Financial Center News #136

Visa processes work best when they are clear, coordinated and easy to follow. Our Corporate Affairs team supports licensed entities, their employees and families by bringing visa services together through a single, streamlined system.

Establishment cards, E-Channels registration, residency visas and Emirates ID are all managed online through Access ADGM and in close coordination with government authorities.

Track medical appointments, upload insurance details, complete biometrics, and more.

Throwback | Accra – Final stage | CFC Africa Tour

As part of the second edition of the CFC Africa Tour, held from 16 to 21 November, the Accra stage marked the final stop of a regional journey across Benin, Togo, and Ghana.

In this throwback video, our participants share their experience of the Africa Tour, reflecting on the quality of the meetings, including discussions held with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), as well as the relevance of the exchanges and the value of the connections built throughout the mission.

This final stop concluded a tour rich in exchanges and opportunities, as the delegation returned to Casablanca with valuable insights and promising prospects for future collaboration.

We thank all participants and partners for their valuable contribution to the success of this edition.

DIFC reaffirms its commitment to supporting families through the Year of the Family with the establishment of a strategic advisory committee at the DIFC Family Wealth Centre.

Aligned with the National Family Growth Agenda 2031, this milestone strengthens Dubai's position as a global centre of excellence for family wealth, next generation leadership and succession planning.

Home to more than 1,250 family related entities and over 600 supporting financial firms and advisors, DIFC continues to build the region's largest and most comprehensive family ecosystem, supporting families to succeed and prosper locally, regionally and globally.

Christopher Buttigieg, a chief officer at the Malta Financial Services Authority, has been appointed to the Management Board of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), alongside France's Marie-Anne Barbat-Layani. The board helps ensure ESMA delivers its mandate as the EU's financial markets regulator and supervisor.

Gulf-wide economic opportunities under a unified regulatory framework that boosts investment and integration.

Earlier this morning, I had the privilege of presenting our capital markets concept paper to a room of over 60 senior professionals across banking, law, insurance, accounting, fund management, biotech, and technology.

It was a rare Sunday morning spent not running at the racecourse or on recovery, but in a 2.5-hour rigorous dialogue about the future of Hong Kong's financial landscape. Our discussion touched on pressing topics: from M&A bottlenecks and secondary market liquidity to governance frameworks, the strategic deployment of insurance and reinsurance capital, and Hong Kong's role in connecting global investors.

What stood out was the depth of engagement. Most of the participants stayed long after the formal close, offering constructive feedback and actionable insights that will directly inform our policy recommendations. My heartfelt appreciation to Philip Zhai for extending the invitation, and to John Zhang and the volunteer team for their seamless coordination.

Moments like these reaffirm the value of bringing diverse voices together. When leaders from various sectors care enough to dedicate their Sunday to some thoughtful and genuine exchange, it speaks volumes about the collective commitment to strengthening Hong Kong's financial ecosystem.

Once again, thank you for spending your Sunday morning with me. For other groups and associations whom we haven't contacted for an exchange yet, please let us know if we may have the privilege to learn from you too.

Istanbul continues to strengthen its position among the world's leading cities. According to Resonance's World's Best Cities 2026 report, Istanbul rose eight places in a single year, reflecting a more balanced urban profile shaped by strong retail performance, rising livability indicators and a growing investment and business ecosystem.

Invest. Impact. Inspire.

Have you shared your sustainable finance story yet? Entries are still open for our Sustainable Finance Awards, recognising organisations and individuals mobilising capital and delivering meaningful impact - from green shoots to established leaders.

Submissions deadline: 27 February 2026 Awards ceremony: 30 April 2026

Great announcement to kick off the new year! At Luxembourg for Finance, we look forward to working with the new colleagues abroad, which will help further boost our joint efforts to position Luxembourg's financial centre in key markets.

Honoured today to host H.E. Amb. Makoloo Maurice, Kenya's incoming High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, for a productive discussion on deepening Kenya - UK strategic cooperation.

Our engagement focused on accelerating FDI flows with a strong bias toward financial services, technology, green and climate-focused initiatives (including carbon markets) and start-ups. These are priority sectors that will define the next phase of Kenya's economic growth and global competitiveness.

As this partnership strengthens, it further positions Kenya as Africa's leading financial and innovation hub - a gateway for global capital into the continent and a platform for scalable, sustainable growth.

We've officially moved to Lusail Boulevard, marking a new chapter in our journey and placing us at the heart of one of Qatar's most dynamic districts.

Our new location reflects more than just a change of address. It represents growth, momentum, and our continued commitment to shaping Qatar's business ecosystem from a forward-looking home.

Happy New Year to our LinkedIn followers!

After a busy year working with policy makers and industry partners, we're kicking off 2026 still focused on championing the UK's financial and related professional services sector.

Here's a quick recap of what we achieved in 2025:

Long-term competitiveness: supported reforms to strengthen UK capital markets, boost productivity and reinforce the UK's global competitiveness.

Trust and reputation: shaped policy debates on regulation, pensions and growth, while strengthening relationships with policymakers and regulators.

International engagement: deepened global partnerships, promoted UK expertise overseas and supported trade and investment opportunities.

Regions and nations: championed regional growth, skills and infrastructure to help ensure the benefits of financial and professional services are felt across the UK.

Green and sustainable finance: advanced sustainable finance, supported the transition to net zero and helped scale sustainable investment.