Finance Middle East

Every year, International Women’s Day sparks conversations about progress, leadership, and equality. But one day isn’t enough. Women in finance aren’t waiting for recognition—they are leading, innovating, and reshaping the industry every single day. In this issue, we go beyond celebration to recognition. We highlight the GCC’s Most Influential Women in Finance 2025, showcasing 26 leaders - including Etihad Credit Bureau's Raja Al Mazrouei, Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)'s Noor AlKhulaif, Mastercard's Amnah Ajmal and Mashreq's Rania Nerhal - who manage billion-dollar portfolios and drive strategic decisions that shape economies. Speaking of change-makers, our cover star Rola Abu Manneh, CEO of Standard Chartered UAE, Middle East, and Pakistan, spoke to Finance Middle East about the launch of the region’s first Priority Private wealth management centre for HNWIs. The centre aims to provide tailored wealth management solutions for globally mobile HNWIs, helping them manage and grow their assets across international markets. We also feature Mastercard’s women leaders, including Baiba Upmale, Omoke Adebanjo, Olivia Bellingham, Eleanor Cartwright, Prakriti Singh, Ngozi Megwa, Gina Petersen-Skyrme, Khatija Paruk Haque, Sylvie Vermeersch, Ronel Lundall, Emilia Law, and Susan Koutsovitis, who are making a significant impact in the financial sector. The impact of women in finance isn’t seasonal. It’s ongoing, transformational, and essential. We hope you enjoy the magazine. Read the full e-magazine here: https://lnkd.in/dGmd7EDq

The value of global sovereign wealth fund (SWF) assets reached a record $12 trillion at the end of 2024, according to a Deloitte report, with Gulf-based SWFs accounting for roughly 40% of that total. Despite growing competition from newly formed funds across Africa, Asia, and Europe, the Gulf region remains the dominant force in SWF activity, driven by its large asset base and higher risk tolerance. Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/22QuDF0

In case you missed it: Sheikh Tahnoon met with Donald Trump this week, while the UAE's financial regulator revealed its 2025 priorities. Yango launched a $20 million venture capital fund, GCC banks are forecasting a strong 2025, and the UAE's Federal Tax Authority is urging businesses to update their tax records before the March 31 deadline. Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/VxK2GOw #UAE #GCC #BusinessNews #VentureCapital #Banking #TaxUpdates

Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center (NDMC) announced the closure of its March 2025 riyal-denominated sukuk issuance, raising SAR 2.64 billion ($704 million). Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/G_N_MXc

The Middle East recorded $39 billion in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity across 475 transactions in 2024, according to PwC’s latest TransAct Middle East report. The figure represents a 4% decline in deal volume compared to 2023’s 493 deals, but significantly outperformed the 17% global drop in M&A volumes. The data signals sustained deal appetite in the region despite wider macroeconomic uncertainty. Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/dsKyjnk

OPEC+ has mandated additional oil production cuts for seven member nations to compensate for exceeding agreed output levels. These reductions, ranging from 189,000 to 435,000 barrels per day (bpd), are scheduled to continue until June 2026, Reuters reported. Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/7EmB_U0

Abdulla Al Dhaheri, CEO of The Blockchain Center, will join us as a speaker at the Finance Middle East AI Future Forum 2025! Follow the link to register: https://loom.ly/wuzDkyI #AiFutureForum2025 #FinanceMiddleEast #AiInFinance

Billionaire Gautam Adani’s conglomerate is negotiating to purchase Emaar India’s operations from Dubai-based Emaar Properties. The deal is valued at approximately $1.4 billion, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/h2ZIamM

The question isn’t just whether neobanks will disrupt the status quo, but how customers and institutions will adapt to this new financial frontier. After all, the future is digital, and those who fail to keep pace will be left behind. Words by Khaled Ahmed, CEO of GFD Follow the link for more details: https://loom.ly/YC4ifcg

Cbk Elham Yousry Mohamed Mahfouz - IBG, CEO, Commercial Bank of Kuwait, has been selected as one of Finance Middle East's GCC’s 26 most influential women in finance 2025. Elham Mahfouz has been CEO of the Commercial Bank of Kuwait (CBK) since November 2014, with her 38 years of banking experience. She joined CBK in 2000 as Manager of International Banking and held several executive roles, including General Manager of the New York Branch and General Manager of International Banking. She was promoted to Deputy CEO in 2012 before assuming her current role. Before CBK, Mahfouz worked with several Kuwaiti financial institutions, gaining extensive experience in banking and finance. She chairs multiple executive committees and leads the CEO’s Committee at the Kuwait Banking Association. A recognised figure in Kuwait’s banking sector, she frequently participates in industry forums and presents discussion papers on financial and banking topics locally and internationally. Read the full list: https://loom.ly/GvTuA7c #Finance #GCC #Leadership #WomenInFinance #FinancialServices #GCCWomen