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Financial Services Sector Research Highlights

Driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector

Shahnawaz Rashid, Executive General Manager and Head of Retail Banking, Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)

In this Global Platform video, Shahnawaz Rashid talks about the strategies for driving innovation and sustainability in Qatar's banking sector. Qatar has developed strong infrastructure, including roads...

The Report: Saudi Arabia 2024
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Banking Sector Analysis

Saudi Arabia’s banking sector has experienced rapid growth, fuelled by regulatory reforms, foreign investment and digital innovation under Vision 2030. The sector supports key industries like renewable energy...

Bahrain, a centre for sustainable finance and innovation in the GCC

Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB)

In this Global Platform video, Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Helaissi, Group CEO and Member of the Board, Gulf International Bank (GIB), talks about Bahrain's banking sector, a significant contributor to...

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Development Bank Ghana: 2023 Highlights

Special Reports on the Financial Services Sector
Cash Transformation Report

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?

Public-private collaboration aimed at boosting digital payments and reducing cash usage in the Bahamas has made gains in a relatively short timeframe. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, policymakers...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico

Environmental, social and governance issues are a growing focus in Mexico, particularly social inclusion and transparency, followed by other governance and environmental matters. The financial sector has...
ESG Intelligence Report

Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector

The regulatory landscape for Gulf financial service providers is changing, with growing awareness of the need for banking institutions to adopt sustainable finance frameworks and responsible lending...
Focus Report

Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges

Although stock exchanges on the continent were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, recovery is starting to take shape. The crisis underlined the need to build resilience and diversify the investor base...

Report: How has public-private collaboration boosted digital and cash transformation in the Bahamas?
Report: The financial sector's central role in tackling ESG issues in Mexico
Report: The future of sustainable finance in Kuwait’s banking sector
Focus Report: Post-pandemic trends and opportunities on African stock exchanges
 

The Report: Qatar 2024
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Banking Sector Analysis

Qatar’s banks have withstood recent global and regional uncertainties, leaving them in a strong position for further growth. The sector’s banks stand to benefit from the Third National Development Strategy for...

Kuwait's banks target sustainable growth

In this Growth Perspectives video, OBG shows how Kuwaiti banks are embracing environmental, social and governance principles to contribute to the sustainable growth of the banking sector...

Financial Sector Analyses

Overview

Digital innovation helps finance Saudi Arabia's diversification
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Saudi Arabia’s financial services sector has undergone rapid growth and structural transformation in recent years, driven by regulatory reforms, increased foreign investment, digital innovation and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan. This expansion supports broader economic goals, with Saudi banks financing major projects in renewable energy, infrastructure and tourism. By fostering these sectors, the industry is helping to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and position itself as a cornerstone of long-term...

Analysis

Open banking rules streamline financial services in Saudi Arabia
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Open banking represents a transformative shift in the financial services industry, allowing third-party providers to access consumer financial data securely through application programming interfaces (APIs). This approach is reshaping the financial ecosystem and creating opportunities for banks and financial technology (fintech) companies to enhance their products, services and internal processes. The implementation of open banking is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to modernise its financial sector...

Analysis

How new regulatory frameworks attract FDI to Saudi Arabia
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Saudi Arabia has made substantial progress in attracting foreign investors to its capital markets in recent years, transforming the Kingdom into a key destination for global capital. Through a series of strategic reforms – including the easing of foreign ownership restrictions, the inclusion of Saudi stocks in major global indices and enhanced regulatory frameworks – the Kingdom has opened its market to a broader international audience. These efforts have increased foreign investment inflows significantly, contributing...

Analysis

Sustainability transforming investment in emerging markets
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Impact investment – which is purposely designed to generate tangible social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns – presents promising risk-adjusted prospects. This type of investment not only provides value for investors, but can also greatly advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), the impact investing market has experienced substantial growth, with an estimated worth of $1.2trn at the end of 2021. This marks a more than two-fold increase...

Overview

Diversification boosts insurance uptake in Saudi Arabia
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In 2023 Saudi Arabia’s insurance sector witnessed substantial growth, driven by a combination of regulatory reforms, economic diversification and increased awareness of risk management. The sector’s gross written premium (GWP) experienced a notable rise, up 22.7% over the course of the year, with total GWP reaching SR65.5bn ($17.5bn) – as compared to SR53.4bn ($14.2bn) in 2022 – according to data from the Kingdom’s Insurance Authority (IA). This growth was fuelled by the robust performance of the economy, rising health...

Analysis

Sustainability focus boosting bottom lines globally
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As environmental, social and governance concerns become increasingly important in the corporate world, insurance companies are emerging as potentially key players in the shift away from fossil fuel-powered projects. The UN’s Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA) reflects an ongoing change in the global industry towards the wider recognition of the risks associated with climate change. However, the failure of the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance – which launched before the COP26 UN Conference on Climate Change from October...

Increasing the accessibility of trading in Kuwait and the GCC

Talal Al Ajmi, CEO and Founder, VI Markets

In this Global Platform video, Talal Al Ajmi, CEO and Founder, VI Markets, talks about increasing the accessibility of trading. Financial markets have experienced significant changes compared to before the...

The Report: Indonesia 2024
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Banking Sector Analysis

Indonesia’s banking sector is large, complex and profitable, driven by a population of nearly 280m people, the fourth largest in the world. However, a significant portion of the population remains unbanked...

Financial Services in Emerging Markets

Economic View

Kwabena Asante-Poku, Coverage Director, Ghana - British International Investment (BII)

On increasing finance for SMEs, women-led businesses and infrastructure development in Africa

Economic View

Julian Opuni, Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Ghana

On the country’s commitment to inclusive finance

Economic News

Climate risk is reshaping the insurance sector in emerging markets
OBG
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With the launch of a new joint initiative to support the countries that are most vulnerable to climate change, the global insurance industry is evolving in ways that could carry important implications for business in emerging markets. The Global Shield against Climate Risks (GSCR) was announced by the ministers of finance of the so-called Vulnerable Twenty Group (V20) and the G7 after the COP27 UN Conference on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh Egypt in November last year. It seeks to address weaknesses...

Economic News

Digital financial inclusion is reshaping payments in Côte d’Ivoire
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Already a regional standout in terms of growth and investment inflows, Côte d’Ivoire is striving to become a pioneer in digital financial inclusion. The West African country saw key indices rebound swiftly following the Covid-19 pandemic, with GDP growth reaching 7% in 2021, returning to pre-pandemic levels following a drop to 1.7% in 2020. Growth is set to remain strong, estimated at 6.7% in 2022 and projected to reach 6.2% in 2023, according to the IMF. Coupled with robust investment inflows over the past decade, the country...

Economic News

Emerging markets invest in film media to extend their global reach
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As GCC countries look to harness new forms of financial technology (fintech) such as blockchain, deepen their financial services and expand financial inclusion, governments are embracing decentralised finance (DeFi) and are working to attract cryptocurrency companies to the region. In DeFi – peer-to-peer financial services with no central authority or intermediary involved in trading, lending, investing and other activities – GCC countries see the opportunity to diversify their economies and embrace Web3 technologies...

Economic News

How digital banking is transforming access to finance in Latin America and the Caribbean
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Despite wider economic challenges such as inflation and supply chain disruptions, digital banks and neobanks are continuing to attract new customers and accelerate financial inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean. Neobanks use apps, software and other technologies to operate exclusively through digital platforms. They are usually limited to bank accounts and cards because they often lack credit institution licences, while digital banks offer the full suite of traditional banking services online...

Economic News

Could better reporting bolster ESG funds in emerging markets?
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As financial markets experience significant headwinds in 2022, environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds saw their first net outflow since 2011. However, the energy transition, climate-related threats to food security and the search for long-term value could prompt a resurgence of sustainable investment in emerging markets. After global ESG funds enjoyed a record run from 2019 to 2021, growing by 98% and seeing net inflows of $25bn in 2020 and $35bn in 2021, net outflow from ESG funds in 2022...

Economic News

Emerging Market Trends 2022: Payment Solutions
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Even as the global economy grapples with inflation, supply chain constraints and high commodity prices, new payment solutions are helping billions in emerging markets access and deploy much-needed capital. Driven by a decline in cash payments during the Covid-19 pandemic, digital payments skyrocketed in line with the growth in e-commerce, as the financial technology (fintech) sector expanded to provide consumers with a wider variety of payment options. The growth of digital payments has been strongest...

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