PHOTO
As ongoing volatility and regional tensions continue to disrupt global markets, the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference in London this week brought together more than 300 institutional investors, over 100 Middle East corporates and all seven stock exchanges from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), in more than 3,000 meetings, marking the largest convening in its five-year history.
Opened by Georges Elhedery, Group CEO, HSBC Group PLC, discussions centred on the resilience, agility and adaptability of the GCC’s economies, and the sectoral and asset diversification opportunities open to global investors seeking long term exposure to the region.
Elie El Asmar, Chief Executive for HSBC Middle East Ltd Oman Branch, said: “Oman sits at the heart of the trade and logistics corridors connecting Asia, Africa, Europe and the Gulf, and that connectivity is increasingly evident in the data – the Sultanate now ranks first in the world for the speed of starting an export supply chain. For international clients, that combination of location, infrastructure and reform is exactly what makes Oman investable. As the world’s leading trade bank, HSBC is focused on connecting global capital and corporates to those opportunities.”
Haitham Al Salmi, Chief Executive Officer of Muscat Stock Exchange, said: “Interest in the Omani market continues to grow, supported by the steady deepening of our market infrastructure, liquidity and the range of listed sectors and investment products. Real progress is not measured by short-term performance spikes but by consistent eligibility over time – our goal is a deeper, more stable and globally investable market as we advance toward emerging-market classification. Forums such as HSBC’s GCC Exchanges Conference connect that story directly to the international investors who matter most.”
Conversations at the conference also reflected how businesses and policymakers are responding at pace to build greater flexibility into supply chains, funding structures and market access, including a focus on technology and digital infrastructure.
Elie El Asmar added: “The conversations in London were genuinely productive, and the level of long-term interest in Oman was clear. Investors are looking beyond near-term volatility to the country’s core economic fundamentals – fiscal discipline, a credible diversification agenda and improving market access – and that is precisely the basis on which durable investment is built. HSBC will continue to connect that confidence to capital.”
Media enquiries to:
Ahmad Othman
+971503069313
ahmad.othman@hsbc.com
About HSBC in the MENAT region
HSBC is the largest and most widely represented international banking organisation in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT), with a presence in nine countries across the region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. In Saudi Arabia, HSBC is a 31% shareholder of Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), and a 51% shareholder of HSBC Saudi Arabia for investment banking in the Kingdom. Across MENAT, HSBC had assets of USD83bn as at 31 December 2025.
