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Capital is tighter. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Ascent Club, a visibility launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is introducing a new regular monthly conference room dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session unites board practitioners to examine the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Priorities Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value development and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers include: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, threat oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are deliberately creating a repeating forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies reliable female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the most current insights, patterns, and strategies delivered directly to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the forefront of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gone into Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation stage, with activity remaining raised but growth slowing. Total assets held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital deployment. International macro conditions set a challenging backdrop.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional trend. Oil related assets succeeded for the most part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Absolute Luxury ETF released on ADX to include more thematic ETFs. Also in Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly negative, with just 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the data shows a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of products.
Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in particular country direct exposures and products, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resistant throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs amidst greater oil costs, along with its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. In spite of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted favorable returns for the quarter. The ongoing Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, including a more cautious policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical tensions and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF significantly surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, reflecting selective allowance rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items bring in brand-new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting particular direct exposures, while reducing or turning out of others.
Trading activity remained constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have taken location in the secondary market, enabling financiers to change positions without significant main creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic exposure focused on worldwide high-end and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has affected belief and costs during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional assets.
Adjusting to the Changing Face of Omani Organization RegulationsRegardless of continuous geopolitical stress and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show durability, maintaining positive development momentum in current years. While disputes in the broader area and worldwide economic uncertainty stay a structural restriction, GCC countries have up until now limited their influence on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy connection, and continual financial investment.
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