DFM announces new edition of Capital Market Summit in May

Following the success of the inaugural MENA IPO Summit last year, Dubai Financial Market (DFM) is set to return with a bigger and more promising edition of its flagship event “The Capital Market Summit”, the region’s only IPO-focused event.

Scheduled to take place on the 1st and 2nd of May 2024 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, the Capital Market Summit will serve as a pivotal platform for fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and cultivating dynamic dialogue within Dubai’s vibrant IPO and capital market ecosystem.

Building on the momentum generated by last year’s event, the 2024 edition of the Capital Market Summit will play a crucial role in igniting interest in IPOs and listings across various asset classes, stimulating discussions on capital raising activities and financial innovations, and, most importantly, attracting regional and international players to the Dubai capital market. Through informative live sessions, attendees will acquire invaluable insights, connect with influential business leaders, and explore avenues for accelerating growth with some of the region’s most exciting businesses.

DFM’s Capital Market Summit will feature prestigious platinum sponsors including Bank of America, Citibank, and Emirates NBD, alongside gold sponsors CACIB/Kepler Cheuvreux, DIFC, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Moelis & Co. and Rothschild, and silver sponsors EFG Hermes, Morgan Stanley and S&P. This lineup solidifies the summit’s reputation as a premier event for industry leaders, investors, and stakeholders.

Hamed Ali, CEO of DFM and Nasdaq Dubai, said, “We believe that the Capital Market Summit this year contributes to enhancing the exceptional progress that Dubai has witnessed in its transformation into a leading global financial center. Public offerings in Dubai have attracted over 1 trillion dirhams from various categories of investors since 2021. The second edition of this summit will feature a unique mix of participants from listed companies, upcoming IPOs, as well as a select group of regional and global experts and partners from stock exchanges, regulatory authorities, and financial institutions. This will provide a key platform supporting economic sectors and decision-makers to promote and support growth in the capital markets arena.”

Arshad Ghafur, President MENA, Bank of America commented, “Bank of America formally established its operations in the UAE in February 1972. We have witnessed first-hand the transformation of the economy and the capital markets driven by the wider vision of Dubai’s Leadership. Leveraging on our leading position in the booming primary market for IPOs, which is supported by a long-standing commitment to be one of the top traders and providers of liquidity in the secondary market, Bank of America has worked closely with key stakeholders to achieve a common goal: structural sustainable growth & development. It has been an honour and a privilege to have played a role in the continued success of Dubai as a global financial hub and the evolution of Dubai’s Capital Markets. We believe this is only the beginning.”

Maria Ivanova, Citi Country Officer and Banking Head, UAE, said: “We are proud to be a main sponsor of the DFM’s second Capital Market Summit and contribute to the discourse on capital market developments. For over six decades, Citi has been actively leading landmark transactions in support of the UAE’s economic progress and we look forward to being an ever active player in the evolution of the country’s capital market ecosystem.”

Ahmed Al Qassim, Group Head of Wholesale Banking, Emirates NBD, said: “We are delighted to partner once again with DFM for their flagship Capital Market Summit, a strategic platform aimed at advancing the investment landscape in our region. Emirates NBD has long been a leader in this space, driving initiatives to enhance international investor access through digitization and spearheading multiple new listing. Our support for this summit underpins our commitment to improving local market knowledge and showcasing success stories of the market.

Mohamed Al Marzooqi, Chief Executive Officer, UAE, HSBC Bank Middle East, said: “Connecting clients across our international network to the substantial opportunities in the region’s financial markets is a core priority for HSBC and, as the only bank to have led the annual equity and debt capital markets league tables in the Middle East for three years in succession, we see the DFM Capital Market Summit as an excellent platform for investors, issuers, and industry stakeholders to explore and shape the future.”

As Dubai further establishes itself as a global financial hub, the Capital Market Summit Series stands as a testament to the emirate’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity within the capital markets.

WAM