On the Move

Solas Fiduciary Services Appoints Craig Roberts to Strengthen DIFC Operations

Ithmaar Bank appoints Hani Ghayath as Head of IT

LG announces organizational changes for 2026

Grant Thornton elevates Imad Adileh to Chief Growth Officer in KSA

Hany Elnaggar joins Acquisory as Partner and Tax & Compliance Leader

Ithmaar Bank appoints Naif Alnasser as Head of Asset Management and RMU

Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance

ADSFF mobilises capital, policy and innovation to drive the next era of sustainability

BBVA expands its CIB services in the Middle East after receiving in-principle approval from ADGM

World Bank forecasts 2.8% growth for Qatar's economy in 2025

Corporate tax in the UAE: The new reality for businesses

UAE announces new VAT rules from January 2026; simplifies procedures

Jordan and Syria seek to strengthen banking cooperation, exchange expertise

Retail Banking

Saudi: SME Bank signs 19 agreements worth over $800mln to strengthen finance, development

UAE digital lender Wio Bank bets on payments, wealth to power next growth phase

BBK named lead partner for 4th Sustainability Forum Middle East

Al Masraf and Commerzbank sign MoU to strengthen cross-border banking collaboration

Saudi banking assets hit record SR4.94 trillion as sector posts strongest growth

NBK named Best Foreign Exchange Bank in Kuwait for 2026 by Global Finance

Alternative Investments

Saudi PIF executes 10 investment deals in MENA markets, says official

Brookfield and Qai Form $20 Billion Strategic Investment Partnership for AI Infrastructure

GCC companies prioritise strategy, compliance, and technology as 2025 evolution sets stage for 2026

ACG Heads of Operations hold routine technical meeting in Riyadh to review progress and advance ongoing work

BlackRock ready to partner with GCC wealth funds to tap Asian markets

Franklin Templeton, Finstreet Limited, and ADI DLT Foundation announce parallel strategic agreements

Wealth & Asset Management

Standard Chartered deepens digital wealth push across EMEA

Forsters debuts in Middle East with first office launch outside London

QIB’s Private Banking Team earns CISI certification in international investments and securities

UBS Billionaire Ambitions Report 2025: The rise of a new generation

QFC Family Office Forum highlights Qatar’s value proposition for wealth preservation and growth

DWS and Deutsche Bank partner with Qatar family office on German mandate

FinTech

Assert AI expands QSR Vision Intelligence across the Middle East to redefine drive-thru and in-store performance

Experts outline next phase of digital finance at Bitcoin MENA

PwC ME partners with KYC Portal CLM on new compliance tech

Middle East investors eye diversification as global trends reshape 2026 outlook

Syrian central bank welcomes Visa's launch amid digital payments deal

Saudi cybersecurity firm COGNNA raises $9.2mln to expand globally

Islamic Finance

QIB secures global banking excellence award in London

Tokenization and digital sukuk set to transform GCC capital markets

BisB named strategic banking partner for HQ Industrial project in Hidd

QIB wins 3 digital innovation awards from The Asset Triple A Islamic Finance Awards

The Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance signs a strategic partnership with AAOIFI to strengthen Islamic finance capacity

Sharjah Islamic Bank successfully completes sale of all treasury shares

Research, Comment and Analysis

Greenberg Traurig Recognized in IFLR1000 2025 Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates Rankings

How price intelligence can ensure the viability of premium pricing

Fitch Ratings affirms Gulf Bank’s long-term issuer default rating at A

Qatari Diar’s Fahad Al Jahrami on global expansion strategy

S&P Global Ratings Upgrades NBK’s Credit Rating to “A+” with a Stable Outlook

GCC banks seen holding stable credit strength in 2026 despite event risks, says S&P

Investment Bank

Goldman Sachs opens Middle East headquarters in Saudi Arabia

Cantor establishes Abu Dhabi office

EFG Hermes reaches successful completion of advisory for Cherry Trading Company’s IPO on the Saudi Exchange

JPMorgan expands in Dubai to target medium-sized firms

MENA DCM breaks all records: Nine-month bond issuance hits $125.9bln, sukuk at $48.2bln

Goldman Sachs Opens Office in Kuwait

Planet SOS

Sustainability Forum Middle East announces GARMCO as forum partner for its 2026 edition

EBRD invests US $40 mil in Infinity to accelerate renewable energy growth across Africa

Oman Arab Bank drives sustainable growth through innovation and national talent

MECC to expand scope of recycling projects

Sustainable freight can deliver major CO2 cuts across GCC by 2035

QatarEnergy ranked among most-valued global energy brands