Futures of Impact Investing
Foresight Outlook for UAE Presidential Court Office of Development Affairs
Drawing on expert interviews and systems research, we mapped tensions, blind spots, and forward-looking opportunities for how development finance can thrive in a post-globalization world.
Challenge
As global financial flows shift and the traditional development paradigm comes under pressure, the UAE’s Office of Development Affairs sought to better understand the future of impact investing in a more fractured, post-globalized world. The aim was to identify future opportunities and risks, clarify the role of the UAE in catalyzing inclusive finance, and provide strategic input to guide long-term development funding efforts.
Approach
We conducted a foresight-driven research study grounded in systems thinking and stakeholder intelligence. The process included desk research, trend synthesis, and in-depth expert interviews with leading voices in the impact investing space—from global development financiers and foundations to regional capital allocators and innovators. The study explored both macro shifts and ground-level frictions, emphasizing perspectives from the Global South.
The final report structured key findings into 10 emerging themes, each supported by quotes, drivers, tensions, and forward-looking scenarios. It also mapped practical levers and institutional considerations for how the UAE might adapt its investment and development model to be even more future-fit.
Outcomes
1) Strategic Insight into Emerging Investment Logics
The study revealed how impact investing is evolving—from isolated impact projects to systemic approaches that embed long-term value creation, often in politically or economically unstable regions.
2) Mapping of Frictions and Future Tensions
We surfaced key tensions—such as virtue signalling vs. real risk, ESG backlash, sustainability vs. commercial trade-offs, and capital fragmentation—that shape the effectiveness of impact strategies.
3) Strategic Futures-Ready Recommendations
The study delivered actionable insights and strategic levers for UAE ODA, helping inform decisions about partnerships, capital allocation, and long-term role positioning in inclusive global finance.
Quote from the Report
“Impact is a mindset, maybe even a way of life. Itʼs targeting positive change with equity and sustainability in mind. It transcends any one system and gives us a chance to help drive system change from within those systems.”
Impact Investing Expert
