On the Move

Michel Longhini resurfaces at Emirates Investment Bank

Nomura IWM’s managed solutions head joins FAB in Abu Dhabi

Jonathan Dale Joins Evercore as Senior Managing Director in the Consumer Group

Eptalex Welcomes New Partners In The UAE And KSA

Fuze hires Serena Sebastiani from PwC to serve as Chief Strategy & Venture Officer

Barclays Private Bank names new Middle East lead in London

Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance

Maktoum bin Mohammed highlights Arab Fiscal Forum

Qatar Financial Centre, ADGM, DIFC announce cooperation on cross-border data flow

EY launches its EY Studio+ business in MENA to serve the CMO agenda

KPMG in Qatar hosts Annual Tax Summit 2026 to discuss key tax developments and regulatory updates

Bahrain Bourse joins BAB to strengthen collaboration with financial markets

QNB Turkey tightens price on its $500mln 5-year Eurobond

Retail Banking

First Abu Dhabi Bank to open Nigerian office in sub-Saharan push

ALEXBANK signs an MoU with Blu EV

Gulf Bank reports a net profit of KD 52.4mln for the full year 2025

Arab Bank Group reports record net profit of $1.13bln for 2025, 40% cash dividends

Central Bank Pilots Face-and-Palm Biometric Payments, Extending UAE’s Seamless-Travel Ecosystem

As UAE central bank trials palm payments, Amazon ditches the tech

Alternative Investments

Qatar wealth fund plans to invest in five new VC funds

FTI Consulting and World Governments Summit launch global report on the creative economy as a driver of growth

W Capital: DIFC expansion of AED 100bln boosts real estate market momentum

Saudi Central Bank approves Aman Holding-Jarir JV

Qatar’s venture funding surges 81% year-on-year in 2025: QDB-MAGNiTT report

Dubai’s Magellan Capital launches flagship $975m hedge fund

Wealth & Asset Management

Equiom Group named Trust Company of the Year – UAE at Citywealth International Awards

Nomura: Meeting evolving client needs in wealth management

Former partners lead takeover of wealth manager Octogone

WRISE Group Establishes Strategic Alliance with The Continental Group to Democratise Access to Private Banking in the UAE

Amethis and Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity announce the final closing of Amethis Fund III in line with its target at EUR 406M

Dubai attracts global family offices & multibillion dollar asset managers

FinTech

Central Bank of Egypt launches smartphone-based POS service

Ooredoo Fintech expands money transfer options in Qatar through partnership with Western Union

Egyptian banks step up cyber security upgrades as deposits reach EGP 15.3tn

ADCB Egypt Goes Live with Temenos to Modernize Payments Infrastructure and Accelerate its Digital Transformation Plans

Jordan Launches Region’s First Fintech Academy and Applied Lab to Drive Digital Economy

UAE’s digital finance playbook signals a nation-level shift in crypto

Islamic Finance

Oman’s Islamic Finance eyes double-digit growth in 2026

Oman’s Islamic finance industry set to rise 25% to $45bln in 2026

Bahrain prices $800mln long 8-year sukuk and $1.3bln 12-year bond

Sharjah Islamic Bank achieves net profit of $272mln in 2025

Islamic bank Mal raises $230M in Gulf’s largest seed round

Aafaq rolls out World Elite Mastercard credit card

Research, Comment and Analysis

GCC employers grapple with unfunded end-of-service benefits amidst reforms

How luxury car brands are turning Dubai homes into high-priced assets

Alvarez & Marsal expands to Qatar bringing operator-led execution to support national transformation

Residential sales market maintains growth trajectory

HID’s Sam Cherif on why identity is now the backbone of modern security

United Arab Emirates – Real-Time Salary Tracking Added to Wage Protection System

Investment Bank

Intesa Sanpaolo Strengthens Its Focus on the Middle East: Imi Cib Solidifies Its Role as a Strategic Partner in the Gulf Region

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

Planet SOS

National Finance continues advancing Oman’s development agenda through its sustainable finance offering

ADIB strengthens ESG ratings with MSCI and sustainalytics

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