The Hellenic Growth Fund is bringing the 18th Annual Meeting of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) to Greece. The event will bring together leading investment organisations managing more than $10 trillion in assets and will be the country’s biggest investment event in recent years.
For three days, Athens will become a meeting point for some of the world’s most powerful sovereign investors, hosting the 18th Annual Meeting of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) from 11 to 13 November 2026. One of the most important international events in the sovereign wealth fund sector, it will have a significant economic, investment and geopolitical impact.
As a statement on the event notes, the Hellenic Growth Fund’s hosting of the meeting is a significant achievement for Greece, bringing representatives of organisations that play a decisive role in international capital markets and the financing of strategic investments to the Greek capital.
Athens was not chosen by chance. The Hellenic Growth Fund joined the IFSWF in 2022, initially as an observer and, in 2023, as a full member, after passing the relevant assessment against the Santiago Principles. Just a year later, in 2024, Greece was selected to host the 2026 Annual Meeting. This marks a strengthening of the Fund’s international presence and institutional recognition, as well as Greece’s growing importance on the global investment map.
The event is taking place at a particularly significant time: as the former Growthfund completes its transition into the Hellenic Growth Fund, broadening its role from managing public assets to actively mobilising investment capital and creating long-term value for the Greek economy.
An international forum with more than $10 trillion in investment power
The IFSWF is one of the leading international bodies for co-operation among sovereign wealth funds (SWFs). Since its establishment in 2009, it has become a key forum for promoting good governance, transparency, accountability and the sharing of expertise among the world’s largest sovereign investors. The IFSWF has 47 members, which collectively manage $10 trillion in assets.
The forum’s importance is reflected both in the scale of the assets involved and its geographical reach, linking investment organisations from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and other parts of the world.
Its annual meeting is a major gathering of sovereign wealth fund leaders, who exchange views on global economic developments, investment strategies and the challenges shaping the future of the world economy.
So-called “patient capital” to be represented in full in Greece for the first time
The scale of this year’s event underlines its significance for Greece. At least 200 participants are expected in Athens, including chairs and chief executives of leading public investment institutions.
Among the major international investors expected to attend are sovereign wealth funds from China, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Azerbaijan and several African countries.
These organisations wield considerable investment influence, deploying long-term capital in strategic sectors of the global economy, from energy and infrastructure to technology, artificial intelligence and new digital applications.
Their presence in Athens presents an important opportunity for the Greek economy to attract the interest of investors capable of financing large-scale projects and developing long-term partnerships.
Against this backdrop, Greece has an opportunity to present the world’s largest sovereign investors not only with its economic performance and prospects, but also with a well-developed investment plan focused on the energy transition, strategic infrastructure, the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
Geopolitics at the centre of discussions
Under the central theme “Sovereign Capital in a Contested World”, this year’s meeting is taking place amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty, a realignment of the global economic order and intense competition for capital, technology and critical infrastructure.
Discussions will focus on how sovereign wealth funds are adapting their strategies to a changing international environment as they seek long-term returns and greater resilience to geopolitical and economic risks.
Particular attention is expected to be paid to the relationship between geopolitics and investment decisions, the role of sovereign investors in developing artificial intelligence, risk management, the allocation of investment capital, and the opportunities created by digital assets and new financial technologies.
Discussions will also cover strengthening investment institutions and the role of sovereign capital in financing developing economies and strategic projects.