Financial Center News #122

The World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) is honored to host a panel at Sibos 2025 in Frankfurt on the topic: "How international financial centers combat financial crime, and why this matters."

📅 October 1, 2025 📍 Conference Stage 4, Sibos Frankfurt

The session will address the critical role of international financial centers in safeguarding integrity, stability, and trust within global financial systems. Discussions will also cover best practices, regulatory cooperation, and the impact of innovation such as RegTech, SupTech, stablecoins, and digital assets.

We are pleased to welcome the following distinguished speakers: - Jochen Biedermann, Managing Director, WAIFC (Moderator) - Hortense Mudenge, CEO, Kigali International Financial Centre - Hubertus Väth, Managing Director, Frankfurt Main Finance - Pawel Widawski, CEO, Future Finance Poland - Bernice Buttigieg, Chief Strategy Officer, FinanceMalta

WAIFC looks forward to contributing to this important global dialogue at Sibos 2025.

💡The World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) Mission in Frankfurt is starting.

Jochen Biedermann, Managing Director of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), welcomes our members to Sibos.

🎙️This Wednesday, we kick off with the WAIFC Panel at Sibos starting at 9:30 AM, where we'll dive into crucial discussions on anti-money laundering and anti-financial crime. 💡

Exciting day filled with insights and collaboration and later this afternoon, we'll be preparing for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) with all WAIFC members. 🤝

📸 World Alliance Family Picture 📸

The World Alliance AGM took place this week in Frankfurt 🇩🇪, bringing together our members from across the globe to review progress and set the course ahead.

💡 We presented key advancements in our flagship initiatives, including the Women in Finance project and the WAIFC AI Project, both of which are driving meaningful impact in the financial industry.

🌟 The AGM also welcomed two new board members: • Hortense Mudenge, CEO of Kigali International Financial Centre, joined our Board. • Pawel Widawski, President of Future Finance Poland, shared his vision as part of our leadership team.

🇻🇳 A highlight of the day was the inspiring speech delivered by H.E. Nguyen Hoa Binh, First Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, who addressed a full room on the development of financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, while emphasizing Vietnam's potential as a global investment hub.

🤝 This AGM once again demonstrated the strength of the WAIFC network, a unique alliance where international collaboration shapes the future of finance together.

📲More info: https://lnkd.in/eZ5vANP8

🔔 Breaking NEWS: NIFC Africa Nairobi International Financial Centre Joins the World Alliance as a Member ✨

A major milestone that connects Nairobi to leading financial hubs worldwide.

We are pleased to announce that the Nairobi International Financial Centre (NIFC) has officially become a full member of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC).

🤝 This milestone reinforces NIFC's growing role on the global stage, linking Nairobi with other leading financial hubs and supporting its mission to position Kenya as a gateway to investment in Africa.

🌍 By joining the WAIFC African Chapter, NIFC will work hand in hand with other African international financial centers, helping unlock the continent's investment potential and strengthen regional cooperation.

📍 The announcement comes during the WAIFC Annual General Meeting this week in Frankfurt, where NIFC Africa CEO Daniel Mainda is engaging with global partners to shape the future of finance and investment.

📲More info: https://lnkd.in/er6RMDkZ

In the context of our AGM, we had the great honor of welcoming H.E. Nguyen Hoa Binh, First Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, who addressed a full room with an inspiring speech on the development of financial centers in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang. 🤝

He emphasized the power of international collaboration, particularly with the World Alliance, and highlighted Vietnam as a promising investment opportunity on the global stage.

🥇 WAIFC Young Academic Award 2025 – First Place Spotlight!

We are delighted to celebrate Vivi Yuwei LIAO, the winner of this year's WAIFC Young Academic Award.

📍 A PhD candidate at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Vivi received first place for her research titled: "Adaptation Finance for Emerging Markets."

Her work highlights how financial centers can accelerate resilience and climate adaptation through targeted financial instruments and funding mechanisms.

🎥 She also shared a few words with us about her research and the role of international financial centers: video below.

📲 Read her paper here: https://lnkd.in/ewzFRi-e

📍 World Alliance Delegation Visit to Stuttgart Stock Exchange

Today, our member Stuttgart Financial warmly welcomed us at the Börse Stuttgart offering valuable insight into the architecture and strategy behind one of Europe's most dynamic exchange groups.

We had the opportunity to engage with distinguished speakers who shared their vision of combining local strength with global expansion: 🎤 Dr. Constantin Bettermann COO, Boerse Stuttgart Group 🎤 Thilo Rossberg Executive Director, Head of Traded Markets, LBBW 🎙️ Moderated by: Dr. Philipp Veit Director, Stuttgart Financial

Their interventions helped us better understand how the Stuttgart Financial is scaling its market infrastructure, embracing digital assets, and strengthening its European footprint.

This visit also highlighted how traditional exchanges are evolving with new settlement models, cross-border services, and innovation-driven platforms. A great moment of exchange, learning, and strategic alignment within the World Alliance network.

ADGM was honoured to welcome H.E. Mr. Nguyen Hoa Binh, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, for the signing of two landmark Memorandums of Understanding with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and the Da Nang City People's Committee.

Both agreements aim to foster bilateral cooperation and enhance strategic ties, with ADGM supporting Viet Nam's ambitions to establish International Financial Centres in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang.

The MoUs focus on: - Knowledge exchange and technical assistance - Developing financial human capital and expertise - Hosting joint events including roundtables, conferences, and seminars

Through these partnerships, ADGM underscores its commitment to collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and building stronger global financial connections.

🌊 Busan Global Finance Forum 2025 📅 October 28 | 📍 Lotte Hotel Busan

Busan is stepping up as a global maritime and financial hub. This October, the city gathers world-class experts and institutions.

The highlight: Busan Global Finance Forum, featuring Professor Michael Mainelli, Chairman of Z/Yen Group & President of the London Chamber of Commerce. His keynote will spotlight technology, connectivity, and global cities—and how these shape the future of financial centers.

During the North America Climate Summit 2025, Casablanca Finance City Authority signed a strategic partnership with the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA), reinforcing Casablanca's role as Africa's green finance hub.

The collaboration will support the development of a credible and competitive African voluntary carbon market, promote integrity standards, enhance local capacities, and advocate for harmonized market rules across the continent.

#DIFC and Ocorian have launched a whitepaper on structuring global wealth, highlighting how DIFC is enabling families and HNWIs to future-proof their assets.

The discussion featured practical insights from real cases, including families from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, China, and India, many of whom are setting up family offices, restructuring assets, and leveraging structures like Trusts, Foundations and SPVs.

This collaboration reflects DIFC's ongoing commitment to enhancing its private wealth and family business ecosystem and with key initiatives as #DIFCFamilyWealthCentre reinforcing its position as a leading global wealth structuring centre.

Read the whitepaper here: https://lnkd.in/edFHGMYp

[ Workshop on Sustainability, Due Diligence & EU Regulatory Requirements ]

The Economic Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), is organising a workshop on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) for manufacturers on Monday 27 October 2025.

Adopted in 2024, the directive requires large EU-based companies to identify and address human rights and environmental risks across their value chains. As Mauritius exports a significant share of goods—particularly in textiles, apparel, and agro-processing—to the EU, local businesses, especially SMEs, need to align with these evolving requirements to remain competitive and sustainable.

This workshop will provide an overview of EU sustainability regulations, introduce the CS3D Supplier Preparedness Diagnostic tool, and offer guidance on building effective due diligence practices. These insights will support Mauritian exporters in strengthening their role in EU supply chains and enhancing long-term market access.

Register Now - bit.ly/42jAg7V

EnterpriseNGR is proud to join global leaders in Frankfurt for the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) Annual General Meeting 2025. Our CEO, Obi Ibekwe, and Director, Policy and Public Affairs, Lami Adekola, are actively participating as members review progress, share insights, and set the course for the future of global finance.

From advancing flagship initiatives like Women in Finance and the WAIFC AI Project to fostering deeper collaboration across international financial centres, the AGM highlights the power of shared vision and collective action.

Building on this momentum, the AGM reaffirms the strength of the WAIFC network—an alliance where global collaboration accelerates innovation and amplifies shared impact in shaping the future of finance.

For EnterpriseNGR, this collaboration is especially important as WAIFC provides a platform to connect with international financial centres, exchange best practices, and advance solutions that directly support the LIFC agenda and Nigeria's ambition to become Africa's premier financial hub.

Together, we are positioning Nigeria at the heart of conversations shaping the future of global finance.

🌏 FinanceMalta at the Expo 2025 Osaka – Day 2 🇯🇵

The FinanceMalta delegation continued its active agenda at the Osaka Expo with a series of bilateral meetings held at the pavilions of UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Italy.

These discussions focused on exploring collaboration opportunities in the financial services sector between Malta and each of these key international players.

🤝 Our participation at the Expo is further strengthening Malta's position as a trusted gateway for cross-border financial services, creating meaningful bridges between Europe, the Middle East, and beyond.

🙏 Special thanks to Josephine Farrugia of Malta Enterprise, who is leading the Malta Pavilion, for facilitating these meetings and opening doors for deeper cooperation.

Launching the Bridging Program to equip graduates and connect education with labor market needs in banking & insurance sectors

In cooperation with the College Of Banking & Financial Studies as a pioneering step towards developing national competencies and enhancing #financial_sustainability in line with Oman Vision 2040.

Kick-off of World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC)'s AGM at the DAX, a typical local pub in Frankfurt. Members from over 20 financial centres from all continents – except Australia – enjoyed Green Sauce, Frankfurter Schnitzel, Ribs and Apfelwein.

I gave a tour through the history of our city: from the crowning of emperors at the Römer to St. Paul's Cathedral, from the Städel Museum to Messe Frankfurt, from Eintracht to Goethe.

AI in Action – our first meeting is behind us!

On Friday, September 26, 2025, at the Ministry of Digital Affairs, we kicked off the new "AI in Action" series organized within the Data & AI Specialization of Future Finance Poland, in partnership with our knowledge partner Accenture Poland.

🔹Guest of honor Deputy Minister Dariusz Standerski, PhD introduced the Baltic AI Gigafactory project – an initiative strengthening the hardware foundation for Poland's AI ecosystem. 🔹Accenture experts Marcin Ledworowski and Dawid Osiecki shared key insights on the latest trends in agentic AI and its practical applications. 🔹Together, we explored the role and challenges of AI adoption in the financial sector.

A big thank you to all participants – both onsite and online – for the inspiring discussions and active engagement.

This is just the beginning of a series designed to create a unique space for exchanging knowledge and real-world AI experiences.

👉 Stay tuned for the next editions of AI in Action!

Istanbul's air network already reaches 40% of global cargo traffic, and by 2053, Türkiye aims to achieve $987 billion in exports alongside a greener logistics infrastructure.

Istanbul Financial Center reinforces this strategic vision as a hub for capital and connectivity.

In partnership with The Drawdown, our Head of Funds, Elliot Refson, explores how diversification and tokenisation are reshaping alternatives. By breaking down barriers and opening access for family offices and HNWIs, tokenisation has the potential to create a more open and dynamic investment landscape.

Read the full article now!

Cybersecurity continues to grow in Luxembourg, with an estimated 317 private companies are active in the field, of which 86 (including 29 start-ups) have made it their core business. This ecosystem supports the financial sector with solutions ranging from advanced technology to advisory services.

According to Antoine Meyers, CISO at BGL BNP Paribas, and vice-chair of the ABBL committee Trust and Cybersecurity, "both in terms of skills and technology, the specialised companies active in Luxembourg cover all the needs that financial players might have."

Ilker Tutu, International Information Security Oversight at PayPal and chair of the ABBL committee, underlines that the risk is very real and constantly evolving, "We must both raise awareness of risks and inform about best practices."

Read our recent article to learn more about how Luxembourg is building a strong cyber-defence ecosystem: https://bit.ly/4nbM1VH

We are delighted to announce that the Nairobi International Financial Centre has officially been elected a full member of the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC).

This major milestone strengthens the NIFC's role on the global stage, connecting Nairobi to other leading financial hubs across the world and amplifying our mission to position Kenya as the preferred gateway to investment in Africa.

The NIFC will also join the African Chapter of the WAIFC, underpinning our commitment to working with other African IFC's to unlock Africa's investment potential.

The announcement comes as NIFC CEO Daniel Mainda attends the WAIFC Annual Meeting this week in Germany, which will bring international partners together to shape the future of finance and investment.

QFC was pleased to host HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, Founder & CEO of KBW Ventures, together with the KBW senior investment team, for a productive exchange with our CEO Yousuf Al-Jaida and the QFC Financial Services team.

KBW Ventures is recognised for its forward-thinking investments and sustainable growth strategy, leveraging synergies across 100+ portfolio companies to drive innovation and long-term value creation.

The discussion explored: ✅ Local investment policies ✅ Regulatory frameworks ✅ Opportunities for collaboration

At QFC, we provide a world-class platform for investors and entrepreneurs, offering a transparent legal and regulatory framework, access to international markets, and opportunities to collaborate within Qatar's growing business and financial ecosystem.

This engagement reflects our shared commitment to fostering VC and startup partnerships while supporting Qatar's vision for sustainable economic growth.

What does product-market fit actually mean and why is it so crucial for the success of a start-up? We have summarized 🤓 it for you

Last night we hosted the third dinner in our Executive Assistant (EA) event series with the brilliant Zoe Hill, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Premier Admin Services.

The evening's theme centred on the importance of networking, self-promotion, and building your personal brand – all crucial skills for today's EAs and business support professionals.

It was an excellent evening of open conversation, shared experiences and practical insights. A huge thank you to Zoe for leading such an engaging discussion, and to everyone who joined us and contributed to making the night such a success.

A special thanks to Alexandra Stewart from Marsh who hosted us at their fantastic offices.

Big ideas deserve big opportunities. At TRIFIC SEZ, startups don't just grow, they scale.

✅ Borderless innovation ✅ Investor-ready frameworks ✅ Africa-to-world connectivity

This is where tomorrow's success stories are built.