Dubai, UAE; 19 May 2025. Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, continues to solidify its role as a global hub for long-term capital deployment by signing an agreement at the Dubai FinTech Summit with the International Private Equity Market (IPEM), the premier relationship broker for private equity.

 

IPEM events are the definitive meeting place for decision-makers, innovators, and investors shaping the future of private markets. Dubai will complement the current bi-annual IPEM gatherings held in France. IPEM Future will strive to create an immersive experience that allows attendees to gain insights, develop relationships, and engage with the wider private equity community.

The IPEM partnership reinforces DIFC’s position as a world-class ecosystem and platform for private equity markets. Ranked number one in the region in the latest edition of the Global Financial Centre Index (GFCI) rankings, Dubai is categorised by the GFCI as only one of eight cities in the world to be a global leader with ‘broad and deep’ capabilities across all parts of the finance industry, alongside cities including London, New York and Paris.

 

Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of DIFC Authority, commented: “The current global economic environment has amplified investor appetite for private capital, often viewed as resilient, long-term, and less susceptible to short-term market risks. The partnership with IPEM spotlights Dubai and DIFC as a global destination for long-term capital deployment, and aligns with our vision to drive the future of finance and position Dubai among the world’s leading global financial centres in the world.”

Antoine Colson, CEO, IPEM, said: “Dubai is a global hub for creative and transformative capital — a natural home for ‘IPEM Future’. This new event brings together the boldest LPs and GPs backing breakthroughs in AI, climate tech, longevity, space, and more. It is where private capital does not just perform – it transforms.”

 

Ahead of its Dubai event in December, IPEM brought representatives from the global private capital industry to Dubai FinTech Summit for an introductory visit and participation in an especially curated event. Investors and companies that support the private markets ecosystem discussed using private markets to create long-term value; the role of innovation and technology; the changing investor landscape; and the growing importance of the Middle East.