Following a networking breakfast, the Majlis commences with opening remarks that set the core objectives and tone for this high-impact convening focused on transforming capital into enduring legacies. Here we will frame the critical themes shaping the next three days: impact investing, strategic philanthropy and corporate sustainability. Laying the foundations by defining what impact and legacy mean from different vantage points, who funds impact today, who are recipients of funds and implementers of projects and initiatives that deliver impact, and the important roles of diverse stakeholders that enable, catalyse and deliver impact.

Examine how the world’s largest sovereign-linked funders are reshaping impact investing, financing and philanthropy at scale. As the global impact investing market surpasses $630 billion in 2025, sovereign wealth funds and development finance institutions are crafting strategies that deliver both strong financial returns and measurable societal outcomes. This opening session convenes leading actors to explore how impact is no longer a trade-off but a driver of long-term value. Panelists will examine how they structure deals, assess material ESG risks, embed impact KPIs into mainstream portfolios, and deploy catalytic capital to unlock private sector co-investment.

An informal networking session, enriched by optional guided walkthroughs of historical images with inspiring stories of impact through diverse lenses. A visual journey reflecting on the contributions of early pioneers who had a very humble and small part in the Emirates’ social, environmental, and developmental journey prior to the UAE forming in 1971. From the first dental clinic in AlAin and the first photographer in Umm AlQuwain to leading business pioneers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi — instrumental in forging vital international relationships and development of key business sectors — these historical images narrate stories of humility, service, and selfless dedication. 

This workshop aims to equip participants with a comprehensive understanding of the full spectrum of impact funding tools and dissect them — from pure grants and concessionary mechanisms to fully commercial investment vehicles — and to demonstrate how each instrument aligns with specific social and environmental objectives. Using a cashew value-chain case study, the session will highlight how hybrid funding models, calibrated to funders’ objectives, risk appetites and return expectations, enable transformative partnerships across public, private, and philanthropic capital.

This fireside conversation takes a deeper dive into the practical application of circular economy principles within agri value chains, highlighting successful strategies that integrate circular practices, such as regenerative agriculture, waste reduction, and resource optimisation, into agri commodity supply chains and how it influences funding profile of these projects. The session will explore how circular economy approaches can improve productivity, enhance climate resilience, unlock financing and drive sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers. waddressing challenges related to resource management, community engagement, and environmental sustainability, ultimately aligning profitability with tangible social and environmental outcomes.

This session examines how global philanthropy is now structuring its own funding stack to accelerate social and climate solutions—often acting as the first‐loss or “patient” layer that unlocks sovereign, DFI and private‑sector investment and how philanthropic funding slots into the broader capital continuum explored earlier in the programme, and innovative approaches on structuring grant, concessional and catalytic layers that preserve financial discipline while driving systemic climate impact. Practical case studies on partnerships with family offices, a post-USAID era and key considerations for foundations when evaluating grant-making will be explored.

This workshop explores an alternative innovative approach to funding development projects – carbon credits, examining what are carbon credits, how carbon pricing and credit markets are shaping global climate finance with a focus on nature-based solutions.  Nature-based carbon credits are being viewed increasingly as an innovative mechanism to contribute to funding of community needs and sustainable infrastructure projects. In this workshop we will unpack ABCs of carbon credits to offering a commercial lens on structuring investable carbon projects and navigating market dynamics and exploring how philanthropic funding helps de-risk early-stage projects, supports market infrastructure, and complements credit pricing—bridging the gap between environmental ambition and financial viability. Most importantly, we will examine how sale proceeds of carbon credits can fund and derisk early-stage risks in development projects to attract larger private capital pools.

As explored throughout the Majlis—from philanthropic capital structuring to catalytic sovereign strategies and circular economy innovations— NbS are emerging as a vital investment frontier that bridges climate goals with financial returns. This panel will spotlight how leading impact funds and institutional investors are scaling forest conservation, regenerative agriculture, blue carbon, and biodiversity-linked assets, now transitioning from grant-reliant pilots to market-ready opportunities. Building on the earlier discussion of philanthropic funding’s role, the session will expand on how blended finance and donor-backed risk layers are helping to de-risk NbS pipelines for private capital. Panelists will share actionable insights into the balance between climate mitigation, community livelihoods, and risk-adjusted returns.