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- Total number of registered companies up 8.3% to 1,327
- 140 new licensed companies and a combined workforce of 18,521
- 178,376 sq. ft. of net commercial office space leased in 2015
- Ground-breaking of 11th office building in The Gate District
- H1 2015 growth aligned with the recently announced 10-year strategy
Dubai, UAE, 5 September 2015: Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), an established global financial services hub connecting businesses and financial institutions with emerging markets across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA), saw impressive growth in the first half of 2015 (H1 2015).
The number of active companies registered at the Centre grew 8.3% while the number of people employed within DIFC jumped nearly 5% to more than 18,500.
His Excellency Essa Kazim, Governor of DIFC and Chairman of DIFC Authority, said the Centre's encouraging performance illustrated the solid foundations of its 10-year growth strategy, announced in June, which expects DIFC's operations to treble by 2024.
"With a growing portfolio of active registered firms and an ever expanding and vibrant workforce, we are maximizing the opportunities for investment into and trade with the emerging markets of the MEASA region."
Operational highlights H1 2015
· A total of 1,327 active registered companies now operate within Centre, compared with 1,225 firms at the end of 2014, and 1,113 in the first half of 2014, representing an increase of 8.3% and 19.2%, respectively.
· 140 new companies licensed during the first six months of the year (36 financial services firms, 91 non-financial services companies and 13 retailers).
· The total number of people employed by companies within the Centre rose 4.8% to 18,521, from 17,680 at the end of 2014, and 11.8% compared with 16,560 in the first sixth months of 2014
· Ground-breaking of 11th office building in The Gate District announced
· An additional 178,376 square feet of commercial space leased
Out of the 1,327 active firms in the first half of 2015, 382 are financial services firms, up 9.1% from 350 in the first half of 2014; 750 are non-financial services firms, up 25% from 600, and 182 are retailers, up 14.5% from 159 in the first six months of last year.
Among the new companies setting up operations in H1 2015, DIFC welcomed Lloyd's of London, the global leader in specialist insurance and reinsurance, in March.
Joining in April, Bae, Kim & Lee (BKL), DIFC's first Korean law firm, will advise the growing community of Korean companies investing in the MENA region.
BankMed, one of Lebanon's fastest growing banks, officially launched its operations in March. The first MENA-based financial institution to receive a Category-1 licensing, BankMed will leverage its experience in corporate banking and risk management to offer a wide range of financial solutions, from credit to trade finance and treasury service, within the UAE and GCC region.
Middle East focus
DIFC's first-half results data is further evidence of the Centre's appeal as a global financial hub, with the majority of registered companies originating from the Middle East (53%), followed by Europe (19%), North America (8%) and Asia (6%), with the rest of the world accounting for 14%.
By comparison, in the first six months of 2014, Europe represented 35% of registered companies, while the Middle East, North America and Asia represented 30%, 14% and 12%, respectively.
Banks and capital market firms now account for 42% of active financial firms operating at DIFC (24% and 18%, respectively), while wealth management companies represent 41% and insurance firms 16%.
The latest expansion of the DIFC site master-plan, part of the Centre's 2024 growth strategy, saw the Gate Village Building 11 break ground in July. Representing a AED205 million investment, the building will span a total area of 200,000 square feet, including 160,000 sq. ft. of office space and nearly 40,000 sq. ft. for retail and F&B outlets. The project is set for completion in the second quarter of 2017.
In line with Dubai's 'Smart City' initiative, DIFC launched a dedicated portal offering registered entities a range of administrative services, including employee services, registration and licensing, certification and online payments to help. Efforts are also underway to enhance the IT systems and capabilities to further step-up the overall client experience to further streamline the operations of its clients and tenants.
Trade relationships
DIFC consolidated its trade and investment relationships around the world in the first half of the year, with senior representatives meeting the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Karim Massimov, India's Minister of State for Finance, Jayant Sinha, and Alan Yarrow, Lord Mayor of the City of London.
The Centre also signed an MoU in May with the National Bank of Kazakhstan to promote joint cooperation in the development of Kazakhstan's own financial centre in the capital city of Astana, as well as opportunities for MENA-based businesses to access Kazakhstan's domestic market.
Senior delegations also attended high-level industry gatherings including The Institute of International Finance Spring Meetings in Doha, CityWeek in London, Dubai Week in China, the Fund Forum in Monaco, as well as industry events Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
"The forward momentum established in early 2015 will drive further expansion of our operations throughout the rest of the year and consolidate DIFC's position as the leading financial hub of the MEASA region," added Essa Kazim.
Aspiring to rank among the world's top 5 financial hubs, DIFC announced its 10-year growth strategy in June aimed at deepening its core client synergies and further expanding the Centre's regulatory and physical infrastructure.
In addition to connecting the developed markets of the West with the emerging economies of the East, the Centre will realize further operational expansion by stimulating trade and investment in the South-South corridor.
DIFC aims to grow the financial sector's share of the UAE economy to 18% of GDP by 2024, compared with 12% in 2013.
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About Dubai International Financial Centre
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is the financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, providing a world-class platform connecting the region's markets with the economies of Europe, Asia and the Americas. It also facilitates the growth in South-South trade and investment. An onshore, international financial centre, DIFC provides a stable, mature and secure base for financial institutions to develop their wholesale businesses.
The Centre offers all the elements found in the world's most successful financial industry ecosystems, including an independent regulator, an independent judicial system with a common-law framework, a global financial exchange, inspiring architecture, powerful, enabling support services and a vibrant business community. The infrastructure within the district features ultra-modern office space, retail outlets, cafes and restaurants, art galleries, residential apartments, public green areas and hotels.
Located midway between the global financial centres of New York, London in the West and Singapore, Hong Kong in the East, DIFC (GMT +4) fills a vital time-zone gap with a workday that bridges the market and business hours of financial centres in both Asia and North America.
Currently, more than 1,327 active registered companies operate from the Centre, including 21 of the world's top 25 banks, 11 of the world's top 20 money managers, 7 of the top 10 insurance companies, and 9 of the top 10 law firms. 18,521 people work in the Centre.
DIFC continues to pursue expansion into new services and sectors within the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, an area comprising over 72 countries with an approximate population of 3.0 billion and nominal GDP of US$7.9 trillion.
For further information, please visit our website: www.difc.ae, or follow us on Twitter @DIFC.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Hajar Alktebi
Dubai International Financial Centre Authority
Associate Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Phone: +971 4 362 2440
Email: hajar.alktebi@difc.ae
Sonali Rekhi
APCO Worldwide
Associate Director
Mobile: +971 55 6264986
Email: srekhi@apcoworldwide.com
© Press Release 2015
