Day 2 of the Arqaam Capital MENA Investor Conference 2025 opened with a global macro perspective
Day 2 of the Arqaam Capital MENA Investor Conference 2025 opened with a global macro perspective. Ben Powell, CFA, Chief Investment Strategist for the Middle East and APAC at BlackRock Investment Institute (BII), outlined five structural forces reshaping the investment landscape: the energy transition, demographic divergence, supply chain realignment, geopolitical fragmentation, and artificial intelligence. These themes, he noted, are driving a more volatile and complex environment—where traditional assumptions around trend growth and predictable cycles no longer apply.
The spotlight then turned to Oman, with the session “From Frontier to Emerging: Driving Billions to Oman’s Capital Market Ambition.” In a compelling fireside chat, Haitham Al Salmi, CEO of the Muscat Stock Exchange S.A.O.C, joined Arqaam Capital’s Danya Bashir to chart Oman’s journey toward emerging market status. “We’re not building a market for show. We’re building one that competes,” Al Salmi emphasized, signaling Oman’s intent to create a resilient, investable, and globally integrated capital market.
This ambition was echoed in “Unlocking Oman’s Energy and Capital Potential,” where leaders from OQEP, OQBI, OQGN, and OOMCO KSA —moderated by Dr. Lamya Harub of OQ —outlined how Oman’s integrated energy value chain is driving both its green transition and capital market development. Hydrocarbons, they stressed, will continue to fund this shift—cleaner, smarter, and with increased investor transparency.
The day also featured sessions spanning financial services, ESG, and investor engagement. “IPO Playbook: Lessons from the C-Suite” delivered practical guidance on going public, from early preparation to regulatory readiness and sustained communication. In Financials Outlook, Jaap Meijer explored how rising interest rates are widening net interest margins while open banking and fintech innovation accelerate competitive disruption.
Jasmine Mehta from MSCI Inc. discussed how ESG performance and index inclusion shape investor access and market visibility. And to close the loop, Veselin Tilev and Meijer emphasized the foundational role of liquidity, analyst coverage, and proactive investor relations in building a resilient MENA capital market ecosystem.