Middle East Archives

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Award Winners

Q+A: Majed Al-Saif; General Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Samba Financial Group

Retail demand for Islamic finance in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region keeps increasing. Growth areas include structured hedging and investment products, project and aviation finance, equity-linked and greenfield project sukuk.

News

Saudi Prince, “Minister of Everything,” Wields Power Behind Throne

<strong>Saudi Arabia</strong><br /> Known as the Minister of Everything, deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, the favored 30-year-old son of the geriatric king of Saudi Arabia, is a man on a mission.

Award Winners

Winner Profiles | The Best In Islamic Finance | 2016

Global Finance magazine profiles the best Islamic Financial Institutions of 2016

Banking

Japanese Banks Jump Into The Market

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ is learning to speak Arabic.

Capital Raising & Corporate Finance

Kingdom’s Economy Sputters, Austerity Plan Unveiled

Low oil prices are taking a heavy toll on Saudi Arabia’s economy, which is facing even greater austerity under deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud’s plans to raise $100 billion a year from subsidy cuts and new levies.

Economics, Policy & Regulation

Lifting The Veil On Iranian Banks

We present a rare tour of the newly opened Iranian banking sector. Westerners will be surprised by what they find—in both philosophy and performance—in this long-hidden area of the banking world.

Banking

Intent On A Global Footprint: Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari, Qatar National Bank

By any measure QNB has major ambitions. It is the largest bank in Qatar and one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East and Africa. It does not stop there. QNB has set its sights on becoming a global bank by 2030. QNB’s group chief executive discusses with Global Finance the regional downturn, success in Africa and its plans for a global presence.

Banking

A High-Stakes Poker Game

The Middle East is no stranger to political and economic uncertainty, but simmering religious and political tensions and stubbornly low oil prices have dealt the region a difficult hand. The question now is: How will countries play in order to win?

News

Adversity Brings Creativity

The Middle East is characterized by high youth unemployment and political and economic uncertainty, but new business and technology start-ups and young entrepreneurs are providing hope for future generations.

News

Best-Performing Companies In The Middle East

There are big changes at the top of the rankings this year, and there is greater geographical diversity in the list. Companies in the region are dealing with a number of serious headwinds and broader economic and market changes, which are starting to take their toll.

News

Branching Out: Adel El-Labban, Ahli United Bank

Despite tightening liquidity in the Gulf banking sector, Bahrain’s largest lender reported robust profits in 2015. After leading a slew of product launches, AUB’s group CEO and managing director believes the bank’s prudent risk management will underpin its expansion. He spoke to Global Finance at the bank’s headquarters in Bahrain.

Banking

Sovereign Wealth Funds: The Ultimate Guessing Game

Changing fortunes in the region’s oil-rich economies have made the secretive world of sovereign wealth fund asset allocation even more opaque.