Deutsche Bank, which serves its clients across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEEMEA) from its Dubai hub, is actively expanding its Investment Banking division amid strong sovereign, capital, and corporate debt activity. By concentrating on markets where it holds a competitive advantage, the bank aims to leverage the ongoing momentum in the Middle East’s capital markets.
“We are expanding the team and increasing coverage. MENA is a key market for our franchise. While we have more people in corporate banking in the UAE, we are also active in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which allows us to cover more clients and expand our portfolio,” said Abdeslam Alaoui, Managing Director and Head of CEEMEA Capital Markets at Deutsche Bank, in an interview with Zawya.
Issuance activity across the MENA region accelerated following the reopening of the issuance window on August 25, although it has moderated in recent weeks due to the IMF meetings and investor caution ahead of the upcoming US Federal Reserve decision. Market analysts anticipate a rebound in transactions once policy direction becomes clearer next week.
“We may not be present in every transaction, as our focus is on a selective group of key clients. We take a holistic, strategic approach across products,” Alaoui added. “Nonetheless, we continue to broaden our capital markets coverage in MENA, consistently adding new clients. Recently, we executed major transactions for new clients in the real estate and banking sectors across the GCC, with several more deals underway.”
Bond issuance in the MENA region has reached USD 125.9 billion year-to-date, a 20% rise compared to the same period last year. According to data from the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), issuance volume climbed 27%, the highest nine-month total on record. Saudi Arabia accounted for 54% of total bond proceeds during the first nine months of 2025.
