SALT, a global thought leadership forum, will be hosting its first conference in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi from  December 9 to 11, at the Emirates Palace in  strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi Global Market, (ADGM).

The conference is expected to gather around 1,000 leading global business professionals to focus on global collaboration opportunities at the intersection of finance, technology and geopolitics, reported Emirates news agency Wam.

Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State and chairman of ADGM said: "The UAE’s robust economic environment, comprehensive industry offerings and sound political stability continue to uphold the nation’s statue as one of the most preferred investment destinations in the world.

"Strategically located in the heart of the East-West trade corridor, Abu Dhabi accounts for a major percentage of foreign direct investment, FDI, in the region and provides a world-class business ecosystem for investors and enterprises to expand their growth."

He went on to say that the SALT Abu Dhabi conference opens up a new window for global businesses and policy makers to gain new insights of what Abu Dhabi and the UAE have to offer now and for the long-term.

Following a decade of events in Las Vegas, as well as three hosted in Asia, SALT has continued to expand its programming and attendee base beyond traditional alternative investments to reflect the fast-evolving nature of global business.

SALT Abu Dhabi is set to address a number of themes ranging from the future of global business and emerging investment opportunities to energy and geopolitics to financial and consumer technologies. The inaugural regional event will reinforce the undeniable economic importance and investment opportunities in the region.

"We are thrilled to have ADGM as our strategic partner to make the inaugural SALT Abu Dhabi a success," said SALT founder Anthony Scaramucci. "We are bringing together almost 1,000 thought leaders from around the globe to discuss key issues related to energy, geopolitics, business and finance. It is through conversations like these that we can create greater cross-cultural understanding and begin to solve the world’s most pressing problems."