GBM as headline sponsor for Gulf Capital Markets Forum

As the first international conference focused on the Middle East, it brought together a number of industry experts from exchanges, clearing and settlement organisations, regulators, intermediaries and investors to analyse the trends and debate the evolution of capital markets in the region.

"The capital markets in the Middle East are going through a major transformation, reflecting the economic growth that is taking place in the region. Most of the GCC markets have historically high capitalisation and transacting record volumes and values. This is further fuelled by investors who have become more sophisticated and are demanding more products and services from the intermediaries and investment firms across the Gulf. To deal with this unprecedented growth regional markets have to become more efficient and integrated. The regulatory infrastructure has to be improved to provide higher levels of transparency and increased investor protection," said Faisal Huda, Management Consultant at GBM.

"We are proud to have sponsored the first Gulf Capital Markets conference which tackled key developmental issues of the regional markets. GBM's expertise in the banking and finance industry is backed - and endorsed by - an excellent association with a number of prominent institutions in the region. Our unique value proposition includes a complete end-to-end solution from business strategy to full systems integration and organisational change," said Jim Massey, Director of Professional Services at GBM.

The framework for the integration of Gulf markets, regulation and surveillance, trends in clearing and settlement, new product development, integration of Islamic finance and the impact of technology in the development of capital markets were among the topics discussed at the forum.