Chloe Domat

Sheikh Meshaal Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, director general of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, speaks with Global Finance about the emirate’s post-pandemic development plans.

A robust financial sector is helping Kuwait weather the Covid storm. But the emirate’s economic future will depend on some difficult reforms.

Sulaiman Al-Marzouq, deputy CEO for Kuwait at National Bank of Kuwait, speaks with Global Finance about the pandemic’s impact and how the bank plans to navigate the recovery.

Abdulwahab Al-Roshood, acting group CEO of Kuwait Finance House, speaks to Global Finance about Covid-19 and the importance of SMEs.

The normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel paved the way for billions of dollars of bilateral business opportunities.

Despite a year of increasing pressure and concerns, the Saudi financial sector remains resilient.

Islamic finance took a hit in 2020 but is preparing for the next surge of growth through innovation, standardization, and M&A activity.

With Moscow playing an increasingly important role in Middle Eastern affairs, the Russian state-owned bank hopes to boost business and trade relations. 

Large, fast-growing institutions based in the region are building up their private banking capacities, testing global ambitions and preparing for a generational wealth transfer.

Qatar is facing strong headwinds, but the tiny emirate can rely on gas reserves to cushion the shock.

Abdulla bin Saoud Al-Thani, governor of Qatar Central Bank, looks back at the past year—and ahead to the next—with Global Finance.

The fourth installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

Delayed by Covid-19, the central bank of Australia plans to license the country’s first Islamic bank in early 2021.

The third installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

The second installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

While the global economy slows, Egyptian banks aim to expand their foothold in Africa and boost intraregional trade.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has postponed a spate of deals, regional institutions want a piece of the Egyptian banking sector.

The first installment of a Global Finance FAQ web series on Islamic finance.

By drone or by cable, Google, Facebook and other tech giants are vying to unlock Africa’s trove of potential subscribers who still lack internet access.

The governor of the Bulgarian National Bank speaks with Global Finance.

The governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait speaks to Global Finance. 

The governor of the Central Bank of Jordan talks with Global Finance.

Facing the combined effects of Covid-19 and an oil crisis, GCC governments and banks are looking to accelerate economic diversification and transition to sustainable finance.

GCC banks are enduring a grim year. Islamic banks may weather the storm better than their conventional rivals.

Joseph Abraham, group CEO of Commercial Bank of Qatar, talks with Global Finance about how his bank is dealing with the current climate.

Facing an economic crisis, GCC banks are looking to tech transformation and bracing for a second wave of mergers.

Ahmed Abdelaal, group CEO of Mashreq Bank, discusses his new position and how Mashreq is handling the pandemic.

Lebanon's economy spirals as regional tensions exacerbate domestic political turmoil.

Executive insights from Rudy Guillemyn, head of Elite & Private Banking at First Abu Dhabi Bank.

The MENA region is rapidly minting millionaires, but the Covid pandemic and a generational shift in ownership of wealth promise changes in how it’s invested and in what.  

Regional powerhouse Arab Bank reaches its 90-year milestone this year. Nemeh Sabbagh, CEO, talks to Global Finance about current challenges and opportunities.

With most countries entering recession, booming oil prices are not on the immediate horizon.

How are Islamic banks affected by the pandemic? What are the specific challenges and opportunities they face? Here are a few takeaways from an online panel discussion organised on April 21 by UK based financial data firm Refinitiv.

Jean Riachi, founder and CEO of FFA Private Bank talks to Global Finance about the current state of the Lebanese banking industry.

A close-up look at how Lebanon and its banks reached the edge of the cliff—and the tough choices they need to make to step back from the brink.

Ahli United Bank’s CEO and managing director, Adel El-Labban, talks with Global Finance about operating in high-risk environments and his bank’s pending merger with Kuwait Finance House.

MENA startups are now a magnet for new funding. 

In a region bedeviled by war, corruption, money laundering and terrorism, banks are finally investing in financial-crime compliance.  

Regional powerhouse Arab Bank reaches its 90-year milestone this year. Nemeh Sabbagh, CEO, talks to Global Finance about current challenges and opportunities. 

Rania Nashar, CEO of Samba Financial Group, discusses the bank’s plans to overcome challenges and continue to grow in the future.

Lebanon's political turmoil makes solving its deep-seated economic problems even more difficult.

Haitham bin Tariq is the first Omani ruler with a background in business.

What started as a reaction to falling oil prices has spread from energy to banking and other sectors of the regional economy.

Redmond Ramsdale, head of Middle East bank ratings at Fitch Global Ratings, explains the 2020 outlook for the Saudi banking sector.

Cutting costs, drawing FDI and encouraging an entrepreneurial culture are all part of the transformation Riyadh is determined to bring about.

Abdulaziz B. Al Loughani is co-founder and managing partner of Faith Capital, a Kuwait-based regional VC fund; and CEO of Floward, an online flower and gift retailer. He was previously vice chairman of Kuwait’s National Fund for SME Development and a co-founder of Talabat, the Middle East’s largest online food-ordering platform. He talks about opportunities and the growth of entrepreneurship in the region.

Kuwait’s startup scene has largely developed under the world’s radar, yet the tiny ecosystem has produced some of the Middle East’s biggest exits to date.

Kuwait is keen to diversify its energy-centered economy. Foreign investment and market liberalization are definitely part of the formula.

With oil prices low and stress on liquidity, banks in the GCC are increasingly looking to consolidate in order to remain strong. 

An outsider takes over in Tunisia.