Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading international financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with professional services company Accenture to foster innovation in the financial services industry globally.
Under the MoU, FinTech Hive at DIFC – the first financial technology accelerator in the MEASA region will collaborate with Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Labs in New York, London and Hong Kong, to share resources and knowledge on the latest research and trends in financial technology. The agreement will help build long-term relationships across the accelerator’s international initiatives, further cementing synergies between the DIFC and Accenture.
The Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, Arif Amiri, and a senior managing director in Accenture’s Financial Services practice, Sushil Saluja, signed a memorandum of understanding to foster collaboration between FinTech Hive at DIFC and Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Labs in New York, London and Hong Kong.
In line with DIFC Growth Strategy 2024 and Dubai Vision 2021, FinTech Hive at DIFC fills an important void in the market by giving financial giants access to state-of-the art technologies to support their digital transformation while providing innovators with invaluable access to potential clients and investors.
The Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, Amiri, said: “This agreement leverages DIFC’s position as the top Fintech hub in the region and Accenture’s expertise in shaping a world-class innovation platform.
“The UAE’s position as a hub for financial institutions and for innovative talent gives the FinTech Hive at DIFC a competitive advantage for fostering FinTech growth. What sets us apart is our ability to harness the assets to grow Fintech locally that will ultimately create more jobs, attract investments and support the economy as a whole.
“By teaming up with Accenture’s FinTech Innovation Labs from around the world, we aim to utilize this demand to support innovation and growth as well as strengthen Dubai’s position as one of the world’s top 10 FinTech hubs.”
The FinTech Innovation Labs are annual 12-week accelerator programs that bring together early-stage financial technology companies and the world’s leading financial institutions. Globally, the Labs’ alumni companies have raised more than US$1.07 billion in venture financing after participating in the programs.
Also commenting, the Senior Managing Director in Accenture’s Financial Services practice, Sushil Saluja, said, “We are excited to further grow our fruitful partnership with the DIFC. Accenture will facilitate and create ties between the DIFC accelerator and our FinTech Innovation Labs in Europe, North America and Asia.
“In today’s hyper-connected world, this type of alliance is critical for maximizing talent development and innovation. With surging demand for FinTech solutions and Dubai’s increasing presence on the global financial scene, we are confident that this international collaboration will generate incredible opportunities for the region.”
DIFC has recently announced that the 2018 program, which is opening for applications in May, will be expanded to include insurance, Islamic finance, and regulatory technology services.
First Abu Dhabi Bank, Arab Bank and Noor Bank will join the program this year, with returning financial institutions to include Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Citigroup, Emirates Islamic, Emirates NBD, HSBC, Mashreq, Standard Chartered, UAE Exchange, and Visa.
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is one of the world’s top ten financial centers, and the leading financial hub for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
The Centre provides a world-class platform connecting the region’s markets with the economies of Europe, Asia and the Americas and facilitates growth in South-South trade and investment.
An onshore, international financial center, DIFC offers a stable, mature and secure base for financial institutions to develop their wholesale businesses.
DIFC continues to pursue expansion into new services and sectors within the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, an area comprising over 72 countries with an approximate population of 3 billion and nominal GDP of US$7.4 trillion.