About 20 global financial institutions have requested application forms to join the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), according to Phillip Thorpe, chief executive of the DIFC's regulatory authority.
In addition, a further 10 support firms â such as lawyers, accountants, data providers and ratings firms â are considering applying for licences to operate in the new financial centre, he said. The ambitious project to create from scratch a new Middle East financial centre has the personal backing of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed, well-known for his passion for horse-racing, has recruited a bevy of luminaries to advise on the project.
