ATHENS (WAM)
Investopia Mediterranean – Athens kicked off in the Greek capital. The event brought together approximately 500 senior government officials, business leaders, investors and representatives of financial institutions from the UAE and Greece, including five Greek government ministers.
The event aims to advance the economic partnership between the two countries by exploring new investment opportunities, strengthening cooperation between UAE and Greek companies across new economy sectors, and opening new avenues for growth and investment across the Mediterranean and its wider markets.
The event focused on transforming the growing momentum in UAE–Greece relations into practical areas of cooperation between companies and investors, including project development and financing, expansion into new markets, and connecting capital with operational expertise and technology.
Energy, artificial intelligence (AI), financial services and private markets featured prominently in the discussions, as part of a programme that combined strategic dialogue, roundtables, bilateral meetings and direct engagement between participants.
Attendees from the UAE included Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment and Co-Chair of Investopia; Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment and President of Investopia; and Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology.
The Greek delegation included Kostis Hatzidakis, Vice President of the Government of the Hellenic Republic; Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of Economy and Finance; Stavros Papastavrou, Minister of Environment and Energy; Harry Theoharis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism.
Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi said: “The partnership between the UAE and Greece is built on longstanding relations and mutual trust, providing a strong basis for expanding investment cooperation in sectors of mutual priority.
We look forward to building on these strengths to connect capital with projects and expertise, enable our companies to grow and enter new markets, and develop partnerships that support energy security, technological transformation and economic competitiveness.
Bringing together government leaders, investors and businesses in Athens provides an opportunity to identify practical areas for cooperation and expand them across the Mediterranean and its connected markets.”
Mohammad Abdulrahman Alhawi said: “Our aim is for participants to leave Athens with clearly identified opportunities, potential partners and clear next steps. The programme combines dialogue on investment trends with more focused discussions addressing the needs of businesses, projects and financing.
This edition forms part of Investopia’s continued efforts to strengthen connections between business communities and transform them into partnerships and investment opportunities across multiple markets.”
The event also witnessed the participation of a distinguished group of leaders from financial institutions, companies and investment entities from both countries, including ADNOC, G42, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), Bank of America, Hellenic Growth Fund, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), Athens International Airport, Eurobank and Enterprise Greece, along with other officials, investors and economic experts.
The Investopia Mediterranean – Athens agenda featured 10 main sessions and three roundtables. The discussions began with a session titled “Connecting Markets in a Time of Global Change,” which explored ways to strengthen economic cooperation between Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, enhance capital and trade flows between these markets and identify new pathways for growth amid ongoing transformations in the global economy.
The second session, titled “Bridging Continents: Greece and the UAE as Gateways for Global Investment,” highlighted opportunities to leverage the strategic geographic locations, advanced infrastructure and competitive advantages of both countries to advance capital flows, trade and innovation.
The discussions also explored prospects for developing partnerships across finance, logistics, energy, tourism and technology, enhancing bilateral investment and strengthening economic connectivity between Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
In the tourism sector, the ‘Rebuilding Confidence in Travel and Developing New Tourism Corridors’ session explored ways to enhance traveller confidence, improve connectivity between destinations in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions, and develop new tourism corridors that support visitor flows and enhance the sustainability and resilience of the travel ecosystem.
The fireside chat with Stavros Papastavrou addressed opportunities to strengthen partnerships between the UAE and Greece in the renewable and clean energy and circular economy sectors, and to support dialogue between private sector companies operating in these fields.
Furthermore, the session entitled ‘The Next Wave of Global Energy Investment’ discussed investment opportunities in energy infrastructure, the role of innovation and modern technologies in developing the sector, enhancing supply security and reducing carbon emissions, as well as investment partnerships and technological cooperation between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in light of current regional developments and the challenges they impose on energy security and the stability of global markets.
The panel discussions concluded with a session entitled ‘Mobilising Capital: Financing the Next Wave of Global Investment,’ which explored the role of banks and financial institutions in helping investors identify opportunities and structure capital, channeling financing towards infrastructure, energy, technology and healthcare sectors and developing financing solutions that support business growth and the expansion of cross-border investments.
The event featured three roundtable meetings. The first, entitled ‘Investing in the Age of AI, addressed the impact of these technologies in reshaping economic sectors and raising productivity, the new investment prospects they offer and ways to accelerate their adoption by companies, investors and governments, as well as building trusted ecosystems that support sustainable economic growth and enhance global competitiveness.
The second roundtable meeting, entitled ‘FinTech and Digital Assets: The Future of Financial Innovation,’ discussed the transformations underway in the global financial system amid the rapid evolution of FinTech and digital assets, and the opportunities they provide in capital formation, payments and enhancing financial inclusion.
It reviewed the experiences of startups and successful practices in leveraging these opportunities and developing resilient and trusted financial ecosystems.
Another roundtable meeting entitled ‘Private Markets: Unlocking Capital for the Next Growth Cycle’ explored the growing role of private capital in financing innovation, developing infrastructure and expanding businesses, emerging investment trends and cross-border opportunities between the investment fund ecosystems of the UAE and Greece, as well as strategies for deploying long-term capital amid the changes witnessed by the global economy.
The economic and tourism relations between the UAE and Greece have witnessed continuous growth, with the number of Greek companies operating in the UAE rising from 1,244 at the end of September 2025 to 1,483 at the end of September 2026, an increase of 239 companies and a 19.2% growth, reflecting the growing presence of Greek companies in the UAE market.
The number of Greek tourists arriving in the UAE also rose from 65,078 in 2024 to 72,482 in 2025, a growth rate of 11.4%. These relations are supported by air connectivity, with 26 weekly flights, which enhances communication and economic and cultural exchange between the two countries and supports opportunities for cooperation in tourism, investment and services.
The Athens edition builds on the ‘Investopia – Mediterranean’ series, which was launched in Cyprus in June 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to expand investment dialogue and connect business communities.
Investopia meetings will continue in London in December 2026, followed by Abu Dhabi in March and Milan next April. In parallel, Investopia will continue to expand its presence in India, China and Africa in 2027, building on the relationships established in Athens and opening new opportunities for participants.