Financial Center News #164

A special shoutout goes to our member, the Bahamas Financial Services Board, for organizing its "Financial Services Day," supporting the general public and contributing to financial inclusion. Well done!

Another impressive figure comes from the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), which is preparing its Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) in December. ADGM expects more than 35,000 participants this year. Please consider joining and meet us there!

🤝 Our Managing Director, Jochen Biedermann, is featured in the latest edition of VnEconomy / Vietnam Economic Times, sharing the World Alliance of International Financial Centers' perspective on Vietnam's ambition to become a leading international financial center. 🇻🇳

🚀 In the interview, Jochen highlights Vietnam's unique strengths—from its young and digitally native workforce to its strategic position in ASEAN—and explains why the country's future lies in building a next-generation financial center powered by digital finance, AI, fintech, and sustainable finance.

🤝 At the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC), we are proud to contribute to this journey by connecting financial centers worldwide, sharing international best practices, and supporting emerging financial hubs as they strengthen their global competitiveness.

Every year, ADFW feels bigger.

In scale. In ambition. In the caliber of the discussions. In the diversity of the people in the room.

This December, #ADFW2026 returns under the theme 'The Capital Community, Powered by Partnerships', bringing together more than 35,000 participants, 800+ speakers and 70+ events for what promises to be its biggest edition yet.

Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d7cEw9-4

Kyle Shostak, CEO of Title Broker International, shares his experience of participating in Astana Finance Days #AFD2026.

The #forum gave the company a unique #opportunity for #networking, which #developed into productive #business relationships.

This kind of live engagement with key #market players makes the forum a powerful platform for business growth.

We invite everyone to join the forum and take part in the #discussions and specialized panels at AFD 2026 held September 9-10 in #Astana.

We were delighted to see the enthusiastic participation at our recent Financial Services Day!

The packed schedule brought together our community, with families connecting with financial services professionals, exploring the wide range of financial products and services available in The Bahamas, and engaging in fun activities to win prizes.

A key highlight for us was the Industry Clinics, where professionals offered complimentary legal consultations and financial planning guidance, providing direct support to the community. We were also pleased to distribute Back to School vouchers to students, helping families prepare for the upcoming school year.

A sincere thank you to the financial services firms that participated as booths and helped promote financial literacy by engaging with members of the public and sharing valuable information about their products and services.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated volunteers for generously donating their time and expertise, and to our generous donors for making the Back to School vouchers possible.

Your support truly made a difference!

Renowned expert voices to lead the Casablanca Business Forum's panel discussions.

Casablanca Finance City Authority is pleased to announce that Christine Ockrent, Arnaud Le Gal , and Manal Bernoussi will lead the panel discussions and proceedings at the second edition of the Casablanca Business Forum.

Christine Ockrent, internationally renowned journalist and commentator on international affairs.

Arnaud Le Gal, Editorial Director at Les Echos and a recognized expert on African economic issues.

Manal Bernoussi, Founder & Managing Director of Leaders On Purpose, international moderator and Master of Ceremonies, renowned for leading high-level discussions with global business leaders, policymakers, and investors.

Drawing on their extensive experience in economic and international affairs, they will engage with policymakers, investors, business leaders, and international experts throughout the Forum, helping to foster insightful conversations around this year's theme, "Africa's Next Economic Chapter."

While attendance in Casablanca is by invitation only, professionals, researchers, media representatives, and all those interested in the future of Africa's economy are invited to register for the exclusive online livestream.

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eFW_TJ9k

Trellen Capital joins DIFC, establishing its regional presence in one of the world's leading global financial centers.

The firm has chosen #DIFC as the platform for its next phase of growth, recognizing its international standing, sophisticated business environment and unrivalled ability to connect regional opportunity with global capital.

What is really happening inside Nigeria's private sector, and what do the latest trends mean for businesses, investors and policymakers?

Our Head of Research, Tayo MURITALA, joins anchor Ladi Williams on Channels Television's Business Morning to unpack the findings shaping the conversation, drawn from the State of Enterprise 2026 Report.

From sector performance to the signals investors should be watching, it is a conversation worth making time for.

📺 Watch live Monday, 27 July | 10:00 AM WAT on Channels TV.

The Accounting and Auditing Profession Forum in the Sultanate of Oman kicked off today, held by the #FSA under the theme 'Professional Standards for Enhancing Credibility' bringing together accounting and auditing firms and industry professionals.

It shed light on the latest regulatory and legislative developments, professional best practices, and quality management and auditing standards, contributing to stronger compliance, enhanced professional quality, and greater confidence in the business environment.

🏦 The banking community gathers in Frankfurt

On September 2 and 3, 2026, the Handelsblatt Banking Summit will bring together leading representatives from banks, fintech companies, politics, regulatory bodies, and the business community at Kap Europa.

Oliver Behrens, President of Frankfurt Main Finance and CEO of flatexDEGIRO, will also be in attendance. Together with other high-ranking industry representatives—including Dr. Bettina Orlopp, CEO of Commerzbank, and Christian Sewing, CEO of Deutsche Bank—he will discuss the current challenges and the future of the banking sector.

Topics of focus will include geopolitical tensions, rising credit risks, and the digital transformation. What role do stablecoins and agentic AI play? And how can the financial sector sustainably strengthen its international competitiveness?

We look forward to groundbreaking insights, in-depth discussions, and personal exchanges at the Frankfurt financial hub.

📅 September 2 and 3, 2026

📍 Kap Europa, Frankfurt am Main

For more information and to register: https://lnkd.in/e6mKSDkN

Global tech giants are expanding their R&D operations in Türkiye, transforming engineering expertise into advanced technology solutions.

Istanbul Financial Center provides the institutional setting where these high-growth technology businesses connect with international investors and access an internationally connected financial ecosystem.

As the financial landscape evolves, the next generation will bring new skills, perspectives and ambitions to our industry.

We asked our 2026 Rising Stars Awards attendees to share their views on the capabilities needed for success and the opportunities available to young professionals today.

Hear their insights. 💡

📢 Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC) has officially begun its tenure as Chair of the Africa Roundtable of Financial Centres (ARFC), following the handover from EnterpriseNGR held today.

This role places KIFC at the forefront of a continental platform established under the World Alliance of International Financial Centers (WAIFC) to strengthen cooperation among Africa's financial centers and advance the development of competitive, well-connected financial markets.

During its term, KIFC will work with ARFC members and WAIFC to deepen collaboration among member centers, advance policy dialogue, promote research and thought leadership, increase the global visibility of Africa's financial centers.

KIFC appreciates EnterpriseNGR's leadership and contribution to advancing ARFC's mission and will build on the progress achieved to further support the growth and competitiveness of Africa's financial centers.

NIFC Africa | Casablanca Finance City | EDB Mauritius | TRIFIC SEZ

🌍 In Luxembourg, residents speak an average of 3.6 languages, which is Europe's most multilingual country.

This linguistic diversity is more than a cultural strength. It enables businesses to operate seamlessly across borders, serve international clients, and access talent with the language and cultural skills needed in today's global economy.

For the financial sector, multilingualism is a key competitive advantage, helping connect investors, institutions and markets from around the world.

It's one of the many reasons why Luxembourg continues to thrive as an international financial center.

The momentum is already evident. In the last quarter, 15 firms were certified under the NIFC Africa framework across FinTech, Carbon Markets, Regional Headquarters, and Financial services. A clear signal of growing investor confidence in Kenya's business environment.

As the world looks for credible destinations to deploy capital, Kenya is building the ecosystem where innovation, regulation, and capital converge.

Discover more at nifca.go.ke. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗶.

Investing in future talent starts with stronger connections between education and industry. 💡

QFC and Qatar Finance and Business Academy - QFBA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in talent development and help bridge the gap between academic learning and industry practice.

The partnership will create more opportunities for students and young professionals through internships, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and industry engagement, while supporting the development of future talent for Qatar's financial sector. In addition, it will expand the range of training and development opportunities available to QFC firms.

The collaboration also includes the Takween Excellence Award Program, helping empower high-performing Qatari undergraduate students pursuing disciplines that are critical to the country's future economy.

Greater Manchester is one of the UK's leading regional centres for financial and related professional services, with more than 151,000 industry jobs across the city region.

Ahead of the mayoral election, we have published a new manifesto setting out how the next mayor can work with industry to boost jobs, attract investment and support prosperity across Greater Manchester.

It calls for stronger business engagement, closer collaboration on skills and continued investment in transport and digital infrastructure, to help unlock the city region's full potential.

Read the full manifesto here: https://lnkd.in/eC6Ci_8f