Good morning, lovely people, and happy FRIDAY. It’s the end of a short and sweet workweek that segues into a busy one in Abu Dhabi, as the F1 Grand Prix kicks off for the weekend and Abu Dhabi Finance Week — along with several other concurring industry events — brings thousands of financiers, investors, and fund managers alike to the capital.

The big theme of the day is investments. Mubadala Capital and Aldar Properties launched a real estate investment platform, aiming to kick it off with a USD 1 bn fund for institutional investors; while IHC invested USD 715 mn into SME financing subsidiary Zelo, and DP World said it will pour USD 296 mn into expansion projects at Brazil’s Santos Port.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council has filed a lawsuit against US private equity firm Energy & Minerals Group for its attempt to sell its stake in Ascent Resources, one of Adic’s portfolio companies, to one of its own continuation funds in what it claims is a conflicted and undervalued sale.

⛅WEATHER- It’s going to be a mostly cloudy day with sunny breaks, with a risk of showers later in the evening in Dubai. The mercury peaks at 29°C in Dubai and 27°C in Abu Dhabi, before cooling to a low of 21°C in the former and 19°C in the capital.

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HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix world championship kicks off today and wraps up on Sunday, 7 December with the main race at Yas Marina Circuit. The season finale heads into a three-way fight between title-contenders Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen — with Norris in the lead at 408 points.

#2- Sotheby’s inaugural Abu Dhabi Collectors’ Week wraps today at the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi. In partnership with ADIO, the flagship event features auctions, exhibitions, masterclasses, and panel discussions across luxury sectors including high jewelry, rare watches, collector cars, fine art, and real estate.

HAPPENING NEXT WEEK-

#1- The Abu Dhabi Finance Week will kick off on Monday, 8 December and run until Thursday, 11 December at the ADGM in Al Maryah Island. The largest finance event in the UAE promises a star-studded lineup, with the likes of Microsoft Founder Bill Gates, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon among the speakers on the schedule. Day one will host the Abu Dhabi Economic Forum, which will feature government officials, heads of sovereign wealth funds, and economists to discuss the future of sustainable economic development.

#2- The DeFi Technologies Insights Global Symposium is happening on Monday, 8 December at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. The symposium will convene leaders across digital finance and capital markets to explore how digital assets, blockchain and AI are redefining modern finance across institutional and sovereign markets globally.

#3- The BTC MENA Conference is happening on Monday, 8 December and Tuesday, 9 December at the Adnec Center in Abu Dhabi. The two day event brings together leaders, investors, and key stakeholders to discuss the evolving landscape of BTC and the key challenges facing the ecosystem. The conference will examine the convergence of regional capital, energy planning and infrastructure development.

#4- The Global AI Show is taking place on Monday, 8 December and Tuesday, 9 December in Abu Dhabi, connecting AI experts, tech leaders, policymakers, investors, and startups to explore how AI can shape business and government functions across key sectors including finance, healthcare, and cybersecurity.

#5- TheBridgeSummit is also taking place on Monday, 8 December until Wednesday, 10 December at the Adnec Center in Abu Dhabi. The three day multimedia conference convenes C-suite executives, policymakers, media professionals, and content creators featuring panel discussions, talks and keynotes to discuss the future of media, entertainment and the creative landscape.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

Enoc partners with Ion to roll out ultra-fast EV chargers across Sharjah: Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) has signed an agreement with Ion — Beeah’s sustainable mobility unit and JV with Crescent Enterprises — to deploy ultra-fast DC electric vehicle chargers at Enoc service stations in Sharjah, state news agency Wam reports. The first phase targets high-traffic stations, with both sides exploring further expansion across the emirate. Ion will supply, install, and operate the chargers via its digital platform.

ICYMI- The UAE has been ramping up its EV charging infrastructure, with recent developments including Dewa and Parkin working to expand Dubai’s public network with 100 new chargers, alongside a broad rollout of 208 ultra-fast chargers with Dubai Taxi, 200 DC fast chargers under Parkin’s agreement with e&, BYD’s planned 1 MW charging units, and UAEV’s target of 10k chargers nationwide by 2030.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

A handful of big tech and M&A-related news has captured the attention of the global business press this morning.

#1- Meta is set to make meaningful spending cuts to its Metaverse division, with plans for a budget cut of up to 30% and layoffs likely as early as January. The move to trim its virtual reality group comes as investors scrutinize spending on the segment and the lack of significant competition in the industry as CEO Mark Zuckerberg piles bns of USD into Meta’s AI unit. (Financial Times | Bloomberg | Reuters | Wall Street Journal)

#2- Netflix has apparently made the highest bid for Warner Bros with an offer that includes 85% cash, a source told Reuters. The company was still reportedly seeking another round of bids as of yesterday after suitors including Netflix, Paramount, and Comcast sweetened their offers earlier this week. Paramount accused Warner of running an unfair bidding process that favors Netflix. Paramount — whose initial USD 60 bn offer was rejected before WB launched a formal sales process — courted Gulf sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar for backing on the transaction.

#3- Apple just lost two more top executives — general counsel Kate Adms and VP for environment, policy, and social initiatives Lisa Jackson. They’re the latest in a string of high-profile exits from Apple’s management team after the devicemaker lost its head software design to Meta. Apple earlier this week pushed out its struggling its AI chief and its longtime chief operating officer recently retired as planned. (CNBC | Reuters)

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