On the Move

IBM Consulting appoints Lula Mohanty as Managing Partner for Middle East & Africa

UBS GWM Appoints New NRI Head in Dubai

Farzad Billimoria to join Barclays as Head of Private Bank for the UAE

UBS GWM names new Dubai-based NRI head

Citi organizational announcement: Head of payments for Middle East and Africa

JP Morgan AM appoints head of Mideast asset management

Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance

UAE signed 146 agreements to avoid double taxation on income in 2024

UAE Central Bank suspends bank's Islamic window from onboarding new customers for six months

Central Bank suspends new Islamic banking customers at UAE bank, imposes Dh3.5 million fine

CBUAE fines UAE-based exchange house Dh2 million for violating AML rules

Oman to introduce 5% income tax on high earners from 2028

UAE’s central bank maintains base rate at 4.40%

Retail Banking

Emirates NBD clarifies on DirectRemit: No new fee for money transfers to India, Pakistan, Philippines, Egypt

Al Ahli bank of Kuwait Earns Top Honour At Global Brand Awards 2024

Sohar International launches Oman’s first open banking platform, ushering a new era of financial innovation

Qatar National Bank suspends share buyback, to resume on July 10

FAB Becomes First Bank in MENA to Join China’s Cross-Border Payment Network

FAB becomes MENA’s first lender to join CIPS as direct participant

Alternative Investments

Union Insurance takes further measures to strengthen its financial position

Oman’s finance and leasing sector supports economic diversification under Vision 2040

Trade volume with Saudi Arabia up 65% to QR4.9 billion: Qatar Chamber

UAE secures top sovereign credit ratings from major agencies

Howden announces its entry into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to drive strategic growth opportunities

Saudi Arabia raises $628m in June sukuk offering

Wealth & Asset Management

Dubai Beckons: Bugatti Towers and Billion-Dollar Funds Emerge

The Great Wealth Flight: Millionaires Relocate in Record Numbers

Global Wealth Office at Nest Seekers International Unveils Dubai Expansion: Establishing the Middle East as a Commanding Force in Global Wealth Leadership

Former UAE bankers get into wealth management as more millionaires take up residence

Hoxton Wealth Gains Approval to Operate in DIFC

Private Banking from BankDhofar: A bespoke financial experience for the Sultanate’s most discerning clients

FinTech

OPSWAT and SentinelOne enter OEM partnership to further strengthen multi-layered malware detection with AI

Qatar’s payment system registers 54 million transactions worth QR15.280bn in May: QCB

Orange Jordan announces the winners of the 2025 "Inspiring Change" Award for female entrepreneurs

NBK is the first bank to launch automated safe deposit boxes for customers

UAE employees outpace EMEA peers in cyber confidence and readiness, new Cohesity study reveals

How AI and microtools are empowering the next generation of Saudi entrepreneurs

Islamic Finance

BIBF launches a new series of professional micro-credentials in Islamic finance

ADIB participates in the “Midday Break” initiative in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation

Leonteq partners with Emirates Islamic on Shari’a products

Islamic finance assets up 4.1% in 2024, reaching QR683bn

Emirates Islamic to delist from DFM on June 10

Saudi National Bank issues 5-year riyal sukuk worth $461mln at 6%

Research, Comment and Analysis

Lebanon’s economy to benefit from World Bank’s $250m recovery boost

New KPMG study emphasizes need for robust internal controls and monitoring systems to combat rise in corporate fraud in MENA

UAE will attract more millionaires as Emirates remains safest country despite regional war

World Bank report lauds Oman's strong economic performance

World’s largest password leak exposes 16 billion credentials

Saudi Arabia ranks 17th globally in competitiveness index as it outshines economic heavyweights

Investment Bank

Mashreq expands global footprint with opening of representative office in Türkiye

Citi presses revival in banking after making gains, despite exits: IFR

Alvarez & Marsal released Q1 2025 UAE Banking Pulse

Deutsche Bank secures ADGM license, expanding presence in UAE

Beltone Investment Banking concludes EGP500mln securitized bond issuance for Jameel Finance-Egypt

Standard Chartered opens representative office in Morocco

Planet SOS

Qatar-based GAB becomes the first accreditation body from the MENA region to sign APAC's MRA for GHG Accreditation

NBK wins best bank for sustainable finance in Kuwait by Global Finance

Gulf Bank completes sustainability governance infrastructure

Ahlibank reaffirms its Commitment to sustainability through the installation of solar energy systems at its headquarters

MENA’s transformative role in climate adaptation

Arab co-operation in energy sector discussed