David von Rosen is an international investor and entrepreneur. Through the VONROSEN family office, he invests in businesses worldwide with a particular focus on renewable energy, gaming, nutrition and technology. Some of his past companies include lottery platform Lottoland, property developer 25 Degrees and fashion label VONROSEN. He splits his time between Dubai and Switzerland.
Dubai has traditionally been seen among investors as a hub for oil and defence – an unlikely location for sustainable investment opportunities. However, a combination of the politicisation of ESG in the US, cost-cutting measures in cash-strapped European businesses and a renewed focus on sustainability in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has seen Dubai transition into a safe bet for the future of sustainable investing.
With ESG funds in the US and UK pulling back, this has opened up a gap in the market for European investors to reap the benefits of Dubai’s responsible investment opportunities – but to do so, they must break away from the old-school view of Dubai as a place only for oil investment.
Specifically, I would like to see European investors significantly increase their investment in Dubai’s thriving real estate market and tech sector – two industries that are increasingly building responsible and sustainable targets into the heart of operations.
While corporations in the West might be scaling back their ESG commitments, it has been shown that consumers continue to value businesses that operate sustainably and responsibly – with European consumers the most scrutinous of all.
The growing commitment to sustainability among companies in Dubai provides the ideal opportunity for European companies, funds and private investors to invest in organisations that align with their ESG values.
Sources...
