Gulf Exchanges Unite To Raise Investor Relations Standards - Arabian Post

A new unified investor relations guide for 2025 has been unveiled by the GCC Financial Markets Committee, offering listed companies a cohesive framework to enhance communication, governance, disclosure and ESG integration across Gulf capital markets. Market leaders say the move underscores the region's ambitions to align with global norms and reinforce investor trust.

The Gulf Exchanges Unite to Raise Investor Relations Standards initiative seeks to boost transparency and investor confidence throughout the Gulf, according to committee statements. Developed collaboratively by major exchanges-including Boursa Kuwait, Saudi Tadawul, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange Group, Dubai Financial Market, Bahrain Bourse, Muscat Stock Exchange, and Qatar Stock Exchange-the guide introduces a structured approach covering disclosure timetables, management of material events, insider monitoring and policies to counter rumours and market manipulation. Emphasis is placed on embedding environmental, social and governance reporting as part of strategic disclosure practices.

Mohammad Saud Al-Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of Boursa Kuwait, describes this as“a strategic step toward unifying investor relations standards and practices across the GCC's capital markets, contributing to the enhancement of transparency, credibility, and strengthening investor confidence”. Abdulla Salem Al-Nuaimi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, adds that the Gulf Exchanges Unite to Raise Investor Relations Standards guide marks a“key milestone in reinforcing transparency and investor trust across the region”, noting ADX's active role in promoting best-in-class investor relations, including ESG integration and training.

Though adoption remains optional, analysts and market participants view the guide as a valuable tool for firms aiming to enhance credibility and facilitate smoother access to both regional and global investors. The guide's launch coincides with growing foreign interest in Gulf equity markets: PwC Middle East reported that IPOs in the GCC raised USD 1.6 billion in Q1 2025, a 33% increase year-on-year, with Saudi Arabia accounting for nearly 69% of proceeds.

The guide outlines unified principles and best practices intended to elevate the GCC's financial ecosystem and integrate it more closely with international standards. It supports more efficient and transparent market operations, with a view to making the region more appealing to global capital.

Included in the framework are recommended practices around communication protocols, crisis-management mechanisms, governance structures and disclosure schedules, all tailored to meet international expectations. By encouraging ESG reporting and stakeholder engagement strategies, it dovetails with global trends prioritising sustainability and non-financial disclosures.

While firms are not mandated to adopt the guidelines, the consensus among observers is that the guide will likely serve as a reference point for investor relations teams within listed companies, especially those targeting long-term and institutional investors. It forms a component of broader efforts to modernise regional capital markets, support economic diversification and elevate the GCC's standing in global financial markets.

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