NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) a leading innovative research and community engagement, has announced a collaboration with Mubadala Investment Company and Al Maskari Holding to establish The NYUAD Transition Investment Lab (TIL), a new research initiative.
The lab, which is led by Visiting Professor of Economics Mr. Bernardo Bortolotti, is the university’s first fully-fledged research collaboration with Abu Dhabi-based financial institutions.
TIL is a research initiative that aims to establish NYUAD as a center of excellence and knowledge hub for impact finance and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) research, with a focus on long-term investments in the Middle East, Africa, and South-Asia MEASA region.
TIL’s mission is to follow the highest academic standards while offering strategic thinking and actionable solutions to investors in the core emerging field of global finance, which is co-funded by Mubadala and Al Maskari.
One of the lab’s primary goals is to introduce global institutional investors to a system for assessing and managing ESG risk and the impact of their activity in the MEASA region. This will aid the UAE capital’s ongoing transformation into a financial and logistical hub for investments aimed at addressing sustainable development in the region with the greatest potential for economic growth and societal advancement.
TIL is one of the ways NYUAD aims to show the UAE’s business community and local stakeholders the practical importance of its research initiatives.
Mr. Bortolotti remarked that “the past year has aptly demonstrated how interconnected our world is and highlighted the need to shift from the conventional economic paradigm to a new model based on environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and shared prosperity. Our lab represents a concerted effort to embrace this transition as new investment philosophy and develop a more substantive focus on how best to achieve measurable impact through the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals.”
Mr. Ahmed Al Calily, Chief Strategy and Risk Officer of Mubadala Investment Company pointed out that “As a Responsible Investor, Mubadala believes considering environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities in our investment process is an important aspect of achieving our core mandate, which includes generating strong risk-adjusted returns. In partnership with NYUAD and Al Maskari Holding, Mubadala strongly supports the Transition Investment Lab, which will grow the understanding and appreciation of ESG considerations across the MEASA region.”
