On the Move

Conyers Welcomes Middle East Specialist David Holloway

Al Baraka Islamic Bank elects new board, chairman

Janus Henderson appoints investment specialist to further strengthen presence in the Middle East

AXA Egypt announces the appointment of Walid Samy as Managing Director of AXA Life Insurance Egypt following FRA approval

FTI Consulting appoints Aurélien Vincent to lead financial services practice in the Middle East

Bonyan appoints Dar Ventures’ Aboushadi as board member

Legal, Tax, Regulation & Compliance

Dubai signs MoU to integrate SMEs into property sector growth

UAE revises tax penalties: 5 changes businesses must know

Saudi Arabia bolsters Pakistan’s economic stability with deposit at central bank

CBUAE issues updated AML/CFT/CPF guidance to strengthen financial sector compliance

How UAE’s R&D tax credits could unlock significant value for the construction sector

UAE taxes: FTA announces new penalty rules, reduces fines for violations

Retail Banking

Africa’s corporate banking push hits integration headaches

NBB announces 3-month financing and credit cards deferral options

ABHI partners with GCC Exchange to enable instant wage access and seamless remittances across the UAE

Oman’s Bank Muscat posts 9% rise in Q1 profit on lower impairment

BankDhofar named ‘Best Trade Finance Bank 2025’ at Global Banking & Finance Awards

Saudi banking sector shows structural strength

Alternative Investments

MENA ECM deals plunge 91% in Q1 amid weak deal flow - LSEG

Qatar’s banking assets touch QR2.17tn in February: QNBFS

Saudi PIF assets surge six-fold to $900bln

Dubai Holding Real Estate and Emirates NBD partner to introduce integrated off-plan mortgage financing

Dollar GCC ESG sukuk issuance stalls over geopolitical tensions

UAE and Philippines to develop digital currencies and link payment systems

Wealth & Asset Management

QIB named Qatar’s best private bank by Euromoney

KFH – Bahrain wins Euromoney Magazine Best Private Bank in Bahrain 2026 award

Lighthouse Canton sweeps Euromoney 2026; Named best independent wealth manager across Asia, Singapore and UAE

Global Finance Names The World’s Best Islamic Financial Institutions 2026

UAE attracts global wealth as private banking enters new growth phase

NBK Wealth wins ‘Best Private Bank in Kuwait 2026’ from Global Finance

FinTech

UAE strengthens its AI media ecosystem as Galaxy Corporation launches operations in the country

AI-led compliance demand rises in MENA as azakaw named IDC innovator

Saudi Arabia issues first Major Payment Institution licence to Lean Technologies

Egypt explores expanding SAP investments, digital skills programmes

Saudi AI company Humain partners with Turing to launch world’s first enterprise AI agent marketplace

How Doba's AI Platform Consolidation Is Setting a New Standard for eCommerce Infrastructure

Islamic Finance

Al Baraka Islamic Bank launches alBarakat 2026 scheme

Sharjah Islamic Bank posts 19.4% profit growth in Q1

Warba Bank announces new management structure

GCC Islamic banks show resilience amid geopolitical tensions

ADIB mobilises $5.53bln in sustainable finance in 2025

KFH–Bahrain introduces new Eid banknote withdrawals via extreme teller machines for the first time

Research, Comment and Analysis

IMF cuts MENA growth forecast to 1.1% on Iran war

UAE banks steady as central bank support cushions impact of regional tensions: S&P

Dubai’s real estate transactions surge 31% to reach $68.6bln in Q1 2026

EY Academy launches AI-powered project delivery programme in GCC

Qatar Central Bank says foreign exchange reserves rise 2.21% year-on-year

“No layoffs at Danube Group,” says Rizwan Sajan

Investment Bank

HSBC says it’s committed to commercial, investment banking in Egypt amid reports it’s inching closer to exiting retail franchise

Citi signs deal to sell 24% equity stake in Banamex

UmniaBank reports strong performance for 2025 with net profit of MAD57m

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

Planet SOS

Sustainable Finance Awards 2026: Middle East

Egypt: CBE catalyses banking sector’s shift toward sustainable finance

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