IslamicFinance.de

Asset managers in the Gulf Arab region are looking to partner with regional players and third-party providers to break the bottleneck of distributing their offerings solely through banks.
The industry, still at its nascent stage, is heavily dependent on banks, but as the funds grow in size and get international focus, better distribution methods are in demand.
The challenge is even bigger for small regional players who do not have the ability to market their products effectively to international players or comply with global regulations like Ucits III, a European Union (EU) framework for funds that can be sold across borders.
For smaller players, the operational cost of complying with global regulations like Ucits III are too high, forcing them to set up partnerships with others in the region. Local fund managers are also looking to set up funds domiciled in off-shore locations to attract global clients.