Financial Center News #142

We are pleased to share two thought-leadership pieces published by our members, offering insights into how key contributors to the global financial ecosystem are strengthening resilience, economic security, and long-term competitiveness.

"Reinforcing Economic Security and Facilitating Net-Zero Transformations Through Resilient Global Supply Chains" by our member Frankfurt Main Finance

This report examines how the deep integration and concentration of global supply chains have created operational vulnerabilities, with implications for economic stability and net-zero transition strategies. It highlights the need for coordinated mitigation and strategic diversification across trade partners and supply tiers. Key takeaways include:

🔹 The growing interconnectedness of global supply chains has exposed strategic vulnerabilities 🔹 Disruptions like during the COVID-19 pandemic underline systemic risks 🔹 Germany and Japan's "transformation partnership" underscores a shared priority 🔹 The central role of comprehensive vulnerability assessments for strategic goods 🔹 How banks can act as catalysts by supporting risk mitigation and diversified trade finance

Report link: https://lnkd.in/dMpB5Qyk

"Ambitions 2030" by our member Luxembourg for Finance

This publication highlights Luxembourg's financial centre as a stable and strategic hub, offering reliability and resilience in a world marked by geopolitical tensions, economic policy shifts, and technological and environmental disruption. Highlights include:

🌐 Luxembourg's financial centre as a stable platform for global operations 💼 Strong governance, fiscal prudence, and AAA sovereign credit rating 📈 Leadership in wealth management, insurance, and international capital markets 🚀 Business-friendly and transparent regulatory frameworks 🤝 Expertise and infrastructure enabling cross-border financial services and investor confidence

Report link: https://lnkd.in/ePpTtV5W

Ramadan calls us back to what anchors us: family, faith, and responsibility toward one another. In the Year of the Family, this moment matters even more. Care becomes action. Presence becomes commitment. Community becomes something we actively build, not simply belong to. Because real progress does not start with ambition. It starts with people, and it moves forward when we do, together.

The AIFC Expat Centre is proceeding with its regular webinar series! Our upcoming webinar will focus on specifically for expats and internationally mobile employees to help you better manage stress, adapt with confidence, and maintain your mental well-being. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions directly to our expert during a live Q&A session.

📌 Registration closes at 10:00 AM (Astana time) on February 20, 2026.

👉 Register now: https://lnkd.in/d3ikC5H4

#DIFC operates at scale across all sectors, with a diversified ecosystem comprising 1,052 regulated firms, including the regional headquarters for over 290 banks and capital market institutions, 135 insurance and reinsurance companies, 70 brokerage firms, and 536 wealth and asset management companies.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/dtMp_wcC

Mauritius... a destination of choice! EDB Mauritius invites you to an exclusive business and investment forum at the Bayerischer Hof, Munich, on Monday 23 March 2026. Join our panel discussion with industry experts, legal advisors, smart city companies, real estate developers, notaries, and wealth management experts that will provide you with insightful insights on:

👉 The future Mauritian economic landscape 👉 Mauritius a strategic partner on the African continent 👉 Legal framework and investor protection 👉 Mauritius is transforming into a high-tech hub 👉 Trusted and robust International Financial Centre (IFC) 👉 High-quality living and lifestyle

Register now - https://lnkd.in/d49CipPV

🚨 Attention FinanceMalta Members! The Call for Expression of Interest is now open for RISKWORLD 2026 in Philadelphia, USA, on 3rd-6th May 2026!

More Details: https://lnkd.in/di3TqRWr

📅 Deadline to submit your Expression of Interest: 26th Feb 2026. Don't miss out!

📌 How to Apply? To express your interest, email: 📧 cristina.antoniolli@financemalta.org

The #FSA announces a tender for the preparation of a Business Continuity Management Plan.

Ramadan Mubarak! 🌙✨ Today marks the beginning of the holy month of #Ramadan, a time for peace, reflection and renewed gratitude. In Frankfurt, people from many cultures share this special period side by side, enriching our international financial centre. Frankfurt Main Finance wishes you and your loved ones a blessed Ramadan. 🌟

Major changes in identity verification are ahead, driven by new regulations, and the financial sector needs to be ready. That's why last year, together with FinTech Poland, we launched the Digital Identity specialization. Our work focuses on two key areas:

👉 preparing for incorporation into the Polish legal system of the eIDAS 2.0 Regulations, 👉 exploring business potential of the European Digital Identity Wallet across key financial business processes.

This initiative brings together financial institutions, technology providers and regulators to collaboratively shape the future of digital identity. The leaders of the specializations are Visa, Mastercard, IDentonic, and Obserwatorium.biz. Public administration institutions are also actively involved in the work of these specializations, including Centralny Ośrodek Informatyki and Ministerstwo Cyfryzacji.

The work we've done so far has resulted in the creation of four dedicated working groups, which have already started their work: ▪️ Customer Onboarding, led by Mastercard ▪️ Strong Customer Authentication & Age Verification, led by Visa ▪️ Electronic Attestations of Attributes (EAA), led by Obserwatorium.biz ▪️ Business Wallet, led by IDentonic

➡️ Our aim is to support the development of digital identity solutions that are secure, interoperable, and easy to use. Discover what each working group has accomplished and what's next 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dUxxiZ-R

How can Hong Kong as an #IFC help Indonesia's insurance sector enhance #AssetLiabilityManagement?

As the first collaboration following the establishment of our #MOU with Indonesia Financial Group (IFG), #FSDC's Executive Director Dr Rocky Tung delivered an engaging session for IFG's senior management and directors of IFG subsidiaries in Jakarta, focusing on #Insurance and particularly #AssetLiabilityManagement (ALM).

As the financial services industry becomes increasingly complex, Indonesian organisations are recognising the need to enhance their ALM capabilities, for instance, through expanding investment tools. The experiences and perspectives from Hong Kong offer a valid reference for our Indonesian counterparts, especially as they explore diverse financial instruments to meet their needs.

Through knowledge sharing with our friends in Jakarta, the FSDC is once again demonstrating Hong Kong's connectivity in bridging opportunities across regions.

✨ Watch Dr Ibrahim Kholilul Rohman, Acting Head of IFG Progress, share his thoughts on how Indonesia's insurance sector could leverage Hong Kong for a broader spectrum of investment opportunities.

A center designed for the business world, distinguished by its details. Istanbul Financial Center provides institutions and professionals with an integrated working environment through its 1.3 million sqm office space, social and commercial areas, robust infrastructure, and smart city approach.

Apply now to be part of it: https://lnkd.in/dxA9i6YC

🎥 Explainer video: 'Simon Boas Success Story' Award

This award celebrates a one-off outstanding sustainable finance success story linked to Jersey. The 'Simon Boas Success Story' Award could recognise a transaction, initiative, partnership or project, as long as it demonstrates clear excellence and impact. Even if you don't see your firm as 'the biggest' in sustainable finance, if you've delivered something truly impactful and can articulate that journey clearly, this category of our Sustainable Finance Awards is your opportunity to share it.

📅 Entry deadline: Friday 27 February 2026

Enter now 👉 https://lnkd.in/e4baPZFv

KIFC CEO Hortense Mudenge emphasizes that real progress in inclusive finance begins when innovators, investors, and partners come together with purpose. This March, #IFF2026 brings global leaders to Kigali to accelerate fintech innovation, unlock investment flows, and expand technology adoption for inclusive economic growth across Africa.

🎥 Watch her call to action ahead of the Forum, and be part of the conversation shaping the future of finance.

Confirm your participation: https://lnkd.in/d9aAnmen

Over the past decade, the rapid growth of alternative investment funds (AIFs) domiciled and managed in Luxembourg has driven a major expansion of dedicated valuation capabilities. What was once seen as a purely technical or secondary function is now recognised as a critical control point supporting governance, transparency and investor trust.

Christophe Vandendorpe, CFA, Strategy & Transaction Leader at EY Luxembourg and President of the Luxembourg Valuation Professionals Association (LVPA), underlines how quickly the profession has evolved. In just two decades, valuation has shifted from an informal activity to a highly professionalised discipline, with around 200 specialists now active in the Luxembourg's financial centre. The development of certified training programmes through the LVPA further strengthens Luxembourg's position as a leading European hub for valuation excellence in alternative investments.

Read the whole article here: https://lff.social/17fdf3

Last Friday at the Nairobi Stablecoin Conference, our Deputy Director-Capital Markets, Jean Kambuni, joined fellow industry leaders in an executive-level panel discussion exploring the regulation of digital assets, the evolution of capital markets, and the future of stablecoins across Africa.

The conversation underscored the importance of regulatory clarity, market integrity, and cross-border collaboration in unlocking innovation while safeguarding financial stability. It also showcased the strategic opportunities available within the Nairobi International Financial Centre to support globally competitive, investment-ready financial ecosystems.

At NIFC Africa, we remain committed to fostering investor confidence, strengthening regulatory frameworks, and positioning Nairobi as a globally competitive International Financial Centre. The World Meets Nairobi.

Learn more about us at www.nifca.go.ke

Ramadan Mubarak. 🌙 As a time to pause and reflect, may this holy month bring goodness, peace, and blessings to all.

Are you interested in Start-up BW pre-seed and still have open questions? Would you like to find out more about the requirements or about us as a pre-seed support partner? Then come to our online information session! 😎 Here you can get all the important information about BW Pre-Seed and ask your questions, regardless of whether you want to apply with us or one of the other support partners in the end, or just want to get information without obligation first.

🕚 When? March 11, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. 📍 Where? Online via Microsoft Teams

Participation is free and open to everyone! Please register for the information appointment via QR code or under the following link, you will then receive the meeting link 🙌 from us ➡️ https://wkf.ms/4auR92u

🌍 TheCityUK International Conference 2026 🗓️ Thursday 23 April 📍 London

Join senior leaders from across financial and related professional services at our International Conference 2026, sponsored by Freshfields, to explore how the UK can assert itself as a world-leading international financial centre in an era of intense global competition.

Topics to be covered on the day include how the UK can: 🔹 navigate competition among the economic superpowers 🔹 collaborate with other leading international financial centres 🔹 build on its strengths to secure greater global market share.

Confirmed panellists include: - Katharine Braddick, Group Head of Strategic Policy and Advisor to the Group CEO, Barclays - Edward Braham Chair, M&G - Rohit Dhawan PhD, Group Executive Director of AI, Lloyds Banking Group - Chris Hayward, Policy Chairman, City of London Corporation - Julia Hoggett, CEO, London Stock Exchange - Alan Lim, Director, Head of the Financial Structure and Artificial Intelligence Office, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) - Joe Moynihan, CEO, Jersey Finance

Find out more and register to attend on our website: https://lnkd.in/eU6C876Q

TRIFIC SEZ is pleased to introduce the Outsource Africa Platform: a new gateway connecting global demand to high-quality African talent, enterprises, and digital service providers.

A new category of global work is emerging, powered by AI, automation, and digitally delivered services. This is not the outsourcing model of the past. This is Outsourcing 2.0 - where value is driven by capability, speed, and excellence, not cost alone.

The Outsource Africa Platform has been built for this moment - to position Kenya, and Africa, as premium capability hubs for global services including digital operations, BPO, AI-enabled delivery, and knowledge work.

Kenya is uniquely positioned: • A young, educated, digitally native workforce • A fast-growing innovation ecosystem • A proven track record in delivering global services

Through this platform, we aim to build centres of excellence, develop communities of practice, standardize quality and delivery, and enable African firms to compete for and win global contracts. This is how we unlock service exports at scale and create meaningful jobs for our young people. This is the future of work - being built from Africa to the world.

If you are: A company seeking high-quality African talent An SME ready to export services globally A professional building skills in AI, digital services, or global delivery

We invite you to engage with the platform and be part of this movement!

Explore the Outsource Africa Platform: https://lnkd.in/dCJAyKN2