in for a wild ride of disruption and innovation.

• Harry Boschen, Chairman Of Board, Boschen Family Office
• Abdullatif Kanoo, Kanoo Group
• Dr Anna Shishkareva, Family Principal, Five Oceans Family Office.
• Prabhav Sharma, Chief Executive Officer & Partner, Sun Group Global

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

Private equity has become a favored playground for family offices and institutional investors looking to diversify portfolios, boost returns, and tap into long-term value creation. But navigating the PE landscape comes with its own set of challenges—from sourcing quality deals and aligning with GPs to managing risk and, yes, family expectations. In this candid (and occasionally comedic) conversation, seasoned family
office investors, institutional allocators, and PE experts share war stories, lessons learned, and smart strategies for getting into the game without turning the next holiday gathering—or investment committee meeting—into a shareholder dispute.

• Scott Rubino, Investment Team, Astor Place Holding
• Ebrahim Moolla, Head Private Capital, Qantara
• Guilherme Quintal, Managing Director MENA, Claure Group
• Panagiotis Athanasopoulos, VP Group Strategic Investments, ADNOC

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

Running a family office isn’t all yachts and legacy talks—someone has to worry about governance headaches, insurance puzzles, risk blind spots, and tax landmines. As families grow more global and asset classes more exotic, this panel dives into how to build a solid backbone for the modern family office without losing sleep (or the family fortune). Our experts will unpack how smart structuring, proactive risk management, and just the right amount of paperwork can future-proof your office for generations to come—minus the ulcers.

• Dominique Leimer, Managing Director, Nexus Wealth Management
• Anuj Dhingra, Group Head, Risk & Compliance, Al Masaood

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

For family offices, venture capital can be thrilling, high-growth, and occasionally nerve-wracking — kind of like having a teenager with a startup idea. But when approached strategically, VC can be a powerful way to access innovation, diversify portfolios, and build long-term upside. This panel explores how family offices are navigating the venture space, from identifying promising sectors to co-investing alongside top-tier VCs — without getting lost in the hype (or the pitch decks).

• Pavel Gurianov, Partner, Finsight Venture Capital
• Peter Balint, Chief Investment Officer, One Family Office
• Faisal Alireza, Senior Director, Private Family Office
• Rajesh Ranjan, Head of investments, Ali & Sons Holding

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

After years of side-eyes and cautious curiosity, family offices are taking a serious second look at digital assets. Thanks to maturing markets, improved custody solutions, and clearer regulatory frameworks—especially with the UAE’s Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) leading the charge—crypto is no longer the wild west. It’s more like a well-governed frontier with luxury real estate just off the blockchain.

• Iskander Vanblarcum, Global Head Institutional Sales, OKX

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

Tech isn’t just for Silicon Valley founders in hoodies — it’s now a critical lever for how family offices invest, operate, and future-proof generational wealth. From AI and blockchain to cybersecurity, gaming, and digital assets, the pace of change is relentless. Miss a trend, and you might miss a major investment opportunity — or worse, end up explaining a data breach to the family WhatsApp group.
This panel explores the most investable tech frontiers, where forward-looking families are allocating capital — whether in AI-driven asset managers, quantum-safe cybersecurity ventures, or tokenized real estate platforms. We’ll also unpack how leading offices are adopting technology internally: streamlining operations, enhancing privacy, and gaining a performance edge. Whether you’re a tech-savvy principal or still clinging to Excel, this session will help you spot what’s hype, what’s real, and where the smart money is going next.

• Kevin Philippen,Director, Boschen IT Investments
• Edward Parsons, Chief Financial Officer, Simba Investments
• Dr Jean Shahdadpuri, Managing Director, Nikai Group Of Companies
• Damu Winston, Head Of Innovation, Amazon

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

From gene therapies to AI-driven diagnostics, healthcare and life sciences are no longer just philanthropic passions for family offices—they’re becoming pillars of long-term strategy and growth. This panel dives into how families are navigating opportunities in biotech, medtech, and next-gen healthcare platforms while balancing financial return, impact, and legacy.
We’ll examine the risks, rewards, and regulatory twists of this high-stakes sector, and hear from leaders who’ve backed breakthrough innovations—or at least survived the jargon of Series A decks with phrases like “CRISPR-enabled quantum biomarkers.”

• Michelle Longmire, Chief Executive Officer & Co Founder, Medable Inc
• Dr Anmol Kapoor, Family Principal, Kapoor Wealth

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

As family offices evolve, women are playing an increasingly powerful role in shaping how wealth is invested, preserved, and given away. This panel explores how female leaders—whether principals, next-gens, or executives—are driving innovation in impact investing, governance, and long-term legacy planning. From championing inclusive family cultures to leading purpose-driven investment strategies,
these women are not only changing outcomes, but also mindsets.

• Lia Lungu, Chief Strategy Officer, Tariq Al Futtaim Family Office
• Naila Rahim, Executive Director, Mirath Family Office

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

While everyone’s watching private equity strut down the runway, private credit is quietly stacking returns in the background — steady, secured, and suddenly very stylish. As traditional lenders pull back and yield-hungry families look for stability with upside, private credit is becoming the asset class du jour for savvy family offices.
This panel unpacks how families are accessing the private credit space — from direct lending to niche
strategies — and why this once-overlooked corner of the market might just be the most reliable friend at the investment party. Spoiler: it doesn’t need flashy headlines to deliver solid returns.

• Leon Clarance, Chief Strategy Officer, 7Stars Legal Funding
• Deshan Tucker, Director, Theia Investments
• Tom Spencer, Investment Head, Saranac Partners

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit

Real estate remains a cornerstone of family office portfolios—but in a world of shifting markets, ESG mandates, and the ever-present allure of “the next big thing,” how can families build property strategies that are both resilient and forward-looking? This panel will explore smart approaches to sustainable growth across residential, commercial, and alternative real estate sectors. From navigating green building trends to avoiding the “shiny object syndrome” in emerging markets, our experts will unpack where the value lies, how to manage generational expectations, and why sometimes, the best investment might not have a rooftop pool (but it does have long-term yield).

• Jean-Guillaume DEISS, Co-Founder, Greenbull Group
• Private, Private Family Office

Moderator: Obediah Ayton, Chairman, FO Summit