Dubai: The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism has signed an agreement with Swiss wealth manager Julius Baer to help international investors, business owners and family offices establish or expand their presence in the emirate.The alliance will create structured routes for private clients assessing Dubai as a base for their wealth, businesses and families, while supporting the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.Julius Baer will draw on a network spanning more than 25 countries and 60 locations to connect clients with investment and business opportunities in Dubai.The Swiss wealth manager had assets under management of 547 billion Swiss francs at the end of June 2026.Turning interest into investmentDET said the agreement will help convert international interest in Dubai into business establishment and investment activity.Hadi Badri, CEO of the Dubai Economic Development Corporation, the economic development arm of DET, said the partnership would strengthen Dubai’s ability to support investors seeking certainty and access to global markets.The agreement will support family offices, business owners and private clients considering long-term capital allocation in the emirate.Family office numbers riseDubai’s private wealth sector has continued to expand, with the Dubai International Financial Centre reporting strong growth in family-related entities.DIFC was home to 1,289 family-related entities at the end of 2025, an annual increase of 61 per cent.Families based in the financial centre had also established 1,115 foundations, up 66 per cent from the previous year.The expansion comes alongside wider economic growth in Dubai, where GDP increased by 5.4% in 2025.Dubai has also ranked as the world’s leading destination for greenfield foreign direct investment projects for five consecutive years.Another global banking partnershipThe Julius Baer alliance follows a separate agreement between DET and Deutsche Bank aimed at attracting global investors, family offices and international businesses to Dubai.DET supports introduced clients with their Dubai entry plans, including company formation, engagement with government entities and access to applicable residency pathways.Deutsche Bank will also anchor a Wealth and Family Office Forum in Dubai and include DET in international roadshows and client events.Nivetha Dayanand is Assistant Business Editor at Gulf News, where she spends her days unpacking money, markets, aviation, and the big shifts shaping life in the Gulf. Before returning to Gulf News, she launched Finance Middle East, complete with a podcast and video series.