Summer 2015

SAUDI ARABIA: A new pipeline opens

Saudi Arabia is letting foreigners into its stock market, but don’t expect an explosion of new capital. The inflows will build slowly, writes George...

INTERVIEW: ‘It’s a question of flicking a switch’

If all goes to plan, Iranian banks could soon be reconnected to the Swift settlement system. That means big inflows into Tehran’s attractive stock...

BUSINESS RISK: Investing in Iran – what are the risks?

Amid the excitement, asset managers should remember there are significant business risks associated with buying assets in Iran, writes George Mitton. Assuming western negotiators agree...

REAL ESTATE: The story behind the storeys

Tangible, reliable and usually sharia-compliant, real estate has long been a favoured asset class in the Middle East. But will the low oil price...

INTERVIEW: Buying hedge funds for ADIA

Aref Karim spent 13 years at Abu Dhabi’s main sovereign wealth fund, during which time he set up its alternatives portfolio. He tells George...

KUWAIT: Struggling to improve

Political wrangling has hindered Kuwait’s development plans, but some say progress is coming. George Mitton reports. Since they were opened in 1979, the Kuwait Towers,...

INVESTEC GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR INSIGHTS: Out of Africa

In a new series in conjunction with Investec Asset Management, Funds Global MENA looks at the opportunities affecting fund distributors around the world. Mark...

INTERVIEW: The private equity sovereign

The oil price won’t affect us, says the chief executive of Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund. George Mitton talked to him. If the chief executive of...

INVESTMENT ROUNDTABLE: Making sense of sentiment

Our panel discuss Saudi Arabia, the costs of launching Ucits funds and how to fix negligent corporate governance. Chaired by George Mitton in Dubai. Samer...

CUSTODY: A roadmap for change in the GCC

At the Middle East Securities Forum in March, Arindam Das of HSBC gave a checklist of reforms he says are needed for the region’s...