The association, which represents members of the global hedge fund industry, said it is seeking to “create a network for managers and service providers in the Middle East”. The initiative will be spearheaded by former AIMA chairman and AIMA EMEA Regional Advisory Council member Sohail Jaffer of FWU Group, who is based in Dubai.
AIMA said the focus of its work in the Middle East will be investor engagement, particularly given the “increasing interest in hedge funds from the region’s investors including sovereign wealth funds, family offices and private clients”.
“There is already a significant hedge fund industry community in the Middle East, both in terms of managers and service providers,” said Jaffer, AIMA’s Middle East representative.
“The region’s authorities are also taking a keen interest in hedge funds and are encouraging the growth of the local asset management industry. And of course many investors in the region either have extensive experience of investing in alternative investments or are looking at increasing their allocations in that area. We look forward to working with investors, policymakers and regulators across the region.”
