Features
MENA: Dipping Into Digital
Digital banking, cryptocurrencies, ecommerce and fintech start-ups—2017 was a record year for digital investments in the MENA region. But there’s wide variation between countries.
Author: Chloe Domat
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News
Oil-Rich Region Takes Up Green Finance
UAE and Jordan lead the Middle East's drive for post-hydrocarbon, environmentally sound projects.
Banking
Toward Standards In Islamic Finance
Banks' internal Shariah boards engender 'conflicting rulings,' so investors look to homogenize industry practices.
Emerging & Frontier Markets
Lebanon signs first oil and gas exploration contracts
French Total, Italian ENI and Russian Novatek won Lebanon’s first tender for hydrocarbon exploration and production. Operations start in 2019 in two offshore blocks, including one disputed by Israel.
Banking
Banking on Kuwait’s Local Market
Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s CEO, Michel Accad, opens up about his country’s economic role in the Arab world and why the Gulf nation might never achieve all its lofty aspirations.
Banking
Kuwait: Strong and Stable, Seeking New Pizzazz
Cash-rich Kuwait, bolstered by a healthy banking sector, is taking steps to reduce dependence on petroleum and motivate entrepreneurs.
Banking
NBK-Kuwait Ready To Power Growth
Salah Al-Fulaij, CEO of NBK-Kuwait, shares thoughts with Global Finance about competition, Kuwait’s growth prospects and the pressures of global regulation.
Banking
Revamping Kuwait’s Stock Exchange
FTSE announced Kuwait’s forthcoming addition to the Secondary Emerging Markets list last September. What’s happened since?
Capital Raising & Corporate Finance
Funding | Record Year For Investment In MENA Start-Ups
Last year was a record year for Middle East and North African (MENA) start-ups, with 260 deals attracting $410 million in investment, according to a report by Magnitt, a regional network for entrepreneurs and investors. The United Arab Emirates attracted ...
Banking
The First Shariah-Compliant Fintech Consortium
Theconsortium, calledALGO, will enable Islamic member banks to create fintech solutions in acost-effective and fast manner.
Data
Q&A With Central Bank Governor of Jordan
Dr. Ziad Fariz, governor of Jordan’s central bank since 2012, talks about the refugee problem, recovery from the financial crisis, and how his country is keeping its financial system on an even keel.
Data
Q&A With Central Bank Governor of Lebanon
Riad Salamé, governor of Lebanon’s central bank, discusses economic conditions for his country and the region in general, and how Lebanon benefits from its “strong, healthy and conservative banking sector.”