Financial Center News #108

🌐 At the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), we are proud to highlight the forward-thinking initiatives of two of our committed members: Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) and Luxembourg for Finance (LFF).

📍 Kigali International Financial Centre has published an insightful Financial Sector Skills Survey Report 2024. This study provides a clear view of Rwanda's evolving financial talent landscape, mapping priority skill gaps and actionable recommendations to build a dynamic, future-ready workforce. The report underscores KIFC's commitment to positioning Kigali as a competitive, innovative financial hub driving regional growth and inclusion. 📲 Read the report: https://lnkd.in/dFh-FXq9

📍 Luxembourg for Finance has unveiled Ambitions 2030, a strategic vision charting the next decade of sustainable financial development. From reinforcing Luxembourg's leadership in green and sustainable finance to embracing digital transformation and strengthening global partnerships, this roadmap sets bold objectives to ensure Luxembourg remains at the forefront of financial innovation and resilience. 💼🌱 📲 Explore the vision: https://lnkd.in/dA5-nTzs

These contributions exemplify how World Alliance members are shaping sustainable and competitive futures by linking global finance with innovation, talent development, and strategic foresight.

🌐 At the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), we are proud to highlight the forward-thinking initiatives of two of our committed members: Future Finance Poland and the Busan Finance Center.

📍 Future Finance Poland, in collaboration with Kantar, has released a compelling study based on 32,000 interviews across 42 sectors in 33 countries. The report offers key insights on how financial institutions can align with evolving consumer expectations around sustainability, enhance trust, and connect their strategies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 🌱 📲 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eSvxggRA

📍 Busan Finance Center published a groundbreaking research paper exploring how maritime finance can drive the sustainability transition in the shipping industry. The study introduces innovative finance models integrating Emission Trading Schemes (ETS), Compliance and Voluntary Carbon Markets, and digital asset exchanges — laying the foundation for Busan to become a leading sustainable maritime finance hub. ⚓🌍 📲 Read the full paper: https://lnkd.in/eGqttGby

These two contributions exemplify how WAIFC members are shaping sustainable and competitive futures by linking global finance with innovation, environmental responsibility, and strategic foresight.

Abu Dhabi tells its story through museums, performance spaces, places of worship, and centers of learning. Each space invites reflection: on who we are, where we've come from, and what we're building for the future. And that's what makes it a destination worth experiencing.

Today, the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Odile Renaud-Basso, visited the AIFC (Astana International Financial Centre). Together with colleagues, we had the opportunity to present the AIFC's value proposition for business, highlighting our robust financial infrastructure and the wide array of instruments available within our jurisdiction.

I emphasized the Centre's capabilities in attracting investments through sustainable and green finance, as well as the flexibility of our legal structures, including Limited Partnerships (LP), General Partnerships (GP), and others.

This visit builds upon earlier engagement with the EBRD, when a delegation of regional directors became acquainted with the AIFC's ecosystem. They gave positive feedback on our rapidly developing capital markets, advances in asset tokenization, and the progress of green finance in our jurisdiction.

As part of today's dialogue, we offered the AIFC Green Finance Centre (GFC) as a platform to support future EBRD initiatives in the region. The AIFC Green Finance Centre provides expert consultation on the structuring of green, social, and sustainability bonds, and serves as a verifier for sustainable financial instruments. Notably, it is currently the only entity in Central Asia accredited by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) and recognized by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) in its list of external review providers.

It is worth noting that the EBRD has supported the establishment of the AIFC from its early stages. Since 2016, the Bank has been a reliable and strategic partner for us. We look forward to further collaboration with the EBRD in promoting sustainable finance and advancing regional capital market integration.

We're pleased to share news of the IR event held for the June participants of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) TREIN STC program.

Participants from around the world gathered at D-Space, located at the top of the BIFC, where they were introduced to Busan's development as a global hub city centered on the financial industry, presented by BFC.

We hope the attendees enjoyed the impressive venue, the stunning view, and a taste of Korea through local snacks — creating memorable moments in Busan.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Busan in the near future!

A distinguished panel of international experts will take the stage at the Scaling up African carbon markets in Africa Conference to share their insights on Project Development Perspective. This session will dive into the real-world experiences of project developers across the continent, uncovering both the opportunities and the challenges of generating high-quality carbon credits in Africa. A must-attend for anyone looking to better understand the future of carbon project development on the continent.

🎙️ Speakers include: • Ms. Nadia Kaddouri, CFO, South Pole • Mr. Paul Mauthura, CEO, Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) • Mr. Benjamin Camus, Senior Director, Evolution Markets Inc. & Xpansiv

📍 CDG Auditorium – Atlantic Re Building, Casablanca Finance City District 📅 July 8th | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

🔗 Don't miss this key discussion, confirm your participation — register now: https://lnkd.in/erNCs8ZU

Advantage Reinsurance Management Ltd. has joined the growing community at #DIFC, bringing its expertise in insurance, reinsurance and risk management solutions to the region and beyond.

Authorized by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the firm strengthens DIFC's position as a global hub for innovative and specialized reinsurance services.

Women entrepreneurs from Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean – Prepare to trade beyond borders

The AfCFTA Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade is paving the way for greater inclusion in intra-African trade.

The SheTrades Mauritius Hub, hosted by the Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius, in collaboration with the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), is organizing a 2-day regional workshop from 3–4 September 2025.

The workshop will: ✅ Demystify the AfCFTA and its benefits for women-led businesses ✅ Build trade readiness across regional markets ✅ Facilitate peer-to-peer networking with entrepreneurs from Eastern and Southern Africa

Export ready women-led businesses in Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, are invited to register and join the insightful workshop.

🔗 Click to explore this opportunity: https://lnkd.in/dkbAt6Uw

This initiative will empower women to not only scale their businesses but to contribute meaningfully to the continent's inclusive economic growth.

You move money every day, but do you know how the system behind it really works?

In 2024, mobile money alone processed over ₦79 trillion, and that's just one layer.

The State of Enterprise Report 2025 uncovers the full picture.

Join the waitlist to get early access, link below: https://lnkd.in/dSkK9Nfx

A Memorable Evening in Support of Europe's Asset Management Community 🇪🇺✨

Last week, FinanceMalta had the honor of sponsoring the official Gala Dinner held at the Saluting Battery Valletta, as part of the EFAMA Annual General Meeting 2025 — a remarkable occasion hosted in Malta, in collaboration with the Malta Asset Servicing Association (MASA).

The dinner brought together key players from across Europe's asset management ecosystem, offering an exceptional platform for high-level networking, collaboration, and vision-sharing.

🌟 Our distinguished guests also had the opportunity to experience the beauty of Malta and its iconic Grand Harbour in an exclusive and elegant setting — a truly unforgettable backdrop to an evening of meaningful connections and shared ambition.

🤝 We were also pleased to be joined by key stakeholders including the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), members of FinanceMalta and Malta Asset Servicing Association (MASA), further reinforcing the strength of Malta's financial services community and its collective commitment to excellence.

👏 A heartfelt thank you to EFAMA for hosting your AGM in Malta and for choosing our island as the backdrop for this year's milestone event. And sincere thanks to Malta Asset Servicing Association (MASA) for curating such a prestigious gathering. It was a privilege to help showcase Malta's vibrant financial ecosystem and to support dialogue at the highest level.

🌟 Aware today… Secure tomorrow 📘

As part of its efforts to promote compliance and transparency, the #FSA organized in cooperation with the National Center for Financial Information an awareness program on Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing.

🎯 The program targeted securities firms, insurance brokers, and audit offices.

🎙 Three questions for... Paul Kammerer, Chief Commercial Officer at fincite - Wealth Management Software

What happens when the largest wealth transfer in history meets a digital-native generation? 💥

What do you do if 70-90% of the heirs are planning to change banks – because the digital offer is not convincing? 🤯

And how can artificial intelligence and tokenization be meaningfully integrated into existing structures?

👉 In our format "Three Questions to", Paul Kammerer provides clear insights into what really matters in wealth management now – and why digital transformation is not a vision of the future, but a lived reality.

📎 Read now: https://frankfurt-main-finance.com/en/3-questions-for-paul-kammerer-cco-at-fincite/

During this year's edition of the conference, Pawel Widawski moderated a panel discussion titled "Financial Institutions in the Era of Emerging Digital Solutions and Regulations."

The discussion focused on the key challenges and trends shaping the future of the financial sector: 🔹 the growing wave of regulation – from #MiCA and #DORA to the AI Act and FIDA 🔹 the urgent need for deregulation and simplification at both national and EU levels 🔹 the transformative role of tokenization, stablecoins, and artificial intelligence in the investment fund market 🔹 and a new approach to client relationships in the era of digital identity and open data access.

The key takeaway? Poland's capital market has a real opportunity for digital acceleration. Seizing it will require bold regulatory reforms and effective adaptation strategies to navigate an evolving technological and regulatory landscape.

Panel participants included: Krzysztof Korus, Marcin Kosiński, Jakub Strysik, and Marcin Zaniewicz.

Special thanks to Izba Zarządzających Funduszami i Aktywami and Małgorzata Rusewicz, as well as to all Forum participants for their presence and the inspiring post-panel conversations.

The Financial Services Development Council is proud to represent Team #HongKong together with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) and Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA) to make sure Hong Kong's voice in the carbon market wasn't just heard, but impossible to ignore.

The takeaway from sharing on #carbonmarket development and the influence of #Article6 among standard setters, SOEs, and regional players was clear: While we have the talent, market infrastructure, and capital to lead this space, we're punching below our weight for now.

The good news? We all agree the opportunity is abundant.

The hard truth? We won't grab it by working in silos.

If we want the big players to take us seriously, we need to move faster, speak louder, and align our efforts.

This is not about potential anymore. It is about who steps up. Are you in?

p.s. Thank you Paul Chow and Ken Chiu for leading the charge and for inviting Tracy Wong Harris and me to be a part of this meaningful event.

p.p.s. Catching 7:45am and 8am flights two days in a row is no joke.

Türkiye's investment landscape showed remarkable progress in 2024, with hundreds of Greenfield FDI projects driving economic transformation, job creation, and high value capital deployment.

This week, as we welcome our Market Development Directors to Jersey, we began with a stopover in London. Led by Robert Moore TEP, our UK Director, we hosted four exclusive roundtables across two days to explore regional trends and opportunities in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the US.

These insightful sessions brought together leading intermediaries and advisors to discuss: • Emerging trends shaping private wealth in key international markets; • The evolving landscape for advisors and their globally mobile clients; and • The continued role Jersey plays as a trusted, stable and forward-thinking international finance center.

Thank you to all attendees for your valuable contributions. We'd also like to give special thanks to Coutts, Boodle Hatfield LLP, Michelmores and James Hambro & Partners for generously hosting us.

To stay updated on our market insights and events, register for our regional newsletters: https://jsy.fi/44a9a36

We now look forward to continuing the conversations in Jersey!

At The African Leadership University yesterday, we had the pleasure of interacting with a brilliant group of students as part of our #KIFCUniversityOutreach initiative.

The insightful workshop was designed to expose participants to evolving industry trends and career opportunities in finance. Discussions explored how students can leverage Rwanda's growing financial infrastructure and Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) initiatives to position themselves for success.

Industry experts joined a panel discussion on "Unlocking Student Potential through Industry Insights," where they shared perspectives on the importance of professional development and today's labor market expectations.

We look forward to continued collaboration with academic institutions to empower the next generation of financial leaders in Rwanda and beyond.

For our team building outing this year, we went south and to the Minett, and brewed some beer.

Thanks to my wonderful Luxembourg for Finance team for all their hard work.

Fintech is evolving and so are the regulations that shape it.

We're pleased to share that Henk Jan Hoogendoorn, Chief Financial Sector Officer at QFC, will be speaking at GLA & Company's upcoming webinar: "Secure the Future: Fintech Regulations Across the GCC."

🗓 30 June 2025 🕐 1:00 PM (KSA/Qatar/Kuwait) | 2:00 PM (UAE)

Henk will join regional experts to explore the latest in: 🟣 Fintech innovation across the GCC 🟣 Regulatory frameworks and legal developments 🟣 Licensing and compliance challenges 🟣 Market-entry considerations and regional growth opportunities

This is a must-attend for fintech startups, legal professionals, investors, and financial institutions operating in or entering the GCC.

📌 Register now to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/dXHQhcJG

In this blog, our Managing Director, Public Affairs, Policy and Research, John Godfrey, takes a closer look at the Industrial Strategy, what it means for the financial and related professional services industry, and how we can work together with government and regulators on its successful execution.

📖 Read John's blog here: https://lnkd.in/emr5pGM3

How TenderSure™ Africa is Thriving in Kenya's TRIFIC Special Economic Zone

In this testimonial, Alex Wainaina and Catherine Wanjiku shares how operating from TRIFIC SEZ has empowered their growth - from enhanced operational efficiency to seamless regulatory support and access to world-class infrastructure.

Hear directly from the Tendersure team on how TRIFIC SEZ has helped streamline their operations, provided access to world-class infrastructure, and enabled seamless engagement with SEZA.