Editor's letter

Is this the Middle East’s year?
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Emerging markets in the Middle East have always been touted as places of great opportunity and will it be the same again this year? Is interest set to increase? “In terms of market sector trends, the Middle East should continue to experience strong growth and lead the league tables for the net inflow of HNW and UHNW families in 2025,” says Vikram Malhotra, CEO & Co-founder, 360 ONE Global.

Merlin Piscitelli, EMEA Chief Revenue Officer, Datasite, adds: “Dealmaking in 2025 is expected to be more diverse geographically too. Emerging markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, especially Turkey, are becoming increasingly attractive for dealmakers seeking undervalued assets and fresh market points.” However, in terms of deals, the news is not as bright. According to GlobalData, Europe and Middle East and Africa witnessed decline in deal volume by 6.7% and 4.7%, respectively. Looking at our in-depth coverage of Mashreq this issue, it can also be said that Middle East-based banks also know how to deal with hard times. So in a big year, will their success be exponential? Watch this space.

Patrick Brusnahan, editor