Financial Center News #105

📚 Submissions are now officially closed for the WAIFC Young Academic Award 2025. This year, we have received outstanding papers from across the globe 🌍, covering a wide range of topics, fresh perspectives, and innovative ideas. It's inspiring for our jury to see how new generations are reimagining the future of finance, sustainability, and technology.

🏆 The top 3 winners will be invited to present their papers in front of leading representatives from International Financial Centers around the world. A unique opportunity to shape the global conversation and bring forward new best practices to strengthen the financial sector.

Stay tuned for the results — the future of finance is in good hands. #YoungAcademicAward #YAAWAIFC #Finance #Innovation #WAIFC

💼 Money20/20 in Amsterdam is kicking off! Come meet the members of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), including FinanceMalta at stand 1H180.

If you are attending #Money2020 and would like to learn more about our initiatives at the #WAIFC, please meet us or send a message. 🤝 Looking forward to connecting.

ADGM's second Virtual Career Fair, held in partnership with eFinancialCareers, welcomed 10,456 participants from more than 30 countries. This marks a major milestone in our efforts to connect top global talent with leading companies in Abu Dhabi's international financial centre.

With employer booths receiving over 32,000 visits, the event featured major players across finance, fintech, legal and tech.

As we continue building a thriving ecosystem that fuels innovation and opportunity, initiatives like this ensure ADGM remains a magnet for talent.

On the sidelines of the Astana International Forum, we were honored to welcome several distinguished international guests to the AIFC.

A key highlight was the Kazakhstan–United Arab Emirates Investment Roundtable, held with the participation of UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure H.E. Suhail Al Mazroui and representatives of both Kazakh and Emirati companies.

The UAE remains one of Kazakhstan's principal strategic partners, having invested over $4.3 billion into our economy. Emirati firms are playing an active role in major projects across the country, including Presight's Smart City and data centre initiative, the development of Kuryk Port in Aktau, and a 1,000 MW wind power station in the Zhambyl region.

As part of the Kazakhstan–UAE Investment Roundtable, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between KEGOC, Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company), and the Mohamed Bin Zayed Raptor Conservation Fund.

Z/Yen Community Newsletter June 2025 is Out Now!

📰 Z/Yen Community Newsletter June 2025 — World-class shipbuilders in Busan meet supercycle opportunity, stimulating growth in Busan's maritime finance ecosystem.

Busan's shipbuilding industry is booming with eco-friendly vessel demand, reaching USD 36 billion in sales. Financial institutions in Busan, such as KOBC and BNK Financial Group, are increasing maritime finance, with a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly ships. #ZYen #BIFC #BFC

We were honored to host the launch of the 10th edition of the Africa Insights Report, under the theme: "Catalyzing Africa's sustainable transition: Insights to impact a climate-resilient future."

This year's edition, developed in partnership with Oxford Economics Africa, explores how Africa can harness its natural resources and key sectors to lead a sustainable, inclusive, and green transformation.

Many thanks to our panelists from Oxford Economics, McKinsey & Company, Standard Chartered, africa50, and the Ministries of Energy Transition and Finance for their valuable insights.

Start-ups within DIFC Innovation Hub's community featured in the 'UAE Future 50', an initiative launched in the presence of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, recognised 50 high-potential Emirati-founded start-ups shaping the future economy.

Lune®, Itifaq AI, and DeepOpinion, part of the DIFC Innovation Hub community, were among the selected start-ups driving innovation across 15 future-focused sectors, including FinTech, HealthTech, EdTech, HR Tech, AgriTech, cybersecurity, renewable energy, smart mobility, and space.

These sectors are strategically aligned with the UAE's vision for economic diversification and global competitiveness. #DIFCInnovationHub #DIFC #UAE #Dubai #Future50

Held in Cape Town from 20 to 22 May 2025, the Enlit Africa 2025 event brought together key stakeholders from across the energy value chain in Africa.

Mr. Geerish Bucktowonsing, Director of Industry, SMEs, Freeport & Logistics at the Economic Development Board (EDB), joined a high-level panel discussion titled "Investing in Africa's Energy Mix: Mobilizing Capital for Africa's Energy Security," drawing attention to the challenges faced by Mauritius as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS).

Mauritius is engaged to increase its share of renewable energy mix, which stands at 17.6%. #InvestInMauritius #EnergyTransition #Sustainability

🎥 Event Highlight: Malta's Presence at Seamless Middle East 2025 🇲🇹🇦🇪

H.E. Maria Camilleri Calleja, Ambassador of Malta to the UAE, reflects on Malta's strong presence at Seamless Middle East. In her remarks, the Ambassador emphasized Malta's strategic role in the financial services and fintech sectors, and the importance of building international relationships in the MENA region.

📍 FinanceMalta was present at Stand H5-A30 together with a delegation of industry players proudly representing Malta.

🚀 Transformation begins with knowledge.

The Authority continues implementing the #Tamkeen2025 program through the Insurtech workshop, empowering insurance professionals to better understand digital transformation and AI applications. #FSA #DigitalTransformation #Insurtech #Tamkeen_2025

#Newsletter | Find the latest news from the financial center Frankfurt here 👇

✨ #BlockImPark: "It feels like magic sometimes," said Georgia Lewis at Eintracht Frankfurt's conference on AI and blockchain. In its fourth edition, Block im Park once again brought together finance, tech, and regulation in the Deutsche Bank Park.

⚖️ #AFMEConference: The European Compliance and Legal Conference gathered experts in law, regulation, and finance – a strong stage for the issues that drive Frankfurt as a financial center.

🏦 #BankingDistrict: Deka, Helaba, and Sparkasse are consolidating their presence in Frankfurt's banking district.

🎓 #FinancialLiteracy: FMF is proud to sponsor this year's "Young Female Journalists and Finance" seminar, supporting financial education and the next generation of media voices.

🚨 Heading to the European Financial Congress in Sopot? Pawel Widawski, President of Future Finance Poland, will be attending and speaking in a panel on the future of banking operations:

🎤 "Shared Service Centres in the Banking Revolution – What Opportunities Do Operational Hubs Create in Times of Technological Transformation?" 🗓️ Date: June 4, 2025 🕘 Time: 09:00–10:00 📍 Venue: Sheraton Hotel, Sopot

Together with leaders from Citi, Nordea, ABSL, and mBank, we'll discuss how shared service centers are evolving from cost-efficiency engines to strategic innovation partners — especially amid rapid digital and AI-driven change. #FutureFinancePoland #EKF2025 #SharedServices #BankingInnovation

Thrilled to see Manulife announce its plan to redomicile to Hong Kong from Bermuda, joining AXA, which moved on the first day of our city's new regime.

At the Financial Services Development Council, our team is proud to have worked closely with industry leaders on solidifying our strengths and adding a range of products to our offering. With one paper already published and another about our talent landscape in the making, we are all for reinforcing Hong Kong's role as a global financial powerhouse.

Insurance is not just about risk management — it is a catalyst for growth across asset and wealth management, creating ripple effects for the entire financial services ecosystem.

Rising with modern architecture and strategic purpose, Istanbul Financial Center represents the transformation of Istanbul into a regional powerhouse of finance and innovation.

🚨🎙 New Episode Alert! Episode 3 of the Fired Up For Finance podcast is live.

Curious how legal frameworks help shape thriving financial centers, and how Rwanda is building one through smart reforms? This episode breaks it down. Tune in for insights that matter. #FiredUp4Finance

To support the development of a wholesale digital euro compatible with market-developed DLT platforms, the Eurosystem conducted two large-scale experiments between May and November 2024. These involved 64 participants, including central banks, financial institutions, and DLT operators, who processed over 200 transactions totaling €1.59 billion.

Luxembourg-based Clearstream played a key role as a DLT market operator via its entities in Luxembourg, Frankfurt, and LuxCSD. It used its D7 digital platform and private blockchain to facilitate client access during the trials.

We spoke with Thilo Derenbach, Director of Business Development for Digital Securities Services at Clearstream Luxembourg, about the trials and what would be the next steps in the process. #digitalassets #wCBDC #finance #digitalfinance #Luxembourg

We were pleased to welcome the third cohort of students from the Qatar Leadership Centre (QLC) "Executive Master's in Leadership" program to QFC.

As part of their immersive educational journey, the participants explored Qatar's dynamic financial ecosystem through interactive sessions with our senior leaders, gaining insight into QFC's mandate, services, and impact across key sectors including financial services, Islamic finance, fintech, and professional services.

The day featured: 🟣 Expert-led sessions from QFCA and Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) 🟣 A guided tour of our Tech Circle and Ministry of Interior desk 🟣 A visit to the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC)

Start-up BW Summit 2025: It was a celebration 😎 for us!

Thank you for the great organization, the exciting program and the many interesting conversations — we were very happy to see so many partners, supporters and start-ups on site and to make new contacts.

If you didn't manage to pass by our booth, you are welcome to arrange a consultation with us via our website. #Landesaccelerator #FinanceAccelerator #StartupFinanzierung

We had the pleasure of hosting our members for an engaging discussion on global trade and the fate of multilateral institutions with Kumar Iyer, Ambassador designate to the UN, WTO and other international organizations.

We discussed the importance of reaffirming the value of groups including the International Labour Organization (ILO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), and World Health Organization (WHO) for the way they set our safety standards, ensure global interoperability for our digital world and address global health challenges.

The growth of regional trade corridors and the need for a reshaping of our trade and economic partnerships whilst maintaining a commitment to open trade made for a fascinating conversation. #TheCityUK

TRIFIC had the great honor of hosting Her Excellency Nataša Pirc Musar, PhD, the President of the Republic of Slovenia 🇸🇮.

Her Excellency's visit underscores the growing global recognition of Kenya's strategic role in the future of sustainable investment, innovation, and digital services. It also signals a shared vision between Slovenia and Kenya for green, inclusive, and knowledge-driven growth.

We were further honored by the presence of Cabinet Secretary Hon. Deborah Barasa — a strong reminder of the importance of environmental responsibility in modern economic development.

TRIFIC SEZ is proud to be a bridge between global opportunities and African potential. #AfricasGatewayToTheWorld #TRIFICSEZ