Inside the most exclusive gathering of family wealth

Under the High Patronage of his Highness Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, the world’s most elite families gathered for Sir Anthony Ritossa’s 10th annual Global Family Office Investment Summit.

The prestigious global gathering for like-minded leaders was hosted in Dubai at Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach, offering more than 600 global leading family offices and ultra-high net worth individuals the opportunity to discuss ‘The Rise and Rise of Family Offices’.

Exceptional families from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) including Royals, Sheikhs, Private Investment Companies and Sovereign Wealth Funds, who represented more than $4.5 trillion in investor wealth, came together to share insights on the best investment strategies, thought leadership and governance.

"There’s an understanding that those with the most resources have the most responsibility for improving the world." – Sir Anthony Ritossa

Sir Anthony Ritossa hosted the first private workshop of the Summit for families from the GCC, discussing family journeys and how to build a winning mindset entitled ‘Growing Your Human Capital’.

"I believe that, fundamentally, we all want to be the best version of ourselves – within our families, our relationships with others and, ultimately, our wealth. There is a revolution unfolding on the balance sheets of the world’s corporations that holds a lesson for families with wealth: The Explosion of Intangible Assets. I am very pleased to have kick-started the first of many similar workshops to come," Sir Anthony Ritossa explains.

Aimed at the new masters of the universe, the private investment offices are held in an environment of grounded affinity, a concept unique to Sir Anthony Ritossa.

"There’s an understanding that those with the most resources have the most responsibility for improving the world," Sir Anthony Ritossa explains. "For this reason, I carefully curate my own private Family Office events attracting similar-minded prestigious families from all over the world.

"I spend a lot of time getting to know our selected attendees. The waiting list is long, and I make sure that every participant is a perfect fit, that they share similar core values with the other members."

Global opportunities, succession planning, philanthropy, family governance and preserving human capital was all discussed during the two-day affair, held in late November.

More than 100 esteemed speakers and guests of honour from across the globe presented at the event including Mohamed Al Ali, Distinguished Grand Ambassador for the 10th Anniversary Ritossa Global Family Office Investment Summit; H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Faisl Al Saud, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.R.H. Princess Léa of Belgium, espoused to the late Prince Alexandre of Belgium, and aunt of King Philippe of Belgium, H.R.H. Prince Michel de Yougoslavie, Grandson of King Umberto of Italy and Price Paul of Yugoslavia Monaco; H.S.H. Prince Hermann zu Leininen, Grandson of King Boris III Bulgaria and Granduchess Maria of Russia, Canada; H.S.H. Prince Carl Eduard von Bismarck, former member of the German Parliament, CEO of Bismarck Consulting, Great Grandson of German unifier Otto von Bismarck, Germany, H.H. Sheikh Sultan Bin Abdullah Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, LEAD Ventures, UAE, H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, H.E. Sheikh Abdulrhman Abuhaimid, Chairman, Abdulrhman Abuhaimid and Sons Investment Co, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Yousef Almoosa, Almoosa Family Office, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmad AR. BinDawood, Chief Executive Officer, Danube & BinDawood, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Majed M Al Tahan, Founder & CEO at AYM Commerce, CEO & Co-founder Danube Online, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Adil Al Zarooni, Alzarooni Emirates Investments.

High-tech transformation was a key theme of the Summit as businesses, including those in Saudi Arabia, embrace digital innovation, artificial intelligence, robotics and biometric identification for future success.

Across the prestigious two-day event, forward-thinking visionaries explored the concept of booming Family Offices, which are becoming a disruptive force as a result of continued global uncertainty, new investment opportunities and multi-generational wealth preservation.

"This sharing of current activities and future trends is essential in such gatherings as a vehicle to move forward through the balance of 2019," H.R.H. Prince Michel de Yougoslavie says.

Film by Olivier Ronot
Images by Cyril Bailleul and Antoine Meyssonnier
Words by Vanessa Eriksson